The Wigwam

create thoughtful, develop-

mentally appropriate and

formative experiences for

children. Lori and I look

forward to working together

throughout the school year

and in the year ahead, to

prepare ourselves to be the

best partners and informed

resources we can to our

campers and their families.

As the calendar churns to-

wards summertime and the

start of camp, we will be on

the road extensively in Janu-

ary through April. We hope

to see many of you. We have

scheduled more Wekeela

Wednesdays in other great

cities this spring. The

countdown to Wekeela 2020

has begun!!

Happy New Year Pioneers!

The 20’s have arrived! One

hundred years ago, the

1920’s were a booming

period. The social and

cultural aspects of this era

was known as the Roaring

Twenties. In this new

decade, we’re inspiring

people to take life by storm

and using the new year and

new decade to motivate oth-

ers to make positive changes

in their lives. And as always

be grateful and remember

to be humble and kind.

The New Year is an

opportunity for making and

trying new things, learning,

living, pushing, and chang-

ing yourself. We believe the

experiences our campers

have at Wekeela prepares

them to manage challenges

brought by the new year.

Through camp, they have

learned resiliency, to step

out of their comfort zone,

to take initiative, and to

write their own story. Camp

Wekeela and other summer

camps are preparing chil-

dren for life. It is a joy and a

gift to be part of that

process. This gift of

partnering with parents and

being responsible for other

people’s children also comes

with an obligation to

continually educate ourselves.

As parents, the best gift in

life is your kids. When they

smile at you, tell you they

love you, and kiss you good-

night, you know all the hard

work is worthwhile. And one

of the best gifts parents can

give their child is the gift of

sleepaway camp. We have a

responsibility to reflect on

the camp experience, to

challenge ourselves to learn

about the complex world

with which our youth are

faced, and to be intentional

about the creation of our

camp communities and each

individual’s experience within

those communities.

At Wekeela, we seek

opportunities throughout the

year to learn, to broaden our

perspective, and to help us

C a m p We ke e l a

Visitor’s Day is Friday, July 24th. Make your

lodging arrangements now! The hotels and

inns book early. Download the “Places To

Stay” information from our website.

The Wigwam - Winter 2020 Volume 99, Issue 1

Welcome New

Campers!

Full Session:

June 27 - August 15

1st Session:

June 27 - July 25

Rookie Sessions:

June 27 - July 11/July 11-July 25/

July 26 - Aug 8

Visiting Day:

July 24

2nd Session:

July 26- August 15

2020 is also Maine’s

bicentennial. Come celebrate

with us this summer!

Horseback Riding! The Wekeela Riding program takes place at the beautiful Oakwood Equestrian Center, a 200-acre farm led by Tina and Ray Nichols. It features outdoor and indoor arenas. Pioneers get lessons in balanced seat, basic

dressage, and jumping. There are two sessions per week at three hours per session; a three hour session allows time to touch on all aspects of horsemanship, working students from the ground up, including a solid hour in the saddle in addition to grooming, tack up, and tack down.

The facility also features miles of trails that overlook the beautiful western Maine mountains. Space is limited. To register complete the optional program form on our website under forms and waivers.

Page 2 The Wigwam, Volume 98, Issue 2

Please make reading the Parent/Camper handbook a priority. All important

information and forms are now available to download at our website such as:

Camper Health Forms, Camp Wekeela Store, Camp Trucking, Pack My Rx, Travel, senior campers,

(first session) must complete and submit the Canada Trip Permission form. Second session Teen

Campers (seniors, juniors and inters) must submit the Whitewater Rafting Permission Form.

Wekeela Notes: To keep parents connected with their children we provide our own Email service.

It’s called WekeelaNotes! WekeelaNotes allow parents to send emails to their children and receive

scanned letters from the campers returned on a timely basis. WekeelaNotes are much quicker than

sending your children letters via snail mail. We offer WekeelaNotes at a special flat rate per family

(instead of per camper). Please register for WekeelaNotes at our website.

Pack My Rx: For campers taking medicine, we use Pack My Rx to service all individual medication

needs. Please read more about Pack My Rx at Parent/Camper Handbook available at our website.

Be Prepared For This Summer …

Coming this Spring:

• Spring Wigwam

• And much, much more!

