CAMP AMICUS

Friendly Camp Day 4 & 5

2011-08-04T20:00:00.002-06:00

Hello!!!

We've had a very busy past 2 days at camp! Both today and yesterday were ropes days. We split into 3 groups and rotated between the rockwall, the low individual ropes course and the high team ropes course. All of the campers had a blast!!!!

We started today off with social skills and floor hockey. After lunch we headed over for ropes and then had some time for talent show preparation. A lot of the campers made up skits, songs or dances to perform at the talent show this evening!

I'm putting up some pictures of the campers from the ropes activities so take a look when you have a chance!! See you all tomorrow afternoon.

https://picasaweb.google.com/110431593182336837421

Friendly Camp Day 3

2011-08-02T17:26:00.003-06:00

Hello again!

We've had another great day here at camp! This morning we started the day with social skills and arts & crafts. Then after lunch we met up with the ropes staff to do some introductory activities to get ready for low ropes and the rock wall tomorrow. Right now we've just come up from the dock where we did some canoeing and had a treasure hunt for gold in the water!! The campers are about to head to the field for a game of ultimate frisbee before dinner.

I'm uploading some more pictures to yesterday's album so you can see how much fun we've had today:

https://picasaweb.google.com/110431593182336837421

Friendly Camp Day 1 & 2

2011-08-01T17:13:00.002-06:00

Friendly camp is already well underway! When the campers arrived yesterday we ate a quick lunch before taking a tour of the camp and playing some ice breaker games to get to know everybody. Then after dinner we played a campwide game of hostage!!! Each team picked one counselor to hold hostage, the goal of the game was to rescue your counselor back before the other team. Then we all headed to the ampitheatre for campfire and snack before bed.

Today was horseback riding day. The campers split into 4 groups and rotated between horseback riding, shelter building, social skills and parachute games! Then afterwards we headed down to the dock for some swimming and canoeing!

I'm uploading some pictures now so they should be up in a few minutes, take a look!! :

https://picasaweb.google.com/110431593182336837421

Buddies Camp Day 5 & 6

2011-07-29T10:00:00.004-06:00

I can't believe Buddies Camp is almost over already!! This week has flown by. The campers had a blast during ropes yesterday. I'm just uploading some pictures so you can see all of the amazing activities we did on the low individual ropes course and the rockwall!! (https://picasaweb.google.com/110431593182336837421)

We're just about to start the social skills review game this morning and then celebrate the week with our awards ceremony before the bus comes. See you all soon!!

- Phoenix

Buddies Day 4 & 5

2011-07-28T10:50:00.003-06:00

Hi everyone!!!

We've been very busy the past few days here at Buddies Camp. Yesterday we started off the day by spliting into 2 groups and rotating between floor hockey and social skills. Then afterwards we met with the ropes staff again. This time we split into 3 groups. One group went on the low individual ropes course while the others played group challenges on the ground. We meet with the ropes staff again after lunch today and we'll switch up so everyone gets a chance on the low individual course.

We also had an egg drop competition yesterday! We split into 5 groups and each group had to create a shelter that could protect an egg when dropped from a small height off of the ground. A few of the eggs cracked but we all had a blast!

It's a beautiful sunny day out today so right now the campers are all down at the dock swimming and canoeing.

I'm uploading some more pictures right now so take a look:

https://picasaweb.google.com/110431593182336837421

Buddies 2011 Day 3

2011-07-26T16:29:00.003-06:00

Hi everyone!

Sorry the pictures didn't work before, I've been having a bit of trouble with the internet connection here but I think they should be up and running now so take another look!

Today is Survivor Day!!! We started out the day with social skills and arts and crafts. The craft today was rock necklaces. Each of the campers found a rock to paint and then we turned it into a pendant for them to wear as a necklace. Then after lunch we met up with the ropes staff to do some introductory games!! Right now the campers are down at the dock for some swimming and a treasure hunt before dinner! Later we're going to continue with the survivor day theme and build our own shelters before campfire!!!

Buddies 2011 Day 1 & 2

2011-07-25T18:31:00.002-06:00

We've been having an awesome time at Buddies Camp so far! Today has been a very busy day. This morning we split into 4 groups and took turns rotating through horseback riding, arts and crafts, social skills, and frisbee!!!! Then we went to the dock to cool off with some swimming and canoeing. All of the campers have been having a blast! Right now we are playing a campwide game of zoobreak! Some of the counselors are dressed up as animals that have escaped from the zoo and it's the campers job to find them and bring them back!

I've put up some pictures so you can see what we've been up to:

https://picasaweb.google.com/110431593182336837421

Teen Buddies Day 3

2011-07-19T21:05:00.002-06:00

Hello again,

Today has been a great day, we have been very busy. We started out the day with social skills and some swimming down at the dock. Then after lunch we split up into our three ropes groups. Some groups went on the team high ropes course while others climbed the rock wall or did some of the low ropes elememnts. We'll be switching tomorrow so everyone will get the opportunity to try everything! After ropes we played a big game of freeze tag!!!

I uploaded an album of pictures so you can see how much fun we've been having this week, here is the link:

https://picasaweb.google.com/110431593182336837421

Teen Buddies Day 1 & 2

2011-07-18T18:38:00.002-06:00

Teen buddies 2011 is already well under way! Yesterday when we arrived we had sandwiches and veggies for lunch before taking a quick tour of the camp. Then we played some parachute games and had social skills before dinner. Afterwards we met the rope staff for some introductory games before campfire!!

Today was horseback riding day. We split into 4 groups and rotated between horseback riding, social skills, ultimate frisbee, and arts and crafts! Almost all of the campers got up on the horses and everyone had a great time! After horseback riding everyone met in the feild for a big game of dodgeball before dinner. Right now we're just about to head to campwide for an exciting game of capture the flag - boys versus girls!!!!

The internet connection is pretty slow today so I wasn't able to upload any pictures. I'm hoping to get some up tomorrow at some point so check back!!

Friendship 2011 Day 6 & 7

2011-07-14T13:14:00.002-06:00

The past few days have been flying by at friendship camp! Yesterday was our 3rd day with the ropes staff. The campers split into three groups again and had a chance to do the activities they hadn't done yet - either rockclimbing, the high team course, or the low individual ropes course. The weather cooperated and we all had an amazing time! After ropes we had an egg drop competition! The campers split into groups again and had to create something that could protect an egg when dropped from a small height. Everybody did a great job and nobody's egg broke!!!!

It's a beautiful sunny day outside so we split into team zazu and qually this morning. One group did social skills while the other played frisbee on the feild and then we switched. Right now the campers are all on the goldeye hike around the lake. Later this afternoon we're going to take advantage of the warm weather and do some swimming and canoeing. We had a big night ahead of us too, it's talent show night!!!!

I've added a few more pictures to the Friendship 2011 album 2 and have just started a 3rd album, so check it out!! :

https://picasaweb.google.com/110431593182336837421

Friendship Camp Day 4 & 5

2011-07-12T16:25:00.002-06:00

We've been having an amazing past 2 days at friendship camp! Yesterday was horseback riding day. We had great weather in the afternoon and almost all of the campers got up on a horse and went for a ride in the trails. After supper last night we played a big game of soccer baseball before campfire.

