Until Next Year - Last Day of Camp

 We hit the ground running on Friday morning wrapping up our week at camp and getting ready to go home.  The last thing that we did before loading buses and cars for home was pictures and awards!

Look at this awesome group of campers, teens, and adults!

Camp wouldn't happen if we didn't have our leadership!  Thanks to our adults, teens, and CITs!

Our up and coming Teen Leaders - our 2023 CITs!

Our 2023 teens and adults!

And a couple more things:  awards were mentioned earlier in this post.  At the end of the week, our teens and adults voted for CITs of the week, teens of the week, and Head, Heart, Hands, and Health awards for campers and teens.  Here are our outstanding 4-Hers from Appomattox and Nelson 4-H Summer Camp 2023!  Congratulations and good job!

                   
              CITs of the Week!

                      
                 Teens of the Week!

    

                      
                     Head, Heart, Hands, and Health Campers!

                      
                          Head, Heart, Hands, and Health Teens!

We couldn't be prouder of these 4-Hers!  Until next year...

Last Night at Camp

 What a busy last evening at camp!   We were all entertained by our campers' performances in the talent show!  There were a lot of abilities showcased for us to enjoy!  Some of the acts included singing, acting, Rubik's Cube Challenge, a magic trick, and dancing.  It took a lot of courage for the campers to get up on stage tonight!  Good job!

The final activities for the week were our final campfire and candle lighting ceremony.  Camp staff led the campers in songs and stories around a blazing campfire and then everyone went back up to the parade field for candle lighting.  The candle lighting moment was, admittedly, emotional for some of the campers as they finished a full week at Holiday Lake.   

Candle lighting at Holiday Lake

Campfire and candle lighting

Tomorrow morning, we will be busy packing up our things, and getting ready to leave, breakfast, group pictures, and awards.  

Hands on With Rupert's First Aid Class

 This year, one of the Appomattox teen leaders, a certified EMT with Appomattox  Rescue Squad, led the First Aid class, along with Lucas Ward, another EMT.  Thursday culminated with a hands on tour of an Appomattox Fire Truck and an Appomattox Rescue vehicle.  Fireman Dan gave a tour of the firetruck and had a camper assist him by dressing in turn out gear.   The highlight was getting to spray the fire hose!

Thanks, Rupert, Lucas, and Dan, and to Appomattox Fire Dept. and Appomattox Rescue Squad for coming to Holiday Lake today.

Wednesday Evening Color Run & Glow Dance

It's 11:15 p.m. and the camp is (finally) quiet.   We had a lot of fun this evening with our color run, ice cream social, and glow dance.  One activity followed the other so the campers had a busy evening.  We'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Color Run Fun

Glow Dance Fun

One more day of fun to come!

Wednesday Update - Finally!

 Wow, did we have a busy, busy Tuesday!  Apologies for not getting a post out to you before now.  We had our second day of classes this morning.  There was a lot of fun activities going on all over camp!  

campfire cooking, riflery, horsemanship, canoeing, scuba diving, archery

swimming, CIT, fishing, woodworking, high ropes

The campers are currently having free time at the pool and various other activities on this beautiful July afternoon.

There WILL be a post late tonight with Color Run, Ice Cream Social and Glow Dance pictures.

Tuesday Going On!

Classes were successful this morning!  Campers attended 3 or 4 classes (depending on their class assignments) all over camp this morning including fishing, scuba diving, and woodworking.   We were so busy making sure that all of the campers were where they need to be that we didn't a whole lot of pictures.  (More class pictures tomorrow).

The campers are looking forward to free recreation time this afternoon - swimming, gau gau, volleyball, board games, crafts, basketball, and fishing.  Unfortunately, we missed recreation period yesterday due to the thunder that precluded yesterday's storm, so fingers crossed!

 

Good Tuesday Morning!

 The storm passed through last night, we all went to bed and it's only 6:30 a.m. and some of the campers are already in the Gau Gau pit and playing volleyball!  That's the way to start July 4th at Holiday Lake!

After breakfast and flag raising this morning, we will start our first day of classes!  That's an exciting (and a little hectic) part of the day for everyone!

So, have a great morning, everyone!  We'll check back in after classes!

Monday Evening - Update/Storm Rolling Through

 

Undoubtedly, you know there's a storm brewing.  We did curtail our evening activity and all campers, teens, and adults are in the dining hall with board games, movies, books, and craft projects.    All is well at Holiday Lake.

Monday Goes on!

 We did have a few rumbles of thunder this afternoon that altered our schedule just a little bit, but camp did go on.

During the week, campers go "shopping" in the camp store twice a day for a drink and snacks.  After their store visit, campers have a few minutes of free time to play gau gau, four square, volleyball, or they can choose to sit and relax.  What's Gau Gau you ask?  It's a very popular camp game it.  Ask your camper when they get home.  

  
Four square in the pavilion

While half of the campers are at store, the other half are having cabin time with their teens.  They use this time to tidy up and to share and discuss how their day is going.  

Carnifield

After dinner it was time for Carnifield (carnival + in the field).  The campers played basketball, had water balloon battles, kicked soccer balls around, played multiple balloon games, and even blindfolded musical chairs.  What a fun start to our Holiday Lake evening!

And We're Off and Running!

 Over 170 Appomattox and Nelson County campers, along with teen leaders and adults,  are all settled into cabins and bunkhouses at Holiday Lake 4-H Camp now!  We started our week off with staff introductions in the amphitheater.

  
The amphitheater is where we have assemblies and programs.  On the right, Bonnie Tillotson, Appomattox Ext. Agent, and Erin Harris, Nelson Ext. Agent, introduce the teens and adults.

 
On left, the camp staff enthusiastically reviews safety rules for the week at camp.  While the campers are with the staff, the teens and adults, right, meet with the program director to make sure that everything is in place for a great week at camp.

Our first meal at camp was pizza!  We all eat together in the dining hall with the teens taking the lead in serving the meal family style.

Here's our dining hall (left), complete with lively atmosphere!  On the right, teen leader, Jodie, serves her table of campers.

After a fire drill, the afternoon will consist of health checks, camp tours, and swim tests!  Stay tuned for more fun from Holiday Lake!