Southwoods Staff. We don't get homesick We get campsick!!!

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1 Southwoods Staff ISSUE THIRTY-FOUR WINTER 2016 MARCH 14, 2016 We don't get homesick We get campsick!!! Hello Southwoods Staff! We ve recently returned from an action-packed weekend of indoor water-parking, sledding, snowball throwing, skiing, and bowling at our annual Winter Weekend. Our team journeyed up to camp with a group of new and returning campers to see Southwoods covered in a fresh layer of snow. (As you can see in the photo above.) The Winter Weekend group was able to see some of the newest editions to the Southwoods facility. Chris and the maintenance crew are working hard through the off-season to prepare for Summer 2016! Here in the winter office we continue to keep busy planning for another sensational summer. There s so much to look forward to... two amazingly fun and new camp plays, innovative Special Event Days, new evening activities, fun dance themes, mind-blowing tribal breaks, and of course, a few surprises... Seriously, IS IT SUMMER YET? Other preparations are taking place as well, items especially for you, the Staff! Our 2016 Staff Facebook group is growing everyday! We encourage new staff to use this as a resource and ask questions in preparation for camp. We hope returning staff share positive stories and pictures of past camp years. And most importantly, help new staff members see how much fun a Southwoods summer can be! If you haven t yet added Southwoods Camp as a friend on Facebook, do so today! Lastly, we want to remind you to continue to talk up Southwoods to your friends. You can find a complete list of the positions currently available on page 2 of this newsletter. **Returning staff, remember you will receive a $100 bonus for EACH new staff that reference you on their application, are hired, and complete the 2016 summer. SEE YOU IN 3 MONTHS!!

2 Page 2 Noteworthy News SPREAD THE WORD!!! Southwoods is still looking to fill the following positions: Theater Director Tennis Specialists Archery Specialist Hockey Specialist Lifeguards Woodworking Specialist COMING SOON... The Way Camper Newsletter Staff T-Shirt Options The 2016 Staff Handbook Are you in the 2016 Staff Facebook Group? If not... Add Southwoods Camp as a friend and we ll add you to our group!! Being part of the group is a great way to connect with other staff members prior to camp this summer. STAFF FORMS can be found at The following forms are required by ALL STAFF: Health Form Staff Policy Checklist Insurance Form W-4 Form STAFF FORMS ARE DUE APRIL 30TH MEMORIZE THIS CHANT... 2, 4, 6, 8, WE WANT TRIBAL BREAK!!

3 Page 3 My Southwoods Story Jules Garber Water Ski Specialist Camp: 12 Everyone wants to be a part of something bigger than themselves. But even simpler than that; everyone wants to be a part of something. I spent my first summer at Southwoods in I was a seven-year-old who felt like they didn t fully fit in anywhere...until camp. The beginning was rough for someone like me who was nervous about being in new places not knowing anyone, shy to unfamiliar faces and hated being challenged to go out of their comfort zone. Southwoods changed all of that for me over the years and it quickly became a place where I felt like I finally fit in. It was a place where as soon as I would arrive I was greeted with bear hugs, dramatic high fives and the warmest smiles. It was there that I felt like I was a part of something. I was part of a cabin, a tribal team, a summer camp and a community. It allowed me to become more confident, comfortable, outgoing and empowered. I was able to grow in more ways than one, whether it was learning how to lead a large group of people, solving conflicts with people you don t always see eye to eye with or even just being more comfortable dancing on stage in front of your peers. Being surrounded by people who have the warmest hearts and genuinely care about you, it s easy to become the best version of yourself. At the end of camp every summer, I would always reflect on the weeks that just flew by. I would think about the amazing campfires, being out on the lake, the challenges I had overcome, the lessons I had learned and the new things I tried, but what I spent most of my time thinking about were the people. The people I spent my summers with are what made my summers. They were the ones that pushed me to try new things. They were the ones who made me feel comfortable to fail. They were the ones who celebrated with me when I succeeded. They were the ones who believed in me which made me believe in myself. Those people were my counselors. It was because of them that made me want to come back year after year to Southwoods and then come back as a counselor. Apart from wanting to spend more time at a very special place, I also wanted to give back to the place that helped me grow in immense ways. I became a counselor with the hopes that I too could make someone feel comfortable to try something new and not be afraid to fail, to be there to celebrate with them when they succeed and to always believe in them so they can have the courage to believe in themselves. Watching campers grow over the summer and try new things is such a reward and a feeling I wouldn t trade for anything. My time spent at Southwoods is something I would never trade for anything in the world.