Today is space day!!! After social skills this morning we all gathered in the field to play starwars evolution, alien blob tag, and spaceship camoflauge. Then we had pizza for lunch and headed down to the dock to enjoy the sunny weather while we swam and canoed.

I've uploaded another album of pictures from the past 2 days so take a look!! :

https://picasaweb.google.com/110431593182336837421

Friendship Camp 2011 Day 3

2011-07-10T18:57:00.005-06:00

We've been having a very busy day today at camp. Before lunch we split up into two teams. While one team was doing social skills, the other was playing floor hockey in the field house.

Afterwards we met up with the ropes staff. The campers split into groups and took part in either rockclimbing, the high team ropes course, or the low ropes course. Despite the rain all of the campers had a blast and did a great job cheering their team on!! Then before dinner we all got together and played a big game of tag.

The sun has decided to come out now so everybody is outside playing a campwide game of zoobreak!!! A few of the counselors are dressed up as animals, hiding around camp. The campers' job is to find the animals and bring them back to the zoo.

Click here for more pictures of friendship camp so far:

https://picasaweb.google.com/110431593182336837421

Friendship Camp Day 1 & 2

2011-07-09T14:50:00.004-06:00

We've had a great start to friendship camp so far! When the campers first arrived yesterday afternoon we unpacked our suitcases, took a tour around camp and played some ice breakers to get to know everybody! It was a little bit cold outside so we decided to stay in the field house for the first little while and then we braved the cold and headed outside for a game of pip, squeak and wilbur before dinner.

After dinner it warmed up a bit outside so we headed outside to play a campwide game of capture the flag! We divided into team Qually and team Zazu and the campers had to run onto the other team's side of the field to find the flags they had hidden. It was a very close game but team Zazu ended up winning with about 5 minutes left!! After the campwide game we all headed to the ampitheatre for a campfire. Some of the campers even helped out by singing songs and playing the guitar!

This morning we played a big game of evolution after breakfast before dividing into our teams for dodgeball and social skills. AFterwards we had a big lunch of grilled cheese, fries, and salad before meeting the ropes staff for some introductory games. Right now the campers are having a quick snack before we head down to the dock for some swimming and canoeing!

Click out on this link to check out some pictures from Friendship Camp so far:

https://picasaweb.google.com/110431593182336837421

Taste of Camping and CIT Day 2 & 3

2011-07-04T17:12:00.004-06:00

Hi again!

We've another great day at camp! Last night after supper we played a big game of hostage. The campers had to rescue their team leader who they dressed up in silly clothes. Each team held the other team's leader hostage and they had to run onto the other team's territory without being caught to get their leader back. Team Qually ended up winning with just a few minutes left in the game! After hostage we had a campfire before dinner, and some of the campers even helped to lead a few songs.

Today's been very busy already. The campers went horseback riding in the morning, and it's a beautiful day outside so everybody really enjoyed themselves. Right now they're all down at the dock swimming and canoeing in the lake.

After dinner tonight our counselors in training are planning a game of zoo break! Some of the counselors will be dressing up as animals that have escaped from the zoo and the campers will have to catch them and put them back in their cages!

We'll see everybody tomorrow at pick up!

- Phoenix

Taste of Camping 2011

2011-07-03T14:17:00.005-06:00

Taste of Camping / CIT 2011

Click on the album to see more pictures from Day 1 and 2 of Taste of Camping / CIT 2011!!

Taste of Camping

2011-07-03T12:20:00.002-06:00

The first days of camp have been going great! When the campers arrived on Friday afternoon we had hotdogs and macaroni for lunch. Afterwards we took a tour of the camp and played some ice breakers and parachute games to get to know everybody. It was a beautiful day out so we spent most of the day out on the field enjoying the sun. For dinner we had ham, scalloped potaotes and veggies with ice cream for dessert, a lot of the campers enjoyed dinner so much they even went up for second helpings!

The campwide game last night was fool's gold. The campers had to run around and find gold that some crazy pirates from the future had hidden around the camp. The crazy pirates were running around trying to find the campers and when they ran into them they had to try and make them laugh. If the campers laughed they had to give up a peice of their gold to the pirates. The campers loved the game so much they've been asking if we can play again tonight. After the campwide game we all headed to the ampitheatre before bed.

It's a little bit colder outside this morning but we still went for the goldeye hike around the lake. Our counselors in training led the hike and we stopped halfway to play camaflouge in the forest. After the hike we had a water relay race on the dock and the campers got to pour their buckets of water all over thunderbird afterwards!

We're headed to the dining hall for lunch now and then we're going to play some games with the ropes staff.

Staff Training 2011

2011-07-01T15:56:00.002-06:00

Well tomorrow is the first day of camp for 2011. I hope you are all just as excited as we are. We have 5 returning staff from last year, as well as some amazing new counselors! We've been busy with staff training the past 2 weeks doing a lot of team building activities. I've posted pictures of the staff on the high ropes course, but don't worry your kids will only be doing the low ropes activities this summer.

We can't wait to see everyone at pick up tomorrow!

- Phoenix

Camp Wrap Up BBQ

2010-08-16T11:29:00.002-06:00

I can't believe the summer is almost over. We finished residential camps over a week ago and will be wrapping up our day camps and athletic camp at the end of this week. We have had an amazing summer with all of the campers and I would just like to thank all the parents and campers for being such a great group this summer.

On September 4th we will be having a Camp Amicus Wrap Up BBQ from 11am-2pm at Snowy Owl Pavillion in North Glenmore Park. We will be bringing all Lost & Found to the BBQ.

What to Bring?
- A dessert or salad (nut-free)
- Your Camp Amicus T-Shirt
- Any pictures from camp you would like to share with friends or staff from the LDAA-CC
- Any items you may have accidentially brought home that aren't yours.

Look forward to seeing you there. Have a great rest of your summer!!

-Rufus

FRIENDLY CAMP 2010

2010-08-09T10:42:00.003-06:00

We finished Friendly Camp on Friday and were very sad to see the campers go home. We had a great week with them and saw many of them grow in different ways. Lots of the campers think we should rename Camp Amicus to "Camp Awesome" they had such a good time. Throughout the week we went canoeing, swimming, horseback riding, on the rock climbing wall and on the low ropes course. At night we played Capture the Flag, Gold Rush, Capture the Eggs and Zoo Break.

Our themes this week were Space Day and Pirate Day! Campers had the option to dress up for Pirate Day and look as piratee as possible. Every night we had a campfire that the campers loved to listen to the counsellors sing at and at the end we offered up an open stage for campers to come forward to sing any song they would like.

No Internet Connection :(

2010-07-29T14:01:00.004-06:00

We are sorry to say that the Internet is once again down in Nordegg. Rufus has reported back to the LDAA-CC office to say that the kids are having a fantastic time! The last few days have been busy with canoeing, slip 'n slide, low ropes and even a Super Hero Day!

The weather has been fantastic out at Camp with no rain yet! A new blog post with pictures of the Buddies Camp will be up on Saturday afternoon. Please check back then to see all the fun that they are having.

Thanks for your patience!
The LDAA-CC

BUDDIES CAMP

2010-07-27T16:04:00.002-06:00

The first few days at camp have been going great. When the campers arrived on Sunday we gave them a tour of the new site and then went to the lake to go swimming. Even though the lake is cold most of the campers still went in. After swimming we did social skills and then it was time for dinner. Our campwide game was Capture the Flag and we ended the night with a quick campfire before putting the campers to bed.

