It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later.

Well folks, it is sure hard to believe that camp is wrapping up here as we a nearing closer to September. Like every year, goodbyes are so difficult. Friendships have been formed. Smiles and laughter have filled the Batawa chalet. Clothes have been covered in mud, paint, and sand. Hearts have been filled. Lessons have been learned. Risks have been taken. Memories have been made that will last a lifetime.

Chloe and Syd created their own special messages to leave you and your familiy with.

This summer has gone so unbelievably quick, we’ve done so many cool things in the past eight weeks, it’s crazy!! Some of my favorite activities were, natural watercolour painting, making camp food, fairy homes, bug playgrounds and lava lamps. Some things I learned this summer were how important my family is to me, how you can always find joy in the little things, and that even though it was sad that camp was very different this year, we still made the most of it and had a blast!

The way things are going, the world is going to be pretty different for a while. If you are attending school in the fall, it will be pretty different and there might be some rules, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun. Remember that all of the precautions and regulations are for the best to help keep everyone safe, so that hopefully the world stays on the road to recovery.

A nice way I like to stay positive is to write down all of the things that make me happy. Down below is a picture that I drew of myself and my happy thought bubble. You can make your own happy thought bubble, all you need is a piece of paper and some colouring supplies! So the next time you are feeling down you can look at your drawing and remember the things that make you the most happy in life.

Thought Bubble.jpg — Chloe’s Positive Thought Bubble

I hope that we were able to bring joy to families in such a hard and crazy time. I know that Syd and I sure had a great time! Thank you for being a part of our little camp community, hopefully camp can return to some kind of normalcy in the next couple of years, and that we can do some activities face to face one day. Until next summer, whether camp is in person or online for another year, we encourage you to stay positive and continue to keep your summer camp spirit within you wherever you go. Camp doesn’t end here and now, you can do these activities as many times as you’d like, and keep your love for camp in your hearts the whole year through.

-Chloe

Well folks, summer always goes by in a blink of an eye and this year has been no exception. Summer Camp has been part of my life for the past 6 years and this year has been by far the most unique experience for me. Chloe and I have been able to accomplish something that we would not usually have time for. We are grateful to have been able to share with you a collection of activities that you and your family have hopefully enjoyed. Even though I have not had the chance to meet many of you in person, we were constantly reminded of the amazing love and support Batawa and the surrounding area has which encouraged us to do our best.

Some of my favourite activities have been making leaf prints, our foraging tea party, painting walking sticks for our hikes up the hill, and our string art. Living in a virtual world brings its own challenges, but we have been able to take time to reflect on what we value the most and our main goals have been to be more resourceful, nature conscious, and reflective. I feel like we have achieved this and will continue to do so at camp and in our personal lives as well.

As part of a wrap up to this summer and as a teacher myself, I realize that the upcoming school year will be challenging for some and leaves a lot of uncertainty. I wanted to create a fun way of remembering all that has been accomplished this year and a collection of my memories at camp. What better way than to make a time capsule? Below are pictures of the time capsule that I put together from a photo box I had (an old shoe box would work great too!). I will open it up after the school year has finished in 2021 and at the start of next summer...not before!

From the bottom of my heart, I want to wish all of our families and anyone reading this all of the best health and wellbeing. I am truly amazed at how small our community is, but how full my heart is. We may not be able to see each other in person for a while, but always know that you are loved and cared for by so many. Until we meet again.

-Syd