April 2013 - YMCA OF THE PINES

A weekend to remember…

By YMCA of the Pines|2013-04-28T18:33:08-04:00April 28th, 2013|

Hello all... We here at YMCA Camp Ockanickon would like to congratulate Scott Partenheimer and Stevie Neale in their marital union that took place here at Camp this weekend... and what a beautiful weekend it was. We couldn't have ordered better weather... and Spring was popping everywhere around Camp... including a family of Canadian Geese with newly hatched goslings living right near the foot of the Chapel Island Bridge where the ceremony took place. Scott is an alumni of Camp and we couldn't be more honored to have hosted the happy couple and their event here for the weekend. From [...]

Letter to the Editor

By YMCA of the Pines|2013-04-27T09:50:13-04:00April 27th, 2013|

This amazing letter was submitted to the Medford Sun this past week by Kaya McKenna age 9 who is a member at YMCA Camp Ockanickon...I thought it was an amazing piece and wanted to share it with you. I love summer because I love to swim at the lake at Camp Ockanickon, or as the locals call it, "Ocky." I get excited on hot sunny summer days when the air is filled with laughter, shrieking and happiness coming from the camp. I can hear them all the way here at my house. I'm thrilled with anticipation of going. I put [...]

Coming up …

By YMCA of the Pines|2024-03-05T16:18:00-05:00April 26th, 2013|

Later this week, one of our long time camp counselors and friends, Scott, and his wife Stevie, will celebrate their marriage right here at camp. Scott spent a number of years here with many of us as a counselor, Nature Director, village chief, and year-round outdoor education and group retreats instructor. Best of luck to Scott and Stevie as they begin their new life together starting right here on the Ockanickon Nation.

Fish

By YMCA of the Pines|2013-04-25T12:46:30-04:00April 25th, 2013|

Floating around camp there is a video called “The Fish! Philosophy”. This video has been shown to our staff and sometimes incorporated into our CIT and LIT programs. About this time last year, I watched the video for the first time. I was amazed about culture of Seattle’s Pike Place Fish Market, where the video takes place. Although just getting up and going to work or school can be challenging some days, your day will depend on how you make it. Below is The Fish! Philosophy. I challenge you to apply their philosophy in your everyday life whether it’s at [...]

Once a Camp Director, Always a Camp Director

By YMCA of the Pines|2013-04-25T12:38:06-04:00April 25th, 2013|

It was truly a pleasure to watch former Ocky Director and current Pitman Principal, Chris Morris, lead his students during their stay at Camp Ockanickon last week. Having worked with many school groups over the years, I can tell you that I have not seen too many principals get as involved with their students' activities as Chris did! You can tell he still has a passion for Camp and for working with young people. I guess you can take the man out of Camp, but you can never take Camp out of the man! Having had Chris as my Ranger [...]

An amazing weekend…

By YMCA of the Pines|2013-04-22T06:00:04-04:00April 22nd, 2013|

Hello all... We had an wonderful weekend here at Camp. We held one of my favorite event weekends... Roll Up Your Sleeves... where alumni, campers & parents and interested citizens from all walks of life come out to lend a much needed hand to help us tackle all sorts of projects around Camp in order to spruce up the place. Jobs ranged from fixing up flower beds to replacing parts of our boardwalks that have deteriorated to cleaning windows and clearing brush. The weather was a bit chilly but as you can imagine, working hard sure builds up a sweat... [...]

Intro to Mountain Biking

By YMCA of the Pines|2013-04-20T15:01:06-04:00April 20th, 2013|

Yesterday was our class for the Intro to Mountain Biking Discover program and we had a blast! I was really excited about this class because 3 of the 4 kids had done earlier Intro to Mountain Biking last season. Our 1st class was pretty straightforward, we did some introductions and some expectations for the class. We also did some great exercises that are designed specifically for mountain bikers. I felt this was something that my previous classes had lacked so I was excited to add this essential step into the program. After stretches, we saddled up and headed onto the [...]

Ancient Prime Time Television

By YMCA of the Pines|2013-04-16T10:07:40-04:00April 16th, 2013|

In the 21st century, it is safe to say that when most people look at the stars, they think of science. Perhaps they are reminded of lessons that they learned in school about what causes the motion of celestial objects, or perhaps they are looking for something they heard about in the news. What we often forget; however, is that before we were able to scientifically explain astronomy, the stars were more of a cultural phenomenon than a scientific one. Before television, electricity, the printing press, or even a written language, parents of ancient times had the same monumental task [...]

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies…

By YMCA of the Pines|2013-04-15T21:12:30-04:00April 15th, 2013|

Hello everyone… For those of you who may be concerned with consuming gluten for one reason or another, here’s a great Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe that is sure to please. […]

It’s all about the Attitude….

By YMCA of the Pines|2013-04-14T10:30:43-04:00April 14th, 2013|

A little boy went out to the backyard to play with a baseball and bat. He said to himself, "I am the best hitter in all the world!" Then he threw the ball up in the air and took a swing at it, but he missed. Without a moments hesitation, he picked up the ball and tossed it in the air again, saying as he swung the bat, "I am the best hitter in all the world!" He swung and missed. Strike two. He tossed the ball up again, concentrating more intensely, even more determined, saying "I am the greatest [...]

Monthly Archives: April 2013