Monday was our FIRST horseback riding day that we had sun. It was an amazing day and the campers all loves the horses they got to ride. A few were scared when the horses tried to shake the bugs off them but other then that it was a hit. Each camper went on a 1hr trail ride with staff and 4 others campers. When kids weren't horseback riding they were either playing basketball, doing social skills or making mosaic paper plates. In the afternoon we took both teams swimming and canoeing. No canoes have tipped .... yet!! Monday night we played "City Lights" where different counsellors hid throughout camp and were a specific city. Groups of campers had a different order of cities they had to visit and when finished they had to run back to the field. All campers finished the game and then we had a campfire.

Today has been another beautiful day. We did social skills in the morning and then went swimming/canoeing. All afternoon the campers have been doing low ropes/team building activities. I am happy to say that a group of 5 campers beat the record on the "whale watch" sitting on there for 20mins. They are just eating snack (watermelon) as I type this and are all trying to read over my shoulder. We are about to go on a hike around Goldeye Lake before we eat dinner.

I'm sorry for the delayed blog post. Even though we've had internet our here we haven't been able to connect. I have been trying everyday but it's hit and miss. Talk to you all soon.

--Rufus

2010-07-22T09:50:00.002-06:00

The last few days have been very busy at camp. On Tuesday the campers made tye-dye shirts and went swimming/canoeing in the morning. Almost every camper decided to make a shirt and they turned out great. The sun shone while the kids were in the water and canoeing seems to be a hit. They're all working well at paddling a canoe together and figuring out how to turn it certain directions. In the afternoon we took the campers on a hike around Goldeye Lake and played some games in the trees to give them a break during the hike. Camp Amicus had a talent show Tuesday night so the campers prepared for that in the afternoon and at night all the performances were amazing. We had magic, stories, songs, skits and even a crazy hairdresser that cut Thriller's hair.

Yesterday we had a full day of sun. We started off having half the group canoe while the other half played basketball in the Fieldhouse. Boulder plays basketball for SAIT, so he was able to share some of his knowledge with the campers to teach them a little bit about the sport. After that the groups switched activities to finish off the morning. Yesterday afternoon we were with the Goldeye Ropes staff doing more team building/initiatives and going on the low ropes course. Today we'll be doing some high ropes stuff. We finished off the day playing Capture the Flag.

Today is our last full day at camp. Be sure to check the blog this weekend for an update on our last day and a half and for the final pictures to be posted. See you all soon!

--Rufus

Teen Buddies 2010

2010-07-20T10:11:00.000-06:00

Well Teen Buddies is well underway! On Sunday when the campers arrived we had spaghetti for lunch, gave them a tour of our new site and decided that since the sun was shining we should go swimming/canoeing. In the first canoeing group Nova and myself decided to start a few waterfights with other canoes which resulted in a canoe of 3 campers tipping when they were trying to get us wet. It was our first tip of the summer and we're hoping for more this week :) The campers didn't seem to mind the cold water and are excited that the sun is out today so that we can go to the lake again. Sunday night the Goldeye Ropes staff start the ropes programming with us to get to know the campers. We did a few team building activities that we will build upon throughout the week.

Monday was horseback riding day. We managed to fight off rain most of the day and the campers really enjoyed riding a horse for an hour. When they weren’t riding they were either doing social skills, playing soccer or making mosaics in the dining hall. We finished off our afternoon playing a game of Sardines (where one counselor hides and when campers find that counselor they sit with them until everyone is there). After dinner we played Gold Rush (campers try to get gold to the platform before getting caught by the pirates) and had a campfire.

Talk to you all soon!

--Rufus

Teen Buddies -- Day 3

2010-07-20T08:53:00.001-06:00

2010-07-14T10:33:00.002-06:00

Sorry about the lack of updates this week. It has been a very rainy last 2 days. On Monday the campers went Horseback Riding and loved every second of it (even though it was pouring rain). Each campers got to ride their horse for 1hr and then it was time for another group to go. When campers were Horseback Riding they were doing arts and crafts and making decorations for our nightly activity. A foozeball tournament went on in the afternoon with us watching "Where the Wild Things Are" right before dinner.

Yesterday when I thought we couldn't get anymore rain ... I was proven wrong! It was VERY wet out here so we tried to keep the campers indoor and dry all day. We started off doing social skills and then had a Harry Potter Day full of activities. We had different professors at each station teaching the campers different wizard skills. It went off really well. Last night we watched "Alice in Wonderland" then had some time in our bunk cabins to chill and talk with friends.

Today it started off raining but we're hoping it'll break this afternoon and we'll be treated to some sunlight. Right now one group is making tye-dye shirts and the other is playing basketball in the Fieldhouse.

Sorry about not posting pictures I will try right now, if not all pictures will be posted when we get some better weather or on the weekend between camps.

--Rufus

2010-07-12T10:34:00.000-06:00

Our theme today was Survivor! We had team “Splungo” and team “Red Knights”. Throughout the day the campers did various team building activities and had a Fear Factor eating challenge. In the end the “Red Knights”won by 300 points. We also went swimming/canoeing, playing Capture the Flag and ended the night with a campfire. We also had a camper birthday and all the campers and staff were great at making it an extra special day. Monday is horseback riding … lets hope for no rain!

-- Rufus

2010-07-11T09:35:00.002-06:00

The rain has returned but we made it through Day 2 somewhat dry! I'm not sure where our nice weather has went but today it rained off and on. We started off the day doing social skills then the group split into their 2 teams. Team Qually made ball catchers while Team Gill went canoeing. After an hour they switched activities. I am happy to say that no campers (or counsellors) tipped their canoe. It looked like everyone had a good time canoeing and they are excited to go again. In the afternoon we had the Goldeye Ropes Staff run team initiative games in groups of 4 for a few hours. Most of the campers has never done any of the activities that Goldeye had us doing and we saw groups working together to complete each task. Goldeye will be running team initiative/low ropes for us 3 or 4 times throughout this camp. We ended off our evening by playing a game of Sardines where Scout hid and groups of campers had to find him. When they found Scout they would join him in his hiding spot till all campers were sitting in that one spot. After a few campfire songs it was time for bed. Hoping for some sunshine tomorrow. It's Survivor Theme so the kids may get to do a few crazy activities throughout the day.

--Rufus

FRIENDSHIP CAMP 2010

2010-07-10T09:24:00.000-06:00

Day 1 of 8 flew by today at Friendship Camp. Once the campers arrived and ate lunch we split them into 2 different groups for the week. There they got to meet their counselors and play name games to get to know the other kids (incase they didn’t know them after a 3.5hr bus ride). After some games it was time for everyone to put on their swimsuits and brave the cold lake water. The campers had lifejacket relays where they had to put a lifejacket on like a diaper then swim to a counselor in the water, turn around and swim back before their next teammate could jump in the water. It was a good way to get the kids in the water quickly so that they didn’t worry too much about the temperature. After swimming we did ‘Goal Setting’ in Social Skills and then it was time for supper. I’m not sure why every year the campers try to “set up” the counselors but it already started at this camp. We decided to entertain the kids by making our own “Bachelor Show” where Griffin has 8 female counsellors doing competitions to hopefully win over his heart by the end of camp. Unfortunately Phoenix didn’t make it through to round 2 L. After some free time we played Capture the Counsellor and if the counselor was caught the team that caught them gets to play a prank on them sometime this week. (All counsellors were caught so I’m sure I’ll have tons of pranks to be writing about). We finished the night off with a campfire. Talk to you all soon!

