fun times H O R I Z O N S DAY CA M P
N E W S L E T T E R
SUMMER 2020
DEAREST HORIZONITES, Recently, as I walked around the Horizons campus enjoying its beauty, I found myself thinking about the habits and routines we believe in and share at camp together.
can happen. In some senses, we become our habits and I think this is one of the reasons why Horizons is such an amazing place.
What comes to mind for you when you think about camp habits? For me, a simple example is caring for our campus — people pick up trash at Horizons. Not only does this help to make the place feel and look wonderful, deep down it feels good to take care of something. Similarly, at camp, we make an effort to be good friends and welcome new and returning campers and staff. We accept that we may need to work on getting better at things and welcome the support of others to help us improve. We are ready to laugh and think the best of each other rather than assume something negative. We can be goofy and not take ourselves too seriously. Whichever table we sit at during lunch, we know not only will we have delicious food, but we will also be loved and cared for and have a few giggles to boot.
I was happily struck by the simplicity and beauty of such habits and the values they encourage. It reminded me that Horizons is a place we carry inside ourselves and through our habits — not just the bit of land where the cabins, field, and lake are.
Many habits form naturally and we don’t even realize it. They are also contagious—when we start practicing them, others like what they see and join us. If we can focus on choosing good habits, then cool developments
Love and laughter,
My challenge and focus this summer has been on maintaining my camp habits even though I am not physically there. I wonder if you are thinking about this, too. How are you are bringing a little Horizons into your family and community at home? I miss and think of you a great deal. Know we are all in this together and that I can’t wait to hear your stories about your summer 2020 adventures!
Stuart Fairbairn Horizons Director Horizons Fun Times • Summer 2020
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horizons hellos!
Horizons counselors are fun, creative, and hard-working. And they are missing all of you campers this summer! Here’s what a few of them have been up to lately…
This year, I graduated to the highest level of competition in Irish dance. I’ve committed a lot of time to dance and can easily say that this has pushed me to try things even if they scare me. I really enjoy working at Horizons for similar reasons, observing my campers step out of their comfort zones to explore new interests. My experience has helped me navigate this unusual year. We are starting training again now, and I have been practicing at home while social distancing. It’s a whole new challenge, which is adding new skills to my tool kit. Ellie Goodhue Drama Counselor Student, Sharon Academy
I love working at Horizons and sharing my passion for archery, as well as all the other fun activities we have every day! After camp last summer, I went straight to Olympic trials where I progressed to the second stage. Then I entered the Indoor Nationals and qualified for the Collegiate Finals, where the eight best archers from all the colleges in the country compete. Unfortunately, that event was canceled due to the Coronavirus, but I was honored to make the cut. Overall, I think my greatest success of 2019 was my hiding place for counselor hunt! This summer I am working for a lumber company. I wish I could be at Horizons and am also thankful I have a job as many don’t. It is an eye-opening experience of the “real world.” Caleb Eastman
I loved returning to Horizons last summer — it was soo much fun and reminded me of my fantastic days as a camper. Camp has helped remind me that having a bit of spunk in your life is always a good thing. Through being more confident in who I am as a person, campers are more able to connect with me and see that it is okay to be yourself. This summer I am helping build a website for my Mom’s business and looking forward to hopefully going back to college in the fall. I am in touch with my Horizons friends and thankful for their friendship—we can still make each other burst into laughter! Grace Callaghan Swimming Counselor Student, St. Olaf College
When camp was postponed, we found a new opportunity and are now working at Bradford Elementary School to help pack food bags for school children and homeless families. We love the people we work with and even have Corrina, our Horizons head chef, running the program (which is why we’re here) with Jordan as her sous chef. The days are very busy. We are packing over 1,000 meal bags, which include up to 14,000 meals per week that get sent as far as St. Johnsbury, Vermont. Although we miss being at Horizons, it feels really good to be doing this and helping people who would struggle getting enough food during the pandemic. We are also getting to start some sports practice, too, which feels good.
Studying in Ghana last semester was an eye-opening experience and revealed some of the impact Horizons has had on me. Consciously building quality relationships with people different from me has helped influence the positive open-minded person I am, even in moments of adversity. Horizons has helped shape my lens — and that lens was a huge reason why I thrived in Ghana, even when I had to leave early due to the pandemic. I’ve also learned to appreciate the little things and enjoy every moment because summer happens so quickly! Parker Smith Swimming Counselor Student, Bates College
Hank Trimble & Owen Stannard Assistant Counselors Students, Hanover High School
Archery Counselor Student, University of Connecticut
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aloha foundation
Horizons Fun Times • Summer 2020
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horizons fun! Q: I f a child refuses to sleep during nap time, are they guilty of resisting a rest?
Q: W hy do seagulls fly over the ocean?
Q: Why did the lamb cross the road?
A: B ecause if they flew over the bay they’d be bagels!
A: ’Cause he wanted to get to the baabaar’s shop.
— Camper Rowan Moody-A’Ness
—Camper Cal Christie
SPOT THE DIFFERENCES There are 10 differences between these two photos… Can you find them all?
YOU MUST BE JOKING!
Q: H ow does a penguin build its house? A: Igloos it together.
Need a chuckle? Here are some bad (good) jokes submitted by the Horizons community. Q: D id you know the first French fries weren’t actually cooked in France?