“Camp purists point to the Maine

camps as the most traditional,

sought-after experiences, mostly

because of Maine’s abundant

wilderness and pristine lakes

and beaches.”

Maine Camp Experience

Wekeela Daily Schedule

Page 3 The Wigwam, Volume 98, Issue 2

Camp Activities - At Wekeela,

campers attend their activities with

their age group. Our camp schedule

features an A-B-C-D rotation with a

Wekeela day every fifth day. The

Wekeela day is a special day of

programming, such as a carnival or

a field trip. Please review the

guidelines below with your child so

that they fully understand what is

expected in these areas:

Instructional Swimming - Kids

Camp campers (ages 7-12) are

required to attend one instructional swimming class each programming day throughout

the summer. Teen Camp campers (13-16) do not take instructional swim.

Waterfront, Tennis, Land Sports, Outdoor Adventure, Environmental Education,

Creative Arts, Culinary Arts and Performing Arts - All campers are required to attend

one instructional class on a rotational basis throughout the summer.

Waterski - All campers attend a double period of waterski! It includes a choice of

waterskiing, wakeboarding, knee boarding, or tubing on a rotational basis throughout the

summer.

Tripping - Wekeela offers optional day and overnight hikes. Campers can register for them

while at camp. All hikes are age appropriate. The Wekeela Orienteering program is very

popular. It features trailblazing alongside the adjacent Hayford Brook in our “New

Frontier.” The highlight will be making s’mores at a campfire and then sleeping under the

stars in our Lenape Village.

2020 will mark 98

years of summer camp

fun on the shores of

Little Bear Pond. It’s

also Lori and Ephram’s

24th season at

Wekeela!!

Travel Information

Please review the 2020 transporta-

tion information available on our

website. It contains suggested U.S.

and International flights, as well as

chartered coach information from

Rye, NY and a travel request form.

Please remember that airlines

change their schedules frequently.

We will update these schedules

throughout the spring.

All campers flying from our

chaperoned flights (Ft. Lauderdale

and Baltimore June 27th) must

book their airfare directly through

the Atlas travel agency. Please

contact Dianne Doucette at:

508.488.1193 or

Dianne.Doucette@atlastravel.com

Campers flying from other

destinations may make their own

arrangements or use any other

agent. We will require a copy of

all transportation forms by May

1st.

We meet all campers arriving by

air and accompany them to camp

with our special charted coach bus

service. Also note that more

airlines are requiring children to

travel as unaccompanied minors.

Check with your airline for details.

Please feel free to call us at

201.612.5125 with any

related travel questions.

Camp Trucking

Please utilize Camp Trucking. They provide duffel delivery service from

your door in the USA (except Alaska and Hawaii) to your child’s bunk

and from his / her bunk, back to your door. Camp Trucking can be

reached at: 970-949-0690 or www.camptrucking.com This service adds

convenience as well as saves you time and money. Did you know … your

child’s counselors unpack their campers before they arrive at camp?

Please DO NOT SEND HARD TRUNKS, as we have no place to store

them. When you pack please choose a soft duffel bag or other collapsible

luggage. If you plan to lock your child’s duffel with a combination or key

lock, please send the combination or a spare set of keys (labeled with your

child’s name) to the camp office - just in case. All luggage will be sent

home via Camp Trucking. Please note, we do not have a shipping center

on campus and cannot arrange for shipping of luggage outside of Camp

Trucking.

Wekeela Steps For Success in the ‘20’s!

Create Goals:

Think about where you want to be next year or next decade, and write down some goals that you’d like to achieve.

Believe In Yourself:

We all make mistakes, that’s part of life! Try to avoid that cycle of negativity that holds people down, instead focus on the positive and remember that tomorrow is a new day!

Invest In Yourself:

Hit the gym, read more, take a class. These are just some quick examples of how you can get off of autopilot and live life to achieve your goals!

What are your hopes and dreams for 2020?

Page 4 The Wigwam, Volume 98, Issue 2

Please follow us

on Facebook!

Follow us

@Camp_Wekeela on

Twitter and Instagram! info@campwekeela.com

Introducing Wekeela Wear: Our Inaugural Retail Store

We are thrilled to announce the grand opening of our very own Wekeela Wear store. We will be carrying

fabulous, couture Wekeela clothing designs, bedding and bath essentials, accessories, and so much more!