--Rufus

2010-07-05T09:32:00.000-06:00

Well Day 2 is over and we are halfway through Taste of Camping. Today was a very eventful day starting with rain and ending with sun. We started off the morning doing social skills and learning how to have a conversation. After that since our theme was “Where the Wild Things Grow” we played a tag game involving the theme then all the campers made monster masks that they could wear throughout the day. To end our morning we played rainy day activities to let our clothes dry a bit. After lunch the Goldeye Ropes Staff split us into 3 groups and we did team building activities. The campers and counselors had a blast and lots of them tried new activities they had never done before (team cross country skiing, whale watch, etc). To finish off the afternoon we played an intense game of Jeopardy that ended with one team winning by 10 over the other team and then ran super skills in small groups. After dinner we were all very happy to see the sun come out to allow us to play ‘Zoo Break’ where the campers were trying to catch a gorilla, zebra, giraffe, frog, bird and horse and bring them back to the zoo. After running around chasing animals we decided to end our night with another campfire. This is when I realized how our campers have came out of their shell at camp because we had a talent show and so many kids got up in front of the group to perform a song, dance or tell a story. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow’s campfire brings!

-Rufus

TASTE OF CAMPING 2010 (DAY 1)

2010-07-04T09:28:00.000-06:00

Day 1 was a success at Camp Amicus. Once the campers arrived at camp there were chicken fingers and fries waiting for them. After lunch the Goldeye Ropes Staff ran some get to know you games so we could all learn more about each other before we take on the low ropes course tomorrow at camp. After that the campers decided to play some games in the lake. It took them a little while to get use to the cold lake water but all are excited for swimming again tomorrow. Today for Social Skills we taught the campers how to make SMART goals. We split them into smaller groups to play activities with them and to help them make a goal for there 4 days at camp. It was then dinner time and after that Buffalo let us know that a plane had crashed above our camp and gold was all over the place. The campers were asked to get in groups of 3 with a few counselors to look for gold, but to watch out for the bad guys that were looking to get there gold back. The kids and counselors loved the game!! To end the night we did a campfire with the counselors singing some songs, a camper singing a song, a few skits and then Buffalo playing her guitar for the campers to end the night. I’m writing this and am happy to say that all campers are sound asleep!! (Sorry I’ve posted this in the morning it was a late night and I can only get internet in 1 place at camp and it’s not anywhere to close to my room). I hope you enjoy the pictures and I’ll try to take more pictures today so you can see the cool activities we have planned for them. Talk to you soon!!

-Rufus

2009-07-28T21:45:00.004-06:00

It was an interesting weather day at camp today. We started off with rain, sun, rain and then overcast for the night. At camp we did social skills (relationships and personal hygiene) then it was time for obstacle course and archery. The campers did really good for the first time at archery today and the kids flew through the obstacle course. After that we had lunch and then it was time for swimming. After swimming we had a few rounds of dodgeball and then it was time for "Horse Races". All the campers got to dress the counsellors up. The counsellors were the horses and they had to race around the site and at the finish line the kids cheered them on. We saw Lucky win heat 1, Fox 40 win heat 2, 2LC win heat 3 and to finish it up we saw Bandit come from behind on a bike to win heat 4. Tonight we played Capture the Flag and Camouflage.

We will be at camp again tomorrow!!

2009-07-27T22:19:00.002-06:00

Today we went to Easter Seals Camp Horizon. It was so nice outside and the campers all seemed to have a good time. Lots of the kids went to the top of the giant swing ... and if they were scared of heights they still got strapped in and went up a bit. The rock climbing wall we had some campers race up the wall while others took there time. Lots of campers made it to the top when they thought they weren't going to. When we returned from Horizon we went to the pool immediately. It was a hot day so the staff and campers were happy to be in the pool. We saw a variety of tricks off the diving board. Tonight we did super skills (sports and outdoor) and then played a game called Safari (it is very similar to capture the counsellor except the counsellors are animals). After that we had snack and the campers went to bed.

Tomorrow we will be doing obstacle course, archery range and play some games around the campsite.

FRIENDLY CAMP

2009-07-26T21:58:00.002-06:00

We got to camp today and quickly put on our swimsuits and the sun came out at the perfect time. All the campers enjoyed swimming and got to talk to all the new campers and start to make new friends. After swimming we had supper that consisted of chicken, corn and mashed potatoes. It was then time for social skills and all the campers set a camp goal to accomplish by the end of the week. We then played capture the flag and had a campfire.

Tomorrow we are going to Easter Seals Camp Horizon to go off the giant swing, rock climbing wall and low ropes course.

2009-07-24T00:12:00.002-06:00

We just finished our last full day at camp for this session. We had another great day with amazing weather. Today we did social skills, archery, obstacle course then let the kids go to the playground till lunch. Swimming was a hit once again with all the kids. After lunch we did a obstacle course that Bandit and Wood Shop set up. There were buckets of water hid throughout the obstacle course. If the campers looked for these buckets while trying to get through the course and then found one they were aloud to throw the whole bucket of water on Wood Shop. Needless to say he got very wet during this game. All the campers appeared to be enjoying it. It was then time for supper and after supper we did Super Skills. One group did arts and crafts the other went to the river. We finished off our night with one last campfire before sending the campers to bed. We have had many campers ask to come back next week and if we could do a longer camp for them to say at. I'm glad to hear that they are all enjoying themselves enough that they want to stay longer. See you all tomorrow at pickup!

2009-07-22T21:56:00.003-06:00

What a hot day it was today. After breakfast we did social skills (Problem Solving) and then some kids went to the river with the counsellors and some stayed in the cabin out of the sun. The river was an amazing time and the kids got to see a few counsellors walk across the current and almost get swept away (not really, but it was fun watching them cross). We then did archery and obstacle course. Our nurse was very busy making sure campers had sunscreen on at all times and drinking as much water as possible. After lunch we swam for almost 2hrs and then our theme for the afternoon was CRAZY EGG DAY! The kids were in groups and had to make a container to put there egg in. When they were done Bandit went on top of the cabin to drop the eggs off the roof to see if any of them would break. All the creations kept the egg in 1 piece except for 1 team. After this they did a few relays with the eggs and then before dinner there was a water chugging contest. After supper we did super skills and played "The Animal Game". The campers and counsellors are all really tired from being outside in the sun ... but are looking forward to another hot day tomorrow.

2009-07-21T21:56:00.002-06:00

Today was another nice day out at Camp Amicus. The kids were all up bright and early and were ready to start their day. We had pancakes and sausages for breakfast and then we did social skills (dealing with strong emotions). After that we split into 2 teams ... one team did archery and one team did obstacle course. The kids seemed to have a really good time. At archery we had some campers doing it for the first time by themselves and they were so happy that they didn't need the counsellor to help them hold the bow. We also had campers go off the zip line for the first time on the obstacle course. For lunch we had Mac 'N Cheese! After lunch we went swimming and the campers saw the counsellors throw Stanger (one of our counsellors) into the pool. They all thought it was hilarious.

