News from Camp Manitou

Give Back & Play Ball

2017-02-02T19:41:22Z

Manitou’s Jordan Yaffe (former camper and current staff member) is bringing his charity 3-on-3 basketball tournament to schools around the country.

This year, Jordan has enlisted fellow Manitou campers and staff members to organize Dunks for Diabetes tournaments in at least 8 cities.

Manitou Volunteers are needed at the events below:

Saturday, March 4: Baltimore

Saturday, April 15: Boston

Sunday, April 23: Miami

Start your own tournament: Although most tournaments will be run by middle school or upper school students, you do not have to be a specific age to organize a tournament and the tournament does not have to be all that big: It can be a group of nine friends playing in a three-team tournament.

Jordan’s effort is a wonderful example of doing good, and leveraging his Manitou network to make maximize the initiative’s impact. Manitou is a proud sponsor of the event and we encourage you to visit the website to learn more!

If you would like to get involved, please contact the Manitou office

Manitou Alumni - 70th Reunion Weekend Video

2016-12-12T20:19:36Z

In June 2016, a terrific group of alumni returned to Manitou to commemorate our 70th summer.

Our video team captured a few of the memorable moments and we are already counting down the days until the 75th reunion in 2021!

2016-70th-Reunion from Camp Manitou on Vimeo.

#WearManitou16: A Worldwide Celebration!

2016-12-05T17:06:22Z

Manitou campers, staff and alums took to social media on November 15th for the annual Wear Manitou Day celebration.

Aside from posting photos of themselves in their favorite Manitou gear, participants also helped us raise over $1,200 for Experience Camps.

We also challenged the community to participate in 5 contests and the winning photos are below. All photos can be viewed in our Facebook Album

2016 Wear Manitou Contest Winners

Most Spirit: The Palm Desert Squad

Family: The Perrin Crew

Best Group: NorCal

Best Location: Manitou Boise!

Most Items: Griffin K

Manitou Families and Staff Give Back

2016-11-22T15:32:52Z

Making a positive impact on our communities is an important aspect of Manitou’s Core Value “Give Back.”

November, known as Manitou Service Month, offered opportunities for those living in New York, Miami, Philly and Boston to do some good. NYC area families met for a park cleanup at Harlem’s JD Wilson Garden, while Miami families participated in a beach cleanup in Miami Harbor. Members of our Philadelphia community packed food for the needy at the Jewish Relief Agency while those in suburban Boston volunteered at the Summer Dreams basketball tournament. More service day projects are scheduled for after Thanksgiving.

So far, over 60 members of Manitou Nation made a difference for others this month.

We are Thankful to all of our families and staff for making Manitou – and their communities – better!

Manitou's 2016 Summer Highlights Video Is Shipping Soon: Check Out This Preview

2016-11-10T19:22:18Z

2016 was another terrific summer at the ‘Tou. As always, our legendary video team documented all the big events and their video tells the story of #toumagic16.

Here’s a preview of the Summer Highlights DVD that will be sent in a few weeks.

Only 225 days til 2017, but who’s counting?

2016 Camp Manitou Slideshow I from Camp Manitou on Vimeo.

Our CITs are going to Ecuador!

2016-11-06T19:57:26Z

A few months before the summer, we announced the 2017 CIT Changeover Trip to the Amazon Rainforest, and the feedback was fantastic! We heard from families and campers all summer about how excited everyone was to participate in the trip. So, Dave and Stephen traveled to Ecuador this fall to research and develop the program.

They just returned from La Selva Ecolodge in the Amazon last week. They flew from the US to Quito, Ecuador, then flew domestically to Coca, transferred to a motorized canoe for a 2 hour ride up the Napo River, stepped into a paddled canoe for a winding ride that likened an Avatar world, and arrived at Lake Garzachoca with a breathtaking view of the Ecolodge. They spent 4 nights at the lodge experiencing excursions, meeting staff, and making plans for the CIT changeover trip next July.

Do the Right Thing

Our Leadership Program has put Manitou High Seniors and CITs into executive roles building a capital project for a special needs camp, facilitating a bi-weekly sports program for needy local kids, and raising money for Experience Camps for Grieving Children.

In 2017, High Seniors and CITs will run the second annual sports program at Oakland Rec and the fourth annual Tou 5K benefitting Experience Camps. But we also believe the more you grow, the more you accomplish. We are striving to incite leadership, not just foster it. And we believe it is the right thing to do to engage our campers in projects and passions bigger than themselves, like our Amazon Trip.