Campers, their families, and staff can order directly from our store. We will be offering the full camp ex-

perience for everyone’s convenience and to help cut down on the stress of packing for camp. We will be

labeling (labels can be ordered via the store), packing, and delivering items directly to your child’s bunk

in anticipation of their arrival. The store will be fully operational during the camp season so your child

can purchase what they would like directly at camp. If your child needs a swap on sizes - no problem - we

will take care of it right away as we

carry stock of everything. There is

also availability for certain items to

be shipped to your home (e.g. the

duffel bags).

Please note that we are the only

approved and authorized

manufacturer of Camp Wekeela

merchandise.

We have created a new packing list

for 2020 and it can be found on the

store website. You will notice a

suggested list for 7 weeks. Please

use that as a guide and adjust

accordingly for your child’s stay.

There is also a clear list of required

items for each camper to have for

their stay at Wekeela.

To shop at the store visit our website: www.campwekeela.com/shop

Our customer service representatives are standing by so that they can help you with

ordering, sizing and packing. Contact us at: phone: 201.444.0577

email: wekeelastore@campwekeela.com

If you have any ideas for merchandise you would like to see us carry in our store, please

feel free to make suggestions. This store will be your one stop shop for everything Camp Wekeela!

5Page 5 The Wigwam, Volume 98, Issue 2

Wekeela Friendship Club!

Refer a friend to Camp Wekeela! When they

enroll, you will receive a special Wekeela

"Crazy Creek style" foldable chair!

“At this

camp,

everyone

can!”

Page 5

Wekeela Campers and Staff! Who's excited for summer 2020? WE ARE!!!! Start thinking of what costumes, face paint, and fun PJ’s you

can bring to camp. Our suggestion - the sillier and wackier the better!

Page 6 The Wigwam, Volume 98, Issue 2

The Hidden Value of Camp

Alma Mater

(To the tune of

“Love Me Tender”)

Far from cities,

rushing streams,

Far from strife

and care,

Lies the haven

of our dreams,

Wekeela Camp

so fair.

Wekeela Camp,

There she lies,

Under skies

so blue.

We shall ever sing

thy praise,

To thee we’ll e’re

be true.

All parents want their children to become competent, independent individuals.

The camp experience teaches these critical life skills with a side of s'mores.

Please read on:

Your children want to go to camp for a variety

of reasons: to swim, boat, craft, play games,

sleep in a bunk, make up stories, sing songs,

eat s’mores, and stay up late. Who among us

wouldn’t want to spend many warm weeks of

summer having fun with our friends? And while

parents endorse all those endeavors, fondly

recalling sing-a-longs around campfires, secret languages made up in the dark, and

days on end spent in wet bathing suits, the real reason we send our kids to camp?

It’s the independence.

We have no choice but to be protective these days as parents. The dangers are all

too real. Sending our kids to camp lets us give them the freedom we remember

from our youth. Freedom to play and be adventurous, to explore and discover na-

ture and ourselves, away from the eyes of adults. Camp life is an alternate reality

that is controlled yet wild. We can trust that our kids are safe, being watched over

by counselors and staff, but with space to get immersed in the outdoors, to form

their own tribes, to go a little native in the deep woods of Maine.

Campers know that Camp Wekeela is a special place. That it’s kind of a magical

world that exists apart from and outside the one we inhabit the other ten months

of the year. Campers are aware that it’s an escape from the pressures of the school

year. What they may not realize is that they are acquiring skills, through play and

everyday activities, that help them grow and develop, independent of parental guid-

ance.

You are giving your kids the incredible gift of self-discovery and the confidence

gained through succeeding at tasks, whether a ropes course or simply getting up,

dressed, and ready for the day all by themselves. The secret of camp is daily incre-

mental growth intertwined with self-assurance. At the end of their weeks away, you

will be so impressed by your small person, how proud they are, how strong they

have become.

It’s a sort of paradox, and a wonderful one, that a summer away at Wekeela can

change your child in these two distinct ways. First, that they happily unplug and

commit to play and the quiet study of the world around them you thought had been

lost in the unblinking eye of technology. Second, that they have

transformed into a more capable, competent human being. More childish wonder

and more independence, all at once. And it happened without them even knowing

it.