The whole afternoon was "Pirate Day". The kids did a treasure hunt, made pirate boats and went to the river to try to sink the other teams boats. They all really got into it ... so did the counsellors. For dinner we had bbq chicken, potato salad and veggies. To finish off the night we had a "fire war". We had 2 fires going and the campers had to work with there team to put out the other teams fire with only there water bottles. If they were tagged by the "pirates" then they had to dump out the water in there bottle and go refill it.

The campers are now in bed. We will talk to you again soon!

2009-07-20T22:36:00.001-06:00

Today we went to Easter Seals Camp Horizon and did the campers got to go on the giant swing, rock climbing wall and low ropes course. We had beautiful weather and when we got back to

We woke up to a beautiful sunny day and got ready for breakfast and then headed to Camp Horizon where we had a giant swing, rock climbing wall and obstacle course waiting for us. Some of the campers went to the top and even a couple screamed! The campers really enjoyed the rock climbing wall. We had lunch under the tent at Horizon ... we were happy to see the tent so the campers had time to get out of the sun. After Horizon we went swimming and did some cool jumps off the diving board and some of the counsellors threw the kids high in the air. After swimming they had social skills (Friendships and Bullying). For dinner we had sloppy joes and they were really sloppy. One kid ate 6 sloppy joes! He broke the Amicus record of 5 set by a camper last week. Super Skills was after where they chose between Arts and Crafts or Outdoor Adventure. Some campers painted rocks while the others went to the river. The campwide game was Safari, where counsellors hid as different animals. Some animals were harder to catch then others (Cheetah) and they were really hard to catch. Tonight we were able to squeeze in a campfire and sang some songs before having snack and getting ready for bed.

Tomorrow we are doing obstacle course, archery and swimming!

BUDDIES CAMP

2009-07-20T10:13:00.000-06:00

Well we survived Day 1 at camp. The kids were all VERY excited to be at camp so we took them swimming as soon as they got off the bus. The pool was nice and everyone seemed to be having a good time. At night we did social skills (goal setting) and then played Capture the Flag. Both teams hid their flag in very hard places so the game went on for quite awhile. After that it was time for snack and to go to bed.

The campers just got on the bus to head to Easter Seals Camp Horizon. Looks like it's going to be a nice day. Talk to you all soon!!

Teen Camp Day 5

2009-07-16T21:23:00.002-06:00

Well it was our last full day of camp. Before I tell you about today I should let you know what we did yesterday. Yesterday was our first sunny day in awhile so the campers and counsellors enjoyed it quite a bit. We did archery, obstacle course, swam and then went to Easter Seals Camp Horizon. At Camp Horizon we did the low ropes course, rock climbing wall and giant swing. After a day in the sun the campers were pretty good at going to bed.

Today was a very nice day at camp. The teams did obstacle course and archery again. We then went swimming and had a surprise guest arrive after swimming. Eryn Murray (the old Program Director who is currently on maternity leave) stopped by with her 2 little boys Josh and Zach. All the returning campers loved seeing Eryn and the 2 newest additions to her family. While Eryn was here we played the Animal Game and then had a water chugging contest outside the dining hall where Team Wood won by a few people. Throughout the week the counsellors have been giving out money to campers when they do something good. All this money went to good use tonight at our "Counsellor Auction". The campers were aloud to bid to get a counsellor to do whatever they want tomorrow. They are aloud to dress them up, make them pack there bags, take there dishes away at meals ... pretty much anything. All the campers really got into it and the counsellors were bought for large amounts of money. It will be interesting to see what they make them do tomorrow. Right now the campers are just finishing up our first outdoor campfire all week. So hopefully it is going well and everyone participated in singing some songs, telling jokes or doing some skits.

This week has been great. I hope all the campers had a good time.

Teen Camp Day 2 and 3

2009-07-15T07:54:00.000-06:00

The campers are in bed and all I can say is that we have got a lot of rain out here the last 2 days. The staff and campers have tried to make the best of it. Yesterday we did not go to Camp Horizon due to the weather. We did social skills (Having a Conversation and discussed interviews) then played the “party game” for a bit. We then played board games with the campers and taught some of them how to make friendship bracelets. After lunch the campers played a game in the dining hall and watched a movie. After supper we had casino night in the kids cabin.

Today we woke up to more rain. The campers did social skills and then it stopped raining so the campers got to go swimming. They also got to do some archery and obstacle course before the rain started to come down again. The 2 teams played jeopardy at different times and learned quite a bit about the counselors and trivia we thought they’d know. After these games we played Capture the Counsellor and then it was time to get ready for bed.

Since we didn’t go to Camp Horizon on Monday we are going tomorrow afternoon. So lets keep our fingers crossed for good weather. Talk to you all soon!!

Teen Camp - Day 1

2009-07-12T23:23:00.000-06:00

The campers are in bed and I can say our first day with them was a success. At camper pickup it was great to see all the returning campers and to see them all quickly start to mingle before getting on the bus. When we arrived at camp we of course got rain! We had some distant thunder but luckily it ended in time for us to go swimming. It was a little chilly out so some of the campers only swam half the time then had a hot shower to warm up. After swimming we had dinner then set SMART goals in Social Skills. The campers all made really great goals (eg. To make friends with everyone at camp) and many of the returning campers remembered the acronym for goal setting. After social skills we did a big campwide game of Capture the Flag. We made it a little harder this camp with larger boundaries and the game went on for an hour. I am happy to say that my team (the Pinny team) found the flag and won the game. J After that we let the campers mingle and catch up on there past year.

Tomorrow we are going to Camp Horizon to do the giant swing, low ropes course and rock climbing wall.

Friendship Camp Day 6

2009-07-08T19:12:00.002-06:00

We are near the end of Day 6 at camp and the campers are very comfortable around all the counsellors now. Today we started off the day with Social Skills (problem solving) and then one team did archery and the other team made boats and rockets. After those activities we played a field game and it was time for lunch. After lunch we went swimming for the first time at the pool on our campsite. All the campers and counsellors had a good time. We also had the campers clean up there cabin since it was starting to get a little gross inside. It is much more pleasant to walk into now.

Tonight we are doing Super Skills and our night activity is still to be determined based on the weather. I have been taking pictures throughout the week and will post them when I get cord for my camera. So if they aren't posted before camp is over please check back throughout the summer.

Talk to you all tomorrow!!

Friendship Camp Day 3 and 4

2009-07-06T23:10:00.000-06:00

Hey Everyone! Sorry about the no post yesterday and the lack of pictures. We are still trying to find a cord to get the pictures off my camera. Until then I’ll try to write a more detailed blog.

Yesterday was a fun day. In Social Skills we discussed personal hygiene and puberty. After that the 2 teams did obstacle course and archery. After lunch it was time to head to Cochrane to go swimming. Our pool hasn’t been opened yet at camp so we have been taking the kids to Cochrane to swim. They love the pool and it’s nice to get off our site once and awhile. After swimming the campers played Belly Baseball and did arts and crafts. Our theme was survivor so each camper made a headband for the game that night and they also made/decorated cookies. After dinner we played a HUGE game of flinch, where Jac Pine and Bandit dominated. The survivor game went off without a hitch and we saw some great teamwork and encouragement from all the campers throughout the evening. I think most of the campers were pretty tired from our day … it was the earliest they had went to bed so far this camp.

