April 29, 2011

Bike to work Month: MAY!

Spring is here, the cherry buds line our streets & we are ready to get outside & get movin! Take that bike out of the basement and wipe off the cobwebs. Or give your bike some love after months of winter riding. Hop on and join other riders on roads and trails, even if this is the first time you’ve ridden in years -you won’t be alone! Last year thousands of people started biking for the first time during Bike Month, so join many more this May!


for more details or to join a team check it out: http://www.cbcef.org/btw/

April 28, 2011

Program Spotlight: High Altitude Leadership

Co-ed, entering grades 7 - 9 in the fall of 2011.

Newly created, High Altitude Leadership campers go deeper with challenge course elements by learning basic knot-tying, belaying, and facilitation under supervision of the Adventure Team. The new climbing tower and zipline add extra adrenaline!


With our specialty programs campers spend mornings focused on their special area of interest (others include horseback riding, campy arts, marine biology or skateboarding) with time in the afternoon to enjoy traditional camp activities.


April 27, 2011

Outdoor Environmental Education Program Positions Available!

Some OEE positions have now opened up at Camp Colman for the next 5 weeks! If you are interested in this employment opportunity, please contact Lauriel Schuman at lschuman@seattleymca.org

April 26, 2011

Staff Spotlight: Maya!

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: Maya!


Hometown: Eugene, OR –Ducktown USA!!


School: Colorado College


Spirit animal: She has begun her quest –some may say though that she is awfully reminiscent of a koala.


Sweet skills: She can Sahale stomp her way onto any campfire stage (So holla back ya'll!), She can assemble amazing Dork Dance costumes & her N*SYNC "Bye, Bye, Bye" (break out dance routine) are top of the line. Not to mention that her campfire song voice is as sweet as sugar!


Favorite camp song: “the Moose Song” –but 'Mama Maya' loves any songs with hand motions that her Sahales can all get into!


Loves: laughing, 'The Orchard', hiking, Sucia Island, camp veggie patties, learning, the Saturday Market, skits, HILLS, birthdays, “Angel from Montgomery”


Claims to fame: Sa-A Capella, her Duck pride, her Chilean accent & her incredible internship she had at the Whitehouse!


*Did you know? That Maya’s parents came to camp last summer to help judge the Sahales & Goode Glaciers in their first-ever egg drop!?

April 25, 2011

WEEKLY QUOTE: Sometimes...


Sometimes, when you're getting ready to leave a place, you start to realize that you're not only going to miss the people you love, but you're going to miss the person you are, right here, right now, because you'll never be that way ever again.




Every Monday (until July when summer campers begin to arrive) an image from the 2010 summer will be posted. This image will be paired with one of the many quotes read during one of the Closing Campfires last summer. Enjoy!

April 22, 2011

Strength



Instructors Wood and Kate demonstrate the mighty strength needed for giant swing swingin' and beachwalk walkin'. The Girls of Promise and the sixth-graders of Sedro Wolley were here at camp this week braving the cold nights and basking in the sunshiny days.



Orkila Core Values ...in Cartoon Form!



The Lorax (from the ever-popular
Dr. Seuss book "The Lorax")
Responsibility –being accountable for
your actions; reliable & dependable








Piglet (from Winnie the Pooh)
Respect –treat others as you would like others to treat you






Dug (from the movie "Up")
Honesty –being truthful in
your actions and words
"I have just met you, and I love you."






Timon & Pumbaa
(from "The Lion King")
Faith –believing in something or someone






The Care Bears (from, yep, you guessed it! The "Care Bears")
Caring –showing a sincere concern for others









Calvin (from Calvin & Hobbes comic)
Fun –feeling of enjoyment or playfulness

April 21, 2011

Program Spotlight: Campy Arts

Co-ed, entering grades 5 - 7 in the fall of 2011.

Campy Arts is an enriching new program using the Orkila arts & crafts facility and our natural camp surroundings. Campers make multiple creations, often with natural elements. Digital photography is integrated into the curriculum.


With our specialty programs campers spend mornings focused on their special area of interest (others include horseback riding, challenge course elements, marine biology or skateboarding) with time in the afternoon to enjoy traditional camp activities.

April 19, 2011

Staff Spotlight: KT

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: KT


Hometown: Seattle, WA

School: U of Washington

Spirit Animal: Jellies



Camp History (careful there’s a lot of it!): 1998 She began at Orkila with her school for the outdoor education program (for 2 yrs), she then was a Sahale in 2000, a Turtle, an LDI, CIT, an ACC (which is the old school version of OSI), a counselor (one year KT made a dinosaur costume & was Katie-a-saurus for an entire summer!), a unit director and is now going into her second summer as an assistant director! WOW! Can't stop, won't stop!