Make Every Day Count

When Manitou first began to explore international travel for the CIT changeover trip, we were looking to offer a “bucket list” experience for friends to remember for a lifetime. Over the years we’ve learned the true Magic at Manitou is the connection and bond campers develop throughout their tenure at camp. We have seen these bonds deepen for older kids during our ski trip, Disney weekend, leadership conference in NYC, or the CIT winter weekend. The boys are so authentic when surrounded by their camp friends no matter the location.

We chose the Amazon because we read the book Looptail by Bruce Poon, founder of G Adventures. He wrote about visiting an ecolodge in Ecuador more than 30 years ago. He was inspired by the incredible Amazon Rainforest but also how the lodge builders fostered impactful relationships with the local tribes. G Adventures believes travelers should have incredible experiences, but should also leave a positive impact on the communities visited.

Give Back

A ten minute ride down the Napo River leads you to Mandi Village. It is a sparse community of indigenous Amazonians with virtually no connection to the outside world. There are three small buildings that make up a school; one classroom per building. The teachers reported their greatest need is hands-on games and toys for the students. We thought, what a perfect match; our recreational summer camp can support a school in need of fun. The Amazon trip will engage Manitou CITs into a 6 month long project collecting games and toys, developing a carnival day for the Mandi Village, and hosting the children for a day of play!

In 2017, Manitou CITs will give back to younger Manitou campers, local children in Maine, grieving children across the USA, and indigenous children in the Amazon. We hope each experience incites a desire for social innovation.

Play for the Game

There are endless opportunities for 16 year olds to experience the world and develop skills; teen tours, high school trips, family vacations, etc. However, we’ve heard for years that 16 year old boys can be apprehensive to these opportunities. The Leadership Program wants to take our campers away from their world and out of their comfort zone – whether it’s in the local Maine community or father. When done right, it’s not about winning a game or getting an accolade, it’s about feeling you’re part of a something bigger than yourself and feeling good about your role.

Visiting the Amazon is going to be incredible. The views and sounds and experiences are so unique. But we believe the trip is going to leave a lasting feeling. We hope it incites leadership throughout our campers’ lives. We hope it incites a desire for social innovation. We hope it solidifies the bond the boys have together for a lifetime of friendship and connection.

Can't Stop This Feeling

2016-08-28T15:17:39Z

Can't Stop the Feeling from Camp Manitou on Vimeo.

Dad's Soak Up Manitou Magic

2016-08-22T16:18:07Z

A few hours after we officially closed out summer 2016, 70 Manitou dad’s and numerous siblings arrived for the annual Father-Son Weekend!

The first night featured a festive BBQ dinner, followed by an evening at the Manitou Casino and a waterfront campfire.

Day two was highlighted by Father-Son activities and tasty meals. All dads and sons participated in two electives in the morning, the Day of Champions event after lunch, and two more electives before dinner. A Maine Lobster bake and a trip to Giffords for ice cream and mini golf capped the day.

Waterskiing, wakeboarding, banana boating, fishing, swimming, water trampoline, stand up paddleboarding, basketball, climbing tower, archery and riflery were amongst the most popular activities.

We can’t wait to do it again next year! Save the date: August 11-13, 2017

Some pictures from Father Son Weekend can be found below.

Additional photos can be viewed on our Facebook page or in the photo gallery on MyManitou.

The League - Leadership Program 2016

2016-08-11T16:22:50Z

The League

Give Back. As we defined our Core Values this season, we purposefully dedicated a fourth of our message to giving back.

Do the Right Thing.
Make Every Day Count.
Give Back.
Play for the Game.

Giving back is everywhere at Manitou. It’s former campers leading College League teams to give younger campers as special an experience as they had growing up. It’s counselors spending an extra few minutes making a new campers feel at home. It’s the Waterfront Director reviving the Island Swim because he remembered it as a special event decades ago.

Giving back is the incredible devotion so many of our directors, counselors, and families have to Experience Camps. This summer over 375 boys and girls who have experienced a significant loss will spend a free week at camp in California, New York, or Maine. The Manitou Magic spread during this week lasts all year for these incredibly resilient kids.

Over the last few years, our Leadership Program has put Manitou’s oldest campers into the driver’s seat of engaging projects that impact our local community. We want our boys to become involved, passionate community members who possess a skill-set to be a leader both in and out of camp. The Leadership Program puts High Seniors and CITs in executive planning and facilitating roles to give back and add value within our camp community and in the world at large.

