A Sunny Day at Camp Raanana

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Article originally published in the April 2011 Washtenaw Jewish News

The rest of the campers arrive between 8:45 and 8:55 a.m. and leap excitedly from their parents’ cars to join their camper groups in front of the JCC. Campers in Group Adom (entering kindergarteners) tug on the sleeves of their counselors to tell them about what they had for breakfast or about the cool bugs on a nearby tree. Group Katom campers (entering 1st graders) are lucky to be situated across the sidewalk from the Pioneers (6th–8th graders), who are full of stories from their latest adventures rock climbing, visiting museums, playing laser tag, and going speed-boating. Groups Tzahov, Yarok, and Kachol (2nd, 3rd, and 4th-5th graders) are giggling happily as they try to avoid being tagged in a pick-up game of “Fruit Salad.”

At 8:55 a.m., Group Kachol leads the line to board the bus since they are the oldest group who will be at camp for the day (the Pioneers are heading out to a videogame arcade in the morning and a water park in the afternoon). When all the campers are loaded at 9 a.m., the bus pulls out of the JCC lot and starts the drive up to Independence Lake Park, stopping briefly to pick up a few campers on the north side of town. The bus ride passes quickly as counselors lead the campers in fun songs including “Baby Shark,” “Your Mama Don’t Wear No Socks,” and “Herman the Worm.” It seems only a moment before the bus makes the final turn toward the camp site, and each camp group sings the “Camp Raanana Chant” louder and more enthusiastically than the last to demonstrate their camp spirit as the bus pulls into the camp parking lot.

Group Adom leads the way off the bus and the campers put their lunches into coolers and grab their sunscreens from their group bucket. Counselors help all the campers apply sunscreen and then send them off to join the morning Boker Tov song session, featuring energetic Jewish songs to start off the day off (the campers’ favorite is “Tree of Life”). Once the last campers have joined the song session, the Camp Director shares a special announcement: since today is Thursday, it is Crazy Lunch Day, which means that campers get to sit with their friends or siblings in other groups during lunch. There is a sudden buzz of excitement, which quiets down as the Camp Director holds up a water bottle that was left on the bus after the field trip to Imagination Station the previous day. The bottle’s owner quickly claims it and then all the groups head to their first activity session.

Group Adom skips along in a perfect single-file line to the sports field to learn the finer points of t-ball, while Group Katom trots over to the grove of trees for a nature lesson. Meanwhile, Group Tzahov heads down to the beach for swim lessons, Group Yarok campers crowd around tables to see what the Arts & Crafts specialist has planned for the day, and Group Kachol meets with the Music & Culture specialist to learn the words to a new Hebrew song. After 40 minutes, each group switches to a different activity for second period. Group Yarok has a free period today for second period today, so their counselors have prepared a special activity: going into the woods to visit the Bird Tower on a scavenger hunt.

At 11:45 a.m., Group Yarok meets back up with the other groups and all the campers get their lunches from the coolers and find some friends in other groups to sit with for Crazy Lunch Day. The whole camp sings the Motzi together and then everyone digs in to their lunches. Some campers choose to sit in the shade of the pavilion, while others enjoy a picnic lunch sitting on their towels on the nearby grass. As campers finish their lunches, a new round of sunscreening begins. After they are fully protected for an afternoon of sunshine, campers join in another song session with their camp friends. This song session features lots of active songs, including the ever popular “Donkey Song.”

After some quick announcements, it is time for the third activity period. Groups Adom, Katom, and Tzahov head off to their respective activities, while Group Yarok and Kachol campers (3rd-5th graders) divide into their groups for Specialty time. Campers in this age group get to choose between two enriching Specialty options each week; this week’s options are Drama and Boating. The boaters are already experts at boating safety, so they quickly grab their lifejackets and oars and get ready for a fun lesson about “swamping a canoe,” including how to safely fall out of a canoe and then how to get back in. Meanwhile, the drama campers work on practicing different performance techniques they learned earlier in the week and preparing their skit to present at the all-camp Shabbat celebration on Friday afternoon.

The younger groups finish the third activity period before the Specialties for Groups Yarok and Kachol end, so they get a head start on afternoon Free Swim time. Campers touch up their sunscreen and then leave their towels and shoes on the grassy hill before checking in with a counselor at the Buddy Board and heading onto the beach. As soon as Specialty time ends, the two older groups hurry down to the waterfront to enjoy the refreshing experience of playing in the lake during the hottest part of the day. The water is soon full of splashers, rock-hunters, fish-watchers, and Marco Polo-players, and the beach is a veritable city of sand castles. A new camp record is even set – and duly recorded in the camp record book – for “the longest sand castle moat.” The moat was built by a team of campers from three different camper groups, and they quickly disperse to tell their counselors and friends about their new accomplishment.

As Free Swim time draws to a close, Group Adom gets out of the water to change into dry clothes and pack up their bags. At staggered intervals, Groups Katom and Tzahov follow. Yarok and Kachol campers relish their last few minutes in the water and then head up to change, as well. Meanwhile, Counselors in Training (entering 9th and 10th graders) bustle back and forth, collecting sunscreen buckets, returning lost clothing items, and helping campers pack up their art projects, nature treasures, and personal belongings. Once each camper group is packed up, the campers walk over to sit in the shade of some trees and enjoy a snack of freshly-baked blueberry muffins before heading back to the JCC.

On the bus ride home, some campers chat with their friends about the day’s adventures, while others join in another round of silly bus songs. At 3:45 p.m., the bus pulls onto Birch Hollow Drive and the campers begin to chant, “JCC! JCC! JCC!” Group Adom gets off the bus first and then all the campers return to their group area in front of the JCC (the Pioneer campers have already returned from their field trip and have put out the group signs). Several parents are waiting on the sidewalk, talking about the beautiful weather and setting up play-dates, while other wait in the car-line for counselors to escort the campers to the appropriate cars.

At 4 p.m., the campers who are staying for Afternoon Care head inside to enjoy art projects, gym time, outdoor recess on the JCC playground, and other fun activities. Tonight also happens to be one of the two scheduled overnight trips for Pioneer campers, so as the Afternoon Care campers and staff troop into the JCC, the Pioneer campers pack up their sleeping bags and camping gear and head off to Howell Nature Center for a fun camping adventure. By 6 p.m., the Pioneers have successfully set up their tents and all the campers in Afternoon Care have been picked up, tired but happy after a full and exhilarating camp day. Tomorrow will bring another exciting day, featuring Camp Raanana’s celebration of Shabbat.