Loves: beach walks, low tides & burrito lunch!



Favorite Camp Song: “the Jellyfish Song”



*Did you know? That Mr. David Affolter was her trip leader on her canoe trip in Trek when she was a camper!?

April 18, 2011

WEEKLY QUOTE: Any problem...



Any problem in the world can be solved by dancing.

- James Brown


Every Monday (until July when summer campers begin to arrive) an image from the 2010 summer will be posted. This image will be paired with one of the many quotes read during one of the Closing Campfires last summer. Enjoy!

April 15, 2011

Check Her Out & Feel Inspired!


As she stood in front of the awe-inspired audience at the Partner’s with Youth Celebration and 134th Annual Meeting this Tuesday, Ally presented her thanks to the Y as well as a description of the incredible work she has been doing over at our Bellevue branch. Ally has been an active Y member for over ten years and has been going to Camp Orkila for eight! Over the last year, Ally and the volunteer coordinator at Bellevue, Nina Johnson, set up a Leave No Trace mentorship program in which they go hiking, visit different nature reserves, and facilitate outdoor education lessons and activities with youth. Ally had started a Leave No Trace program at her school the year before, and was able to see her goal through in expanding the program to younger kids in the community.


We are so proud of Ally's commitment, dedication and leadership in our community. She is a great example of a how a hard working and compassionate volunteer can really have a tremendous impact with the Y. We are simply stoked to have her at Orkila for summer 2011 as a cabin counselor! Thanks Ally -you rock!

April 12, 2011

staff spotlight: Kristin!

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: Kristen!

Hometown: Georgia - Seattle - Cali (& Orcas, and Hawaii... and...)

School: U of Washington

Sweet skills: her avid enthusiasm for cartwheels is pretty significant, and she would tell you that she is very honored and fortunate that her professional path allows her to do them on a regular basis :)

Loves: being out in the sunshine & loves nothing more than a good campfire, whether it is an informal gathering on the beach or an all-out official skit-filled extravaganza! The smell of campfire is one of her favorite smells of all time (It's right up there with coffee!).

Spirit Animal: pterodactyl

Camp History: started with the Outdoor Environmental Education program in the spring of 2010, and found a home and a rhythm that she just can't get enough of!

*Did you know? She spent last winter in Hawaii harvesting Kona coffee, organic veggies, and living in a tree house!

Claims to fame: Birthday parades, loud noises, BiggySmalls, & her wonderful & exuberant cackle!

April 11, 2011

WEEKLY QUOTE: Not everything...



Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed
until it is faced.
- James Arthur Baldwin



Every Monday (until July when summer campers begin to arrive) an image from the 2010 summer will be posted. This image will be paired with one of the many quotes read during one of the Closing Campfires last summer. Enjoy!

April 8, 2011

Meridian Park battles mighty octopus!



We totally lucked out at Camp Orkila this week because the weather was so fantastic, despite the looming predictions of rain. Meridian Park groups all went on a Beach Walk and on group six’s excursion they stumbled upon a baby Pacific Red Octopus. Upon returning from their walk, they noticed that the octopus had slithered back into the Salish Sea.

Hone those creative talents!

So you want to be a t-shirt designer, huh?! I knew it! What better way to start then by submitting your designs to us? YES! I know! This is the moment you’ve been waiting for all these years!! We are going to be accepting t-shirt designs for the next month or so and give you the opportunity to maybe even have your design printed for sale in THE COUNTRY STORE!



Big news, I know. Maybe sit down, take a deep breath, let it sink in… and then get out your sketch pad/ipad/photoshop pad & creative cap on & brainstorm your favorite camp memory! Relive your goofiest camp skit through your pencil tip! Tell us a story of your mealtime traditions with your web graphics! Show us your pre-wreckage rituals via your favorite medium! Let us see your handiwork by emailing us your designs at ldenman@seattleymca.org -CANNOT WAIT to see your inspired minds at work!

April 7, 2011

program spotlight: LDI

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE

Two - Week program, Co-ed for teens entering 9 - 11th grade in fall 2011

Three - Week program, Co-ed for teens entering 10 - 12th grade in fall 2011

A Teen Expedition trip or leadership program is much more than exploring new places. It’s exploring oneself, gaining confidence, pushing limits and building a close community with peers. It’s a journey of the spirit, mind and body. The Classic Leadership Development Institute option is a great "next step" for teens who have been coming to traditional camp for years, and a wonderful introduction to camp for someone new to Orkila. It is a two-week program that focuses on developing leadership skills in young adults. Participants will facilitate camper activities, engage in teambuilding initiatives, orchestrate a service project and explore the San Juan Islands, on a five day kayak, biking or sailing trip. Come develop invaluable skills, take on new responsibilities and make lasting friendships this summer!