Q: What did the buffalo say to his son when he dropped him off at school?
A: T hey were cooked in Greece.
A: Bison.
—Camper Erin McCormack
—Director Stuart Fairbairn
Q: W hy did the invisible man turn down the job offer?
Q: W hat does a zombie vegetarian eat?
Q: Why can’t you hear a pterodactyl in the bathroom?
A: H e couldn’t see himself doing it.
A: “ GRRRAAAAAIIIINNNNS!”
A: Because he has a silent P.
— Camper Geordan McCormack
NATE’S LIMERICK CHALLENGE
VOLUME 4
Inspired by NPR’s “Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me!”
— Camper Rowan Moody-A’Ness Q: What’s the best part about living in Switzerland? A: I don’t know, but the flag is a big plus.
Complete each limerick by inserting the correct word that rhymes with the first two lines.
There’s a new fad that’s all the rage
You can’t buy happiness with money
A new type of mobility for this day and age
But you could hang out with a bunny
Without hesitation
Or hold a baby chick
There was a demonstration
Yeah, that’ll do the trick
When swim counselors swam in assembly, on the_____________ .
In Nature with Wilson and _____________ .
On Lake Fairlee, we are the lords
To use one, you need an adult
And boats, oh, those we have hordes
They produce an exciting result!
But a new acquisition
To launch things, is our desire
Is at our disposition
When ready, say “Fire!”
Our fleet of stand-up ______________________ .
Fling things with a giant _______________ . Answers on page 7
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aloha foundation
Horizons Fun Times • Summer 2020
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animal antics!
Cujo, the Horizons camp dog, is a yellow labrador owned by counselor Erin Renninger and family. Did you know he can climb out of the Horizons swim area using the ladder? Here Cujo shares his ideal day at Horizons.
A LETTER FROM CUJO
Dear Campers, my perfect dream of Horizons and I p, na I en wh t bu u, I don’t know about yo y: w I like to spend my da day at camp. Here’s ho all-over lick. etch, and have a good str , up e ak W am ht, 7:00 at happened in the nig wh e se to us mp ca of ick tour ese are like mes 8:00 am Do a qu orite smell-a-grams [th fav my all g kin ec ch by ns]. sages/letters to huma s of lovely back for assembly to get lot e dg Lo e th to Go ds. 9:00 am sic and see all my frien scratches, enjoy the mu any snack ng). Hang out and grab mi im (sw e tim t en rtm t too hot. 10:00 am Depa rolls ideally! Swim if I ge n mo na cin , op dr ers that camp breathing, and h although swimming, I love playing aqua-fetc all at the same time. mouth is tricky to do my in s ing th ing rry ca favorite swim e flying belly-fl op. My th is e nc tra en ite or My fav . stroke is kiddy-paddle outside until everyone NNCH! I have to wait NN NN UU UU LU LL day: Sneaking into 12:00 pm e best moment of the th s me co en th s, ve lea been too clean g my humans haven’t pin ho d an om ro ing the din or tidy! s in the lake, and lots rtment, occasional dip pa de in p na y av He 1:00 pm humans. of happy cuddles from more ds while enjoying many en fri my all to e by od go 4:00 pm Go say . cuddles and scratches ds, scratches from my frien ck ba d an les dd cu e nic the g you next year! What I miss most is all . I look forward to lickin ns bu n mo na cin by d closely followe
calling all artists!
A CALL FOR SONGBOOK ART!! Here’s your chance to have your drawing printed in the Horizons song book! We will be printing new song books for next summer and would like to include camper and counselor artwork. Counselor Arielle Drisko has given us a fun example above. We will add as many drawings as we can fit into the new book! Guidelines for submissions: 1) Drawings should be related to a camp theme in some way. 2) Black and white drawings only please. 3) D rawings should be able to be reduced to a smallish size on a page if needed (imagine the proportions of a post-it note). Mail your entries to the Horizons Day Camp Director: Stuart Fairbairn Horizons Day Camp — Aloha Foundation 2968 Lake Morey Road Fairlee, VT 05045
Aloha, Cujo Spot the Difference Answer:
CHICKEN UPDATE CLUCK-DATE Wow, how they’ve grown! Amazing that from newly hatched chicks in June last year, they’re now fully-grown hens who are laying their own eggs. Almost all are laying an egg a day, even Ethel, who has the cross-beak so finds feeding difficult and is smaller as a result. We get approximately nine eggs a day from eleven hens. Chickens have amazing ability to survive winter. They had a slightly insulated coop and a heated water container, so their water source didn’t freeze. By puffing up feathers and roosting closer together (poor social distancing), they manage to survive really cold temperatures — well below freezing! Now that it’s summer, they roam around looking for tasty critters. We have named one hen “adventure chicken”— she will do everything to escape and likes to eat the vegetables growing in the garden (which we also like to eat!). 6
aloha foundation
Nate’s Limerick Challenge Answers (in order): Stage, Paddle Boards, Sunny, Catapult Horizons Fun Times • Summer 2020
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2968 Lake Morey Road Fairlee, Vermont 05045
ALOHA CONNECTIONS! Looking for some inspiration to make more camp fun!? Look no further than the Aloha Connections webpage! You’ll find tons of ideas, videos and suggestions on ways to bring camp home.
alohafoundation.org/alohaconnections/
FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @horizonsdaycamp