Today was our trip to Easter Seals Camp Horizon. The weather was a little cloudy before we left so weren’t sure how the day was going to play out. We made it to Horizon and some of the kids got to do giant swing and some did the rock climbing wall and low ropes course. At lunch it started raining like crazy so the staff at Horizon found us a dry place to eat lunch. After thunder and lightening we were informed that we wouldn’t be able to do the rest of the activities so we got on the bus early and came back to camp. It rained really hard all afternoon so the campers watched a movie in the dining hall. The sun came out and a huge dodgeball game broke out. After dinner we did social skills (dealing with strong emotions) and played Capture the Counsellor.

Friendship Camp Day 2

2009-07-04T22:09:00.003-06:00

Sorry there won't be any pictures tonight. I seem to have misplaced my camera cord, hopefully I'll find it tomorrow to post come pictures!!

Last night was our first night at camp. It was fun having a sleepover with all of our new friends. However, it was a long night because the boys left everyone up too late and made Bandit very mad. We learned about bullying and cyber bullying today at social skills; and now we all know how to deal with bullies. Afterwards Woodshops team did the obstacle course and Bandits team learned archery. Both groups had a lot of fun. Then some of us played parachute games before lunch time. After lunch we went swimming in Cochrane. The bus drivers were really late, but it was worth the wait because swimming rocker. We got to play games like basketball and Marco Polo in the pool; and we jumped off the diving board; and we even got to go in a hot tub. After swimming we all felt refreshed and then went to the dining hall to have pork chops and a birthday cake for Jake's birthday. Tonight is movie night and we are all excited to find out what the movie is.

FRIENDSHIP CAMP!!

2009-07-03T22:13:00.003-06:00

Hi Everyone! For Friendship Camp we are going to be doing the blog a little different this camp. We have a Super Skill that is doing a newspaper for camp so I am going to use their write up for each day to do the camp blog. I hope you enjoy!

Today we arrived to Camp Amicus for Friendship Camp. When we first got on the bus we felt sad, nervous and excited. But we quickly got set up and got to know all the campers and counsellors. Our first activity at camp was name games, one was called "Name Tarp" and it really helped us get to know each other. After we played name games it was time for social skills where we learned how to set goals using the SMART method. Then it was time for dinner. We had spaghetti with tomato sauce, garlic break, caesar salad and apple crisp for dessert. It was delicious! But the only bad part was that the cooks didn't make enough food :( . Tonight we are all splitting up and working on our Super Skills, they are: sports, newspaper, outdoors, and drama. Newspaper is the best super skill of all! Tonight we have a Campwide Game and campfire at the river - we can't wait!

2009-06-29T22:49:00.002-06:00

Hey Everyone!

Today we went to Easter Seals Camp Horizon. We did team building games, low ropes, rock climbing wall and the giant swing. When we got back to camp we had a quick snack then did social skills.

We played the usual Campwide Game and had one last campfire before getting all the kids to go to bed. We can't believe that the campers will be leaving tomorrow after lunch. It seems like we are just starting to get to know them and have the best time ever.

Hopefully your child will have tons of stories to tell you about camp and that we'll see them back at Camp Amicus soon.

--Rufus

Taste of Camping 200 - Day 2

2009-06-28T22:59:00.002-06:00

Hey Hey!

Today was an awesome day. The weather was beautiful and the campers and counsellors had a blast. Today we did social skills, obstacle course, archery range, slip 'n slide, arts and crafts and finished the day off with a game of Capture the Counsellor.

The kids loved the obstacle course today. The zip line was a hit and we had some campers scared to try it at first but happy they did it in the end. The archery range was a first for many of the campers but they picked it up very quickly. I even heard some balloons popping! This afternoon we did a slip 'n slide and Wood Shop brought out water balloons. We had a water fight and slip 'n slided for a solid hour. Some of the kids made a trip to the river while others played field games.

Today was Super Hero day so kids were asked to make a mask to wear for the day. At night we played a modified version of "Capture the Counsellor" making the super heros (the campers) find the missing counsellors that the bad guys took. Our of the 4 missing people the group of girls (plus one male) found 3 of the 4 counsellors.

Our nighttime snack was nachos!

Tomorrow we will be going to Easter Seals Camp Horizon for the Giant Swing, Low Ropes Course and Rock Climbing Wall. We also have a campers birthday.

I hope you're enjoying the pictures!

--Rufus

Taste of Camping 2009 - Day 1

2009-06-27T23:36:00.000-06:00

Well Day 1 has just ended. After we loaded all the kids on the bus and got them to camp the day went pretty well. The bus with our luggage got lost but other then that everything went off without a hitch. We started off by taking the kids to the river to play some games. The campers that didn’t want to play the game skipped rocks and started using teamwork to build a water dam.

After that it was time for supper. We had rice, green beans, pork chops and a salad. For dessert … rainbow sherbet. After that we did social skills (goal setting) then played a campwide game. Capture the Flag was a hit and each team won 1 round.

The campfire we had counselors singing songs, some guitar playing and kids telling tongue twisters. Well that’s it for tonight. Check back tomorrow for the update on our day

-- Rufus

Camp Amicus 2009

2009-06-13T12:04:00.002-06:00

Hey Everyone!

Well camp is around the corner. On Monday the staff will be moving out to camp to start our staff training. We are lucky to have 6 returning staff this year! I am going to try very hard to post pictures from staff training, information about our staff on this blog before Taste of Camping starts on June 27th.

So please check back often!!

I can't wait for the campers to arrive and the fun to begin! Have a great summer everyone and I hope you enjoy the blog this summer.

-- Rufus

Summer fun

2008-08-06T14:39:00.003-06:00

It has been a long time since we have posted anything on the blog for Camp Amicus though we still have camps that are running. Because parents in Day Camp get to see their children and counsellors each day, we haven't posted anything about Day Camps but I thought I would keep some parents up to date on what is happening.
South Day Camp started last week at Paliser Community Association. We have some of the counsellors back from last year and some that have returned from residential camp. The Camp is busy with bowling, arts & crafts, swimming, horseback riding, calaway park and many other activities. This week will wrap up with a BBQ for campers and their families.
Athletic Coordination Camp got started this week. We are fortunate to have Dr. Paulene Kamps teaching motion, coordination and efficiency of movement in the mornings and many fun activities in the afternoons including swimming, softball, tennis, canoeing, Canada Olympic Park, horseback riding and many other exciting activities. The campers have only been there for two days and already, the smiles are huge.

I wanted to let parents know that we had problems out at Camp Gardner with the internet being so slow so we were not able to post any pictures out there. We had to wait until a staff member with the photos could come into Calgary to use the internet in town. Sorry for the disappointment. I hope you have had a chance to have a look at the photos that have been added.

Buddies Camp

2008-07-24T19:54:00.002-06:00

The last few days at camp have been very hectic. The campers have done archery and obstacle course, swam, went to the ranch where they went horseback riding, canoeing and on a wagon ride. While at the ranch it took the campers a while to get the hang of canoeing but soon they were chasing each others boats trying to splash one another. Luckily no canoes were tipped and all kids came back to camp with dry clothes on. The swimming pool has been a huge hit and they all enjoy doing canon balls off the diving board. Today the campers had another day at the archery range where they were popping balloons that were put on the targets.

Tonight is our last day out at camp. We have a campwide game planned followed by a campfire.