April 6, 2011

NEW MAINTENANCE OFFICE



Recently Steve Miller - Facilities Director at Camp Orkila - talked about their newly created/renovated space (shown in the image on the right). Their previous two spaces are on the left, an old shed was the first office (on the top), followed by a converted mobile home (on the bottom). Steve and his crew are very excited about the new office and now to his tour/walkthrough…



Welcome to our new office, it’s fabulous! Located adjacent to the current maintenance shop, we converted what used to be outdoor covered storage into a new office. Originally, this space merely had a roof and a dirt floor. So what we did was took the existing roof and posts – filled them in, poured a concrete slab as the flooring, and insulated the entire structure. We also built in a kitchenette and a half bath.




For the walls, we contracted with an insulation service to spray in the insulation. We decided against traditional fiberglass due to the thin walls (2x4) and ceiling (2x6), and were able to meet code by virtue of the spray insulation. Also, it serves as a great moisture barrier, seals up air gaps, and acts as a structurally ridged framing element. We also ran electrical throughout the office space, which was done by Reed. He might be a familiar name, as during the summer he is the Boat Captain of the Kwahnice!




For the walls we didn’t use dry wall, and instead used OSB (oriented strand board). It’s a common substitute for plywood in the construction industry. Even after we painted it white, you can still see the wood fibers and that adds the sense of texture. When it came to the ceiling, again we didn’t use dry wall. Plus, we really wanted to bring the outside/outdoors in. To achieve this we used a metallic corrugated roofing material. When viewed in combination with the OSB walls, and the existing windows that look out from the main shop area – the visual effect is fantastic.




Coupled with the snazzy light fixtures (from Ikea) – which seem reminiscent of an old wharf or historic school house – the whole space seems to take on a retro flair and feel about it. And really, while the finished touches may appear fancy, it was all quite economical. The sink, for example, was $18 (also from Ikea). It’s unusual and very round, but it adds an air of a higher end finish while also being sturdy and strong.




That’s the general overview of the space! We are really happy with it, and already the insulation has been doing its job as the office is consistently warm (lacking the hot and cold spots of the previous office).




Thanks for letting us share our new office space with you!

April 5, 2011

Staff Spotlight: Thomas!

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: Thomas!

Hometown: Kenmore, WA


School: Pomona College


WARNING! This staff member, may have the capabilties of destroying you in wreckage, talking you in, around, through & about any idea, theory, trilogy, starcraft 2 player, skit or epic joke ever & doing it all with warrior paint & a fat smile plastered across his face...


(consider yourself warned)


Camp history: was a camper at Orkila for 8 years, traditional as a Lizard and a Greywolf, and then Horsemasters, and then LDI's and islanders in teen camp. Was an OSI in 2008, and then has been in Horsemasters the last two years.


Spirit animal: otter


Favorite camp song: Undoubtedly “One Tin Soldier”


Loves: is an avid rock climber, dedicated Humans vs. Zombies player, and enjoys bad techno and good cover music.

April 4, 2011

WEEKLY QUOTE: It is entertaining...


It is entertaining to plan, but we must all remember plans change. Life, love, thoughts, feelings, they all change. Day by day we grow, not into who we are meant to be, but into who we are.


Every Monday (until July when summer campers begin to arrive) an image from the 2010 summer will be posted. This image will be paired with one of the many quotes read during one of the Closing Campfires last summer. Enjoy!

April 2, 2011

April 1, 2011

JB's HUGE DISCOVERY!

With the sunlight breaking through the trees and the crisp spring air filling his lungs, Jordan Bright was hard at work this morning on our new Enchanted Forest campsite. And when I say hard at work, I mean his daily digging routine and ever-dedicated search for dragon remains. This early morning before dawn was no different for JB, until his shovel struck something unlike the typical Orcas dirt. Frantically digging in and around the unusual space Jordan continued to uncover the structure of an animal very well known to the island: an O. virginianus, or more commonly known as a white-tailed (or eastern) deer. EXCEPT, that this deer skeleton was unlike any ever seen before –stretching to twenty-five feet in height, this thirty-four foot long creature is the largest recorded deer in history! AND WE FOUND IT IN THE ENCHANTED FOREST! Come check it out if you’d like, the Outdoor Environmental Education staff will be giving tours of the site and discovered carcass the rest of the day! *Picture taken when the excitement really set in for Jordan this morning around 5:23am

First OEE school group of the season!

The first school group of the season is leaving today. Mountlake Terrace had a great time at camp and they enjoyed being the first group to climb on the new Climbing Tower!