This-N-That
Field Notes
Congrats to Camp Oty’Okwa—the recipient of the 2015 ACA, Ohio Grant for its program “Incorporating Literacy at Camp.” ACA, Ohio awards grants for the purpose of improving and expanding the camp experience in Ohio. Any member (camp or individual) of ACA, Ohio is eligible to apply for a grant. For more information, visit www.acacamps.org/ohio?_cldee=Y2hyaXN0aW5lQG5vcnRoc3RhcnB1YnMuY29t.
VITCHELO, a provider of outdoor gear—recently received an official U.S. Registered Trademark, which gives the name not only an enviable level of respect, but also a competitive edge in the marketplace. The philosophy of the company is simple: Design top-shelf products for people seeking an adrenaline rush—or just a memorable experience in the great outdoors—while staying true to its core values of quality, safety, consistency and reliability. Other companies sometimes reduce their spending on quality assurance as sales climb. This reckless pursuit of profit results in sub-par products and unhappy customers. VITCHELO has no intention of going that route.
Congrats to Longacre Camp in Newport, Penn., for becoming accredited. “I have always known that Longacre provided a world-class summer experience in a safe and challenging environment,” said Louise Warner,
Director of Longacre Camp, in an email to industry professionals. “This accreditation process not only confirms this but I believe will enhance our program in the future.”
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Trail Mix
This is a great teambuilding recipe for all age groups. It requires clean hands, measuring, mixing, cutting parchment paper to fit the pans, setting oven racks to fit the pans, timing, removal, cool down, storage, and washing.
Ingredients
(Note: the first half of the list will be baked and can be used “as-is.” The second half are optional ingredients that can be added after the baked mix is cooled.)
9 cups any flavor Cheerios, mixed up
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (per cup of non-Cinnamon Cheerios)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
Optional Ingredients
1-1/2 cup mini marshmallows
1-1/2 cup roasted peanuts
3/4 cup raisins, cran-raisins, sun raisins, or dried cranberries (or a mix)
3/4 to 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or 1 cup mini chips
1 cup dried banana chips
Other dried fruit in any quantity
Preparation
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Line two or three baking sheets (13 inches x 11 inches) that have shallow sides with parchment paper.* With clean hands, gently mix together the Cheerios, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt. Slowly pour melted butter over mixture while tossing to coat all. Spread mixture on baking sheets. Bake 15 minutes, carefully stir the mixture, then bake 10 minutes longer. Use potholders to carefully remove from the oven and let cool on the sheets. When cool, carefully slide the mixture off the sheets into a large bowl and break apart. Add the other ingredients and gently toss. Serve immediately or store in containers up to a week. Parchment paper can be sponged off and dried to reuse in the future. Wash the pans. Makes 12 cups.
*Larger pans can hold two batches, but should only be used if working with high-school age teens, as they are cumbersome to handle when hot and when washing.
--Recipe provided by Bonnie Ecker
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Giving Back
Asbury Park, N.J.—The Boys and Girls Club of Monmouth County is getting a much-needed makeover. Among the team-leading effort, American Pool offered a helping hand by assisting with an improved aquatic facility.
Every day, kids come to the Boys & Girls Club in Asbury Park after school. For many young people, the club is a home away from home. It offers a place for children to feel safe and away from the crime they may encounter on the streets. Young members, ranging from ages 6 to18—not only stay at the club for a couple of hours after school, but often well into the evening. They get the chance to enjoy a host of activities, including sports, lessons on healthy habits and even tutoring. These activities are all designed to build friendships and lasting relationships within the community.
Over the years, one of the club’s most popular amenities has been the indoor swimming pool. Access to aquatic programming is critical for a community located on the Jersey Shore waterfront.
That’s where the American Pool team jumped in. In one short week, American Pool of New Jersey, New York and
Pennsylvania completed the renovation and the facility is now back up and running. Donating 500+ hours of skilled manpower and $65,000 in material and supplies, girls and boys can now enjoy a newly equipped and refurbished aquatic facility. The renovation included a full facility cleaning, tile repair, expansion joint replacement, resolution of structural leaks, a painted interior, the installation of an automated chemical controller, and replacement of the facility’s antiquated 1970s filters with a brand new commercial filtration system.
The renovations won’t stop there. With the help of leading developer, iStar, Asbury Park not only gets to experience a new pool, but a soon to be re-designed club featuring a new three-story building adjacent to the existing structure. In addition to American Pool, at least 10 other companies have donated their services to make this new center a reality.
--Information provided by American Pool
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A Fun Way To Pass The Time
Over the past 10 years, STEM camps (science, technology, engineering, and math) are attracting more kids because they create amazing digital works while learning math, technology, and science. Because of this, parents see this as a wise investment. Kids actually make a computer game that they or their friends can play, or build robots that tow stones and react to light.
The secret to great tech camps are the people. Good “Tek Leaders” are working towards their degree in math or technology, and enjoy working with kids. Once they pass the mandatory background check, they become a Tek Leader. If I were to sum up my experience working for Funutation Tekademy in one word, I think it would be “fun.” Whether I was in class teaching and learning alongside students or coming up with new lesson plans alongside my fellow Tek Leaders, I was always having a good time. It probably sounds a bit corny, but honestly I think that “fun” factor is what makes Funutation Tekademy so unique. The work environment, the people, all of it comes together to create something uniquely powerful. In the rare cases, I had an off day in class; coming back to the office and hanging out with the other instructors would always get me back up on my feet in no time. I really felt like I had a home away from home in that two-room classroom space and my fellow instructors were like my second family.
Funutation Tek Leaders move on to great careers as engineers with Microsoft, Apple, Google, and more. Working at Tech Camps give college students the opportunity to apply school knowledge with kids immediately and adds value to their resume.
Theo Jordan is a Junior at UMass Amherst studying Computer Science and English. Funutation Tech Camps Inc. teach kids to make computer games, program battle robots, and design web sites. Funutation has taught more than 10,000 kids from Washington DC to California how to code.
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Calendar
September
26-28 Southeastern Fall Camp Conference, Greenville SC—Embassy Suites Greenville Golf Resort and Conference Center; www.acacamps.org
November
15-17 ACA, Great Rivers Fall Conference, Ashlan, Neb.—Carol Joy Holling Retreat & Conference Center; www.acacamps.or