Camp teaches kids something every single moment of every day, even when we all

are at play.

#Wekeela Worldwide

Take some Wekeela Wear the next time you hit the road and snap a photo of

yourself and your friends! Then send the photo along with a description to

capture the scene. Please email it to: Jonathan@campwekeela.com or send it to

@camp_Wekeela on Instagram!

WARNING: At Camp Wekeela you may enjoy yourself beyond all comprehension. We cannot be held responsible if you end up returning year after year after year after year after year ... but we will understand because we are all going back for another summer.

Page 7 The Wigwam, Volume 98, Issue 2

The Power of Unplugging and the Great Gift of Camp Moving forward into the second decade of the 21st century children need sleepaway camp more than ever … their development depends on it. Summer camp builds character. Summer camp breeds affinity with nature. Summer camp forges bonds between children that last a lifetime. There’s nothing better than a camp friend. The child who goes to sleep-away camp makes real connections. In addition, camp provides principles such as: living in the moment, being present, and having empathy. At camp, children do not have access to electronics or technology. It gives today’s child an important opportunity to “unplug.” These days, sleep-away summer camp may be the last environment where a child can unplug and have quality facetime. Children feel more creative and have more time for reflection when they are given a break from technology. They are more present with each other. When you turn off electronics, you appreciate what ’s in front of you. And sleepaway camp does that better than anywhere today!

21st Century Skills Preparing Children for Adulthood today requires 21st Century Skills. They are: ☺ Communication ☺ Collaboration ☺ Creativity Critical thinking ☺ Leadership

Parents that truly understand and value summer camp, and send their children to sleep-away camp have always appreciated camp’s educational potential. Yet the parent who never went to sleep-away camp may think summer camp as only recreational or skill develop-ment. According to Wendy Mogel, Ph.D., “parents today find it harder than ever to uphold their own values within their families, when they seem so at odds with those of our current culture. We seek security in a society that seems more and more dangerous, grace that thrives on competition, and gratitude in an age of ever-increasing materialism. How can this generation of parents raise self-reliant, compassionate, and ethical children?” The answer is summer camp, where kids go outside and play.

Investing in Independence At summer camp, children learn to function independently, to work as part of a cohort of peers, in an unparalleled setting of natural beauty. They gain independence in a place that is charmingly rustic, yet provides everything they could want. Camp Wekeela is nurturing, safe, and a lot of fun. Why send your child to camp? They can sleep under the stars. Catch a fish. Learn how to play piano. Paddle a kayak. Go wakeboarding. Make more friends. Build a campfire. Hike a mountain. Make friendship bracelets. Have a summer they will always remember. Camp helps nurture future successful adults. Our planet needs successful people to be peacemak-ers, healers, restorers, and storytellers of all kind. The second decade of the 21 st century is here! We appreciate all registered Wekeela 2020 families that and entrust us with their most precious cargo. Thank you very much for sending your child to Camp for the Twenty -Twenty season. It’s a great gift you’ve given.

Camp provides

principles such as:

living in the moment,

being present, and

having empathy.

Directors/Owners:

Lori and Ephram Caflun

979 Allison Court

Ridgewood, NJ 07450-2201

Phone: 201.612.5125

Fax: 201.612.9927

ephram@campwekeela.com

lori@campwekeela.com

www.campwekeela.com

May the new year be

filled with health,

happiness, and

prosperity for all

Wekeela Pioneers and

their families!

Mini-Reunions and Wekeela Wednesdays ... Throughout the “off-season” in different cities in the US and in Europe we have informal mini-reunions and meet and greets that take place. It’s a great opportunity to see camp friends and meet new ones! Please contact Wekeela HQ to find out when we are coming to your area. Each last approximately one hour and have different start and end times. We hope to see many Pioneers in the New Year!

Wekeela “Wednesdays” 2020:

1/22: London, England

1/23: Paris, France

1/25: Dallas, TX

1/25: Darien, CT

2/1: Los Angeles, CA

2/26: Rye, NY

2/29: New York, NY

3/21: San Francisco, CA

3/28: Brookline, MA