4 Page 4 Learning The Lingo the Elect-whaaa?? ELECTIVES! Periods where campers choose their activity! Staff are assigned to run or assist the electives! Elective periods focus on skill progression and development! Exploratory choices allow campers to try something new! Electives provide an opportunity to expand creativity! What the heck is Trek? Trek is the outdoor adventure program at Southwoods! Our trained Trek Staff take campers on hiking, mountain biking, caving, canoeing, and overnight trips off camp. They also lead our high and low ropes courses on camp. Some of our on camp elements include: - 50ft Climbing Wall - Wirewalk - Zip Line - Giant Swing - Vertical Playpen - Trapeze Swing Just to name a few! FUZZIES Every evening at Lineup, we honor campers that have gone out of their way to make someone else s day better. We call it, getting a FUZZY! We encourage campers (and staff) to take time during their day to stop and think about someone else; Help a friend carry their equipment to baseball, or hold the door for someone as they leave the dining hall. When you do something for someone, it gives them a warm FUZZY feeling inside! When a camper recognizes that someone has done something nice for them, they write down the camper s name and act of kindness on a FUZZY nomination sheet in the Girls or Boys HC. At Lineup we read those FUZZY nominations in front of the whole camp! How bout some SOUTHWOODS fuzzies! Words of Wisdom We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing.

5 Page 5 A day at the waterfront... Southwoods is a magical place, and the Southwoods Waterfront offers a hearty dose of magic and adventure. Campers arrive at the beach with their bunks, or through elective choices, and leave the waterfront with a sense of accomplishment and excitement for their next visit. Emilia Bohac Waterfront Director Camp: 19 We host a top notch water skiing, wake surfing, wake boarding and knee boarding program, outfitted with the best boats and equipment available. Children are taught skills from basic all the way up to advanced and expert. Our boat drivers are skilled, friendly, kind and incredibly helpful. Across the cove from the ski docks is our small crafts area. Sailing, kayaking and canoeing offer opportunities for campers to learn new skills. Laughter and smiles always accompany children returning from a small crafts outing. The small crafts staff are talented and innovative, as they lead groups of all ages on the water. The focal point of the waterfront is our swimming area - easy to notice with the giant inflatable slide and trampoline. Our focus is on learning to swim, so we provide both group and private swimming lessons to campers. Free swim is an energetic activity where campers play in the water and on the beach. Our capable, creative, professional lifeguards maintain the beach, share swimming wisdom, and always focus on safety. We look forward to splashing around with you at the waterfront this summer! Our Mission Statement... Southwoods is committed to empowering people. Our goal is to build confidence and self-esteem by reinforcing positive human values. We achieve that goal through cutting-edge programming implemented by a carefully selected and fully trained staff whose investment in children, like our own, is unparalleled.

6 Page 3 PAGE 9 Page 6 Summer Travel Information Staff Arrival Dates: June 6th - Head Staff June 9th - Waterfront & Trek June 11th - Support Staff June 13th - Group Leaders June 16th - Activity Specialists June 18th - Cabin Specialists June 18th - Support Staff How are you getting to Camp? BY CAR: If you are driving to camp we recommend arriving between 12:00 noon and 4:00p.m. on your arrival day. You will be able to leave your car in the lower parking lot for the duration of camp. BY TRAIN: If you are planning on traveling by train, you will want to take Amtrack into the Ticonderoga, New York station. You may have to transfer trains in Albany. You can make reservations at or USA- RAIL. BY PLANE: Our most popular form of staff travel is by plane. If flying to camp, you will need to arrive at the Albany International Airport no later than 5p.m. on your arrival day. If for some reason you cannot find a flight that falls within that time period, call our office before booking. BY BUS: If you are traveling by bus, we will pick you up at the bus stop in Schroon Lake. From NYC: Adirondack Trailways Bus Service from NY Port Authority - 8th Avenue and 40th Street to Schroon Lake. Call to check the bus schedule. From Montreal: Adirondack Trailways Bus Service located at Central Station at 505 Maisoneuve East and Berri. You will take the bus into Glens Falls then a transfer bus to Schroon Lake. Call , 24- hours in advance to reserve a space.

7 Page 7 ARE YOU READY TO Live here? work here? Dine here? Play here?