Sorry about the lack of pictures till now. The internet is extremely slow out at camp so I can only post pictures once I am in Calgary. Please enjoy the ones that will be posted within the next few hours.

Thanks and we'll see you at dropoff tomorrow!

Buddies Camp Day 2

2008-07-21T19:58:00.002-06:00

Today we went to Camp Horizon. It was a BEAUTIFUL day to be there and most of the campers went on the giant swing and on the rock climbing wall. When we got back we went swimming and did social skills. Tonight we did super skills and played a campwide game.

Buddies Camp Day 1

2008-07-21T19:56:00.002-06:00

The first day of Buddies camp went really well. All the campers got settled in their bunks then we played some name games. After that we had a huge slip'n slide party then it was time for social skills. Every camper set a personal goal using SMART that they are trying to accomplish by the end of the week. After dinner with played Capture the Flag then had a campfire.

Teen Day 5

2008-07-17T15:58:00.000-06:00

Well it's our last full day at camp and we couldn't have asked for better weather. We started off the day with french toast and sausages for breakfast then went into social skills. Tomorrow will be a review of the social skills we have learned at camp. After social skills it was time for swimming. We did lots of front flips off the diving board, pig in the middle in the shallow end and a few accidental belly flops by the counsellors. Rufus was thrown in the water by 5 of the male campers ... needless to say she went and put on her bathing suit after.

This afternoon both groups did the obstacle course and archery then played some field games.

Tonight we are having a "social event" that some of the campers planned. There will be dancing, games and the dining hall will be decorated.

It's been a great camp. Pictures will be posted tomorrow from the last few days.

See you all at camper pickup tomorrow!

--Rufus--

Teen Camp Day 4

2008-07-16T21:30:00.002-06:00

Day 4 of camp is coming to an end. Today we went on an out-trip to Our Lady Queen of Peace Ranch where the campers and counsellors got to go canoeing, horseback riding and on a wagon ride. The highlight of the trip was definitely horseback riding and canoeing. Canoeing has some girls jump out of their canoes to swim in the water and a race between 3 canoes across the extra water area. I am proud to say that myself and Pepper were the winners of the race.

When we returned back to camp we were lucky enough for the thunder and lightening to stop so we could go swimming. The pool was at it's warmest all year so everyone stayed in the pool for a solid 2hrs.

Tonight we did social skills, super skills and of course the famous Animal Game as our campwide game.

That's all for now. Sorry about no pictures being posted today, all the counsellors cameras were dead. :(

--Rufus--

Teen Buddies -- Day 3

2008-07-15T15:28:00.002-06:00

Day 3 of camp is going great! The campers went to the river and played an intense game of soccer in the morning before social skills began. All the kids were participating in full force and working off the pancakes they had ate for breakfast. Today in social skills we had Pepper's group trying to solve a human knot and cross a pit of fire, while Salt's group practiced having conversations with one another using FEVER.

After social skills it was time for SWIMMING. Probably the campers favorite time of the day. We were lucky enough to have the sun shining down on us while we were in the pool and as soon as we got over the dark clouds started to come. Lots of the kids were showing off their front and back flips off the diving board... I'm pretty sure we even saw a few belly flops, OUCH! After swimming the kids had Philly Steak Sandwiches for lunch and then it was time to do archery and the obstacle course. Lots of these campers remembered how to do archery and started off hitting the target and popping balloons.

Tonight we have a "secret" campwide game and campfire. Hopefully the rain will hold off till bedtime.

Tomorrow we are going to the Ranch .. I look forward to having some funny moments to talk about from our trip there.

--Rufus--

Teen Buddies -- Day 2

2008-07-14T19:23:00.002-06:00

Today was Camp Horizon and luckily the rain held off so we were able to do the climbing wall and giant swing. Lots of the campers made it to the top of the "hard" rock climbing wall and almost every camper went off the giant swing. After some influence by the counsellors we convinced some campers to go to the very top where we heard the screams as they dropped in the air and swung for a few minutes. While at Horizon we also played many initiative and team building games that all the campers seemed to enjoy.

When we returned it was time for a quick swim time and then we let them rest for a bit. Right before dinner we had social skills where some campers learned how to deal with strong emotions while others learned how to problem solve (FASTER).

Tonight we played Capture the Flag and had a campfire.

Till tomorrow ....

--Rufus--

Teen Buddies -- Day 1

2008-07-13T22:15:00.002-06:00

Hey Parents!! Well Day 1 of camp is over and the campers are all having a great time. Smurf and myself can't believe how big these campers are getting. We sometimes feel like we are the campers now. Ha ha! Anyways Day 1 went off without a hitch. When we arrived at camp we went swimming. I think I was the only counsellor that was thrown in the water but I'm going to plot with the campers to get the other counsellors. I'll keep you posted ...

After swimming we did social skills and everyone made a SMART goal (goal setting). It was then time for dinner where some water chugging contests took place.

Campwide game consisted of the campers trying to find a elephant, panda, sloth, monkey, tardacto and lion. Every animal was found but the sleeping panda.

Tomorrow we are going to Camp Horizon. Keep posted for our latest update ....

--Rufus--

Day 7 of Friendship camp!

2008-07-10T20:28:00.004-06:00

Today was a cold and rainy day out at camp but the campers still managed to have fun! The day started out with social skills. After social skills the kids would normally go swimming but unfortunately it was to cold! Instead of swimming Salts team went and did a scavenger hunt well Peppers team stayed in from the cold and made pipe cleaner animals, and played animal trivia! All of these activities took the kids until lunch where they all enjoyed grilled cheese sandwiches. After lunch camp Amicus day camp staff came out to play with the kids for a while, they enjoyed things like arts and crafts and the game camouflage. after this the kids had an indoor super skill due to the rain. They are currently watching a movie and enjoying be in from the cold and the rain. Tonight is there last night and i know they are all excited to see their parents!

sorry there are no pictures but tomorrow when i am at home i will upload a bunch of pictures for you guys to look at!

I look forward to seeing you guys tomorrow when the kids are brought in for drop off. I hope you all are having a great night!

friendship camp day 6

2008-07-09T21:52:00.007-06:00

Today was the ranch day and it went very well! Almost all of the kids chose to ride horses, go on the canoes and do a low ropes course. The horses were very cute and overall horseback riding was a success no kids or counsellors fell off! The canoes were also lots of fun, however there was a boat that tipped and the kids fell in the water! Luckily all the kids had life jackets on and thought it was a great way to cool off! The site where we went horse back riding was beautiful and everyone seemed to have lots of fun! After the ranch the kids had social skills, super skills, went swimming and then played a camp wide game similar to "where in the world is Carmen Sandiego."

In the past few days the kids have also enjoyed activities such as soccer, tag games, a movie, and camp wide games like survivor. The pictures above are a few pictures from survivor night, which everyone participated in and enjoyed!

Only two more days left! Tomorrow the kids will get to make some arts and crafts!

Sorry there is no slide show tonight the internet is giving me some problems! There will be ranch pictures posted tomorrow! have a good night!

Ranch Day

2008-07-09T11:14:00.004-06:00

The kids are at the ranch today horseback riding and having a good time. Keep your eyes out for some exciting pictures today. Some of the staff are sick and are being treated by the nurse and clinics. We are keeping them away from the kids so they won't get sick. It is an exciting time!