This summer High Seniors, campers who just completed 9th grade, gave back by organizing the Tou5K. Over 100 campers and counselors participated raising over $3,000 for Experience Camps. The High Seniors registered runners during their rest periods, prepared the course during a lazy morning, ran the PA system, took photos, and cheered as they inspired our whole camp community to give back!

All High Seniors and CITs also covered junior cabins each Monday during our staff meetings. The younger campers love having the older guys play bedtime games and share camp stories.

The greatest Give Back of the summer; however, was a 4 week CIT project: The League.

Manitou’s greatest program is College League. The pure passion is seen in every element; from the Break to Pres. During the March pre-CIT trip to camp (when campers walk across the lake to the island), the campers asked if it would be possible to share College League with local kids for their Leadership service project.

We partnered with our local town’s rec department in the early summer and began planning The League. The goal was to recreate the passion of College League with local kids, and it was a HUGE success. Every Tuesday and Thursday for 4 weeks all 32 CITs went to a local elementary school and replicated College League.

Things started with a Break. The CITs huddled up and danced to loud music while calling kids into the huddle with a roar of cheer. The kids were hooked.

We had 6 loops: basketball, soccer, handball, kickball, and dodgeball. The program’s director said his day campers rarely showed interest in team sports, but they couldn’t wait for Manitou to show up for another loop!

Each visit concluded with Manitou CIT’s recognizing kids on their team for teamwork, passion, and determination. Seeing the look on the kids’ faces as they were recognized in front of their peers and the older “cool guys” was priceless. The Rec kids will remember the high fives, hugs, and cheers for a long time. We believe they will carry this memory into school and sports and feel more confident and engaged.

Our CITs equally felt proud of their contribution. They could directly see their impact. They loved getting the opportunity to share something they value so much with others. College League comes so naturally to them; they loved sharing their joy.

We always hope to continue touching more lives with Manitou Magic. This fall we will have our 3rd annual Manitou Service Weekend. We hope you find a way to join a project to give back with us. We also will host campers at an ACA Youth Leadership Conference in the spring. And in 2017, in addition to running The League, CITs will travel to Ecuador to give back to the environment as well.

People give back in hundreds of ways at Manitou. We believe investing our time and energy into others – whether it’s 13-year-old boys who idolize their Deans, or 17-year-old Junior Counselors helping a camper find a lost baseball glove, or an entire community sponsoring campers at an Experience Camp, or spending a few hours a morning spreading passion to local kids – is worth it. It adds value and helps others. It teaches empathy and inspires collaboration. It makes leaders.

-Stephen

Now It's Time to Prepare for Campsickness

2016-08-11T11:51:10Z

A nice article from the American Camp Association about readjusting to home life after the camp season is over…

Life at camp brings new challenges, new activities, and new friends. Leaving all this fun and excitement is often a letdown for children. It doesn’t help that the end of camp may signal the start of school with all its stresses and demands. When camp comes to an end, the blues can often set in — causing some children to be tired, moody, quieter than usual, or even irritable or grumpy. The American Camp Association® (ACA) recommends these tips to help your camp-sick camper:

Nothing beats a hot shower — Welcome your camper home by helping them relax and adjust to the slower pace of non-camp life. Suggest they take a warm shower and get plenty of rest. Plan to have an “old favorite” for dinner.

Familiar favorites — Have your child reconnect with friends from the neighborhood or school. Encourage play dates and get-togethers to help re-establish a sense of belonging with friends they haven’t seen in a long time.

Contact camp cronies — Allow your child to write, e-mail, or call camp friends. Many camps encourage campers to exchange e-mail and IM addresses with one another. Parents should oversee their child’s online activities and make sure that all camp policies are being followed.

This one time, at camp… — Be open and available to talk about camp. Allowing your children to reflect on their friends, their favorite moment at camp, and what they miss most about camp will help.

It’s not too soon for a camp reunion — Organize a small “reunion” of more local camp friends can help reassure your child that though his or her friends are out of sight, they are not out of mind!

Not all children show signs of camp-sickness, but if your child does, just remember that they miss camp because it is a safe, supportive, nurturing environment. It’s normal and natural for children to miss the close relationships developed at camp. Families can help ease any sadness by being supportive and understanding — and helping their camper remember that next summer is not that far away!

For more, check out this article on 10 Tips for Easing the Re-Entry Home