Friendship Camp -- Day 4

2008-07-07T20:59:00.003-06:00

Today was our 1st out-trip! We went to Easter Seals Camp Horizon where the kids went on the giant swing, low ropes course and climbing wall. We had lots of campers go to the top of the giant swing and climb up the hard climbing wall. It was awesome to see each camper push their comfort zone while doing these activities. When we returned to camp we went swimming then did some social skills. After dinner we played a camp wide game of Capture the Flag.

Talk to you all again soon!

--Rufus--

FRIENDSHIP CAMP -- DAY 3

2008-07-07T20:45:00.002-06:00

Day 3 was full of entertainment. The campers went on the archery range and obstacle course. We finally got to go in the pool! Everyone had a great time! After dinner it was time for Survivor night. We did team building activities in teams and teams got points for working together and complimenting each other. Everyone was enjoying it until we got rained out.

Overall Day 3= Success!!

--Rufus--

Friendship Camp -- Day 2

2008-07-05T15:43:00.002-06:00

Day 2 is now underway. I am going to try to post all the pictures we take in a slideshow like the one you see to the right. If you click on the album it goes bigger and you can see the pictures. This way Camp Amicus Staff can show parents and friends what they have been doing at camp.

The campers were up early today and had a fantastic breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon. After breakfast was social skills. 2 groups worked on FAST (problem solving) and the other 2 groups work on friendship skills and personal space. All the kids appeared to be having a fun time during social skills with the different activities the counsellors had them doing.

After social skills Team Pepper got to go to the archery range, while Team Salt headed off to the obstacle course. We had a few close calls on the obstacle course but we are proud to say that no campers or staff fell in the water today. Woo! All the campers on Team Salt tried at least 1 of the obstacles and all of them encouraged one another when doing an obstacle. At the archery range the campers all picked up where they left off last year ... hitting the bullseye (or at least the target). I think it's time for the campers to teach the counsellors some of their strategies on how to do archery since they are better then some of us. Everyone enjoyed their morning and were hungry by lunch.

Lunch was very interesting today. 1 table of kids started to see who could put the most mustard on a piece of lettuce and still eat it. 2 of the campers did this for awhile them moved on to putting mustard on their dessert crackers. After this a few campers and staff had a water chugging contest and one of the campers won.

Once the food was settled it was time for swimming. Everyone loves swim time especially when it's nice and hot outside. It was perfect weather!

For the rest of the day we have some field games planned, super skills, dinner, then the animal game as our campwide game.

Hope you're all having a great day. I'll continue to try my hardest to get as many pictures up as possible.

--- Rufus ---

Friendship -- Day 1

2008-07-04T22:15:00.002-06:00

Hello Everyone!! Well the first day if over and all went well. The kids are having a great time and are starting to rekindle friendships they have made in previous years. Some returning counsellors are starting to realize how much these campers are growing up, it's amazing!

Today in social skills we talked about SMART (goal setting) and then helped the campers all make a camp goal that they are going to try achieve by the last day of camp. After that it was time for super skills. Our super skills for this camp are: drama/singing, newspaper, sports, arts&crafts/poetry. After super skills was dinner then time for camp wide game. We played capture the counsellor and it didn't take the campers long to find the missing counsellors. I think the counsellors need to wear camouflage gear next time to blend in more with the tress, our bright green camp shirts weren't cutting it. The last thing we did before bedtime was a campfire. All the kids helped sing and lead some songs!

We are off to bed now. Pepper and Hollywood attempting to get all the campers to sleep. I wish them luck!

(I am sorry there are no pictures posted today! The internet out here is really slow. I'll try to post extras tomorrow.)

---- Rufus ----

Taste of Camping -- Day 3

2008-06-30T19:42:00.002-06:00

It's our last full day out at camp. Unfortunately the rain put a damper on some of our outdoor activities that were planned but we all tried to make the best of it. Today we had an out-trip to Easter Seals Camp Horizon. The sun was beating down on us for most of our trip and the campers had a great time on the rock climbing wall, low ropes course and giant swing.

After we returned to camp the rain got the best of us. We tried to do lots of activities in the cabin to keep the campers occupied, from beaded animals to playing cards, to dominoes then we finished it off with a classic game of Thumbs Up 7-Up.

The last night of camp consisted of playing some parachute games and then a campfire before bed. I hope all the campers had a great time at camp and we'll see them back again next year.

2008-06-29T16:30:00.009-06:00

Day 2 is now under way. It has been a hot one outside so we have had lots of water chugging contests, I think Eryn showed all the kids how to chug water!

Team Salt and Team Pepper both took their kids on the obstacle course and archery range. We had a few close calls on the wire bridge at the obstacle course but no one fell in the water, phew! It didn't take the campers long to figure out archery. After a few tries we had campers popping the balloons and hitting the target.

After archery range it was time for lunch then SWIMMING! I'm pretty sure there wasn't a dry kid (or counsellor) at the pool. The kids played some water volleyball, did canon balls once again off the diving board and tried their hardest get the counsellors that weren't swimming wet ... it was a success!

In the heat of the afternoon arts and crafts were inside so that everyone could get out of the sun to cool off and drink lots of water. Super Skills began and campers got to choose which activity they would like to do for the rest of camp: learn how to be a spy, learn how to build a fort, or try to perfect their sports skills.

That is it for now. It is almost dinner time. Campwide game tonight is Capture the Counsellor. Tomorrow we are heading to Camp Horizon for the Giant Swing, Rock Climbing Wall and Low Ropes Course.

TASTE OF CAMPING -- DAY 1

2008-06-28T22:59:00.000-06:00

2008-06-28T22:57:00.000-06:00

TASTE OF CAMPING -- DAY 1

2008-06-28T22:44:00.001-06:00

Well Day 1 of Taste of Camping is over. After we picked all the campers up in Calgary the fun began. After the camper arrival we played some name games then it was time to swim. The kids had a blast in the pool and were showing off their skills on the diving board. Some of the campers had a canon ball competition with one of our counsellors, Laser!

After swimming it was time for social skills. Today the campers learned SMART (goal setting), personal space, FASTER (problem solving), blowing off steam and personal hygiene.

Dinner ended up being a delicious lasagna with caesar salad. It was then time for Capture the Flag. The kids all had fun running around the field trying to catch one another's flags. In the end each team won 1 game.

Before bedtime we had a nice long campfire where the counsellors showed off their musical skills. Buffalo, played her guitar while all the other counsellors sang camp songs and got all the campers involved.

Overall Day 1 was a success! On the schedule for tomorrow is archery, obstacle course and swimming.

Camp Starts Tomorrow

2008-06-27T09:45:00.000-06:00

Only one more sleep for some campers attending Camp Amicus and the start of our summer camping season. I hope everyone had a great school year and I am confident everyone will have a great summer. The year is starting off well with very high temperatures for the start of camp. Be sure to send water bottles with your camper to keep them well hydrated. We have Culligan water out at the camp with the hopes that the campers will drink more than enough water. Be sure to check out the blog on a regular basis for updates of what is happening.

WELCOME TO CAMP AMICUS CAMPERS!!

Welcome

2008-05-23T11:14:00.001-06:00

Welcome to our new Camp Amicus Blog!

Here we will feature the events and happening out at camp along with lots and lots of pictures.

Keep posted to see all the exciting things we are doing.

-The LDAA-CC Team