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    Uncertainty and Holy Days

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    These last few weeks have certainly been trying times for many of us. This is unlike any challenge presented to our nation or our world for generations. We are stuck in our homes, unable to leave to go about our normal lives and routines, with only a walk around the neighborhood for any kind of consolation. Even the grocery store has become a place for caution.

    I know for my family and I these weeks have been a time of stress, uncertainty, sickness, and fear. Right around the time Eric Holcomb, Indiana’s Governor, announced the stay at home order, our daughter began showing symptoms of a respiratory virus. Naturally, we assumed the worst. She was tested for a panel of known viruses, all of which came back negative. This meant that she had an unknown viral illness. Again, we assumed the worst for her and ourselves. I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes last year and asthma when I was 13, both of which put me at a higher risk of complications of COVID 19.  I was plagued with so many dark thoughts, the worst of which, if something did happen to me, my daughter would not even remember me.

    My daughter had a lot of rough nights when she was sick, so we were constantly in her room rocking her back to sleep. I remember one of these nights I was very upset so I spent some time in prayer and a deep peace came over me and I cannot help but reflect on that now during this most special week.

    Pope Francis recently made a statement about Holy Week that feels very applicable during these strange times:
    “Holy Week is a privileged time when we are called to draw near to Jesus: friendship with him is shown in times of difficulty.”
    I would definitely say these times can be described as difficult, but as I sat with my daughter in my arms deep in a conversation with God, I was reminded of how blessed my life has been up to that point. I have had the opportunity to do, see, and experience so many amazing things in my short 33 years. I have gotten everything I really have ever wanted out of life, namely to do something I love, have some great adventures, get married and raise a family.

    The most amazing part, however, is that I have been so blessed to have found a faith that defines who I am as a person. Everything I have been, am, and will become in this life has been gifted to me by God. This brought me to the realization that, no matter what happens, I can be abundantly and endlessly thankful for my life.

    Although we are enduring difficult and uncertain times in our world, we are entering one of the most celebrated weeks in the Catholic Church – we are in the final days before we mourn the death and celebrate the rise of Christ. These most holy of days are a time for us to remember what an incredible blessing our lives are – how we should love and appreciate what we have, what we have been given, and those we love and love us. The Lord has promised good to us and will make good on his promise – this we can be especially reminded of in this season in the church and the season we find ourselves in now, spring.
    As Martin Luther one said:
    “Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.”

    It is no coincidence that Easter falls during the season of spring. Just as new life is appearing in the natural world around us, this time in our faith is bringing new life into our spirits. This is, and should be, a great time of celebration for the abundance of life around us.

    We all have so much to be thankful for. These times can and will be what we make of them. If we choose to sit indoors, in the dark, and focus on the negative aspects of our present circumstances, we can. But living in that joyless, fearful state is our own choosing. If, however, we choose to let these next weeks be our renewal, we may find that, even though we are facing a crisis unlike most of us have seen in our lifetime, we can come out the other side of this stronger, happier, and holier. I have made my choice. What do you choose?

    Tom Gattuso
    Program Director


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    Staying Connected

    The dogs are barking again. It’s what they do even when their people are quarantined. Nothing has changed for them. Maybe they have noticed we are home more often, but they seem unconcerned about the state of things.  Other dogs are out walking with their people and we feel the side glance of hope as our dogs would like to get a turn walking. Thankfully they have a big yard as their people are inconsistent walkers at best. That is something that hasn’t changed. What has changed of course for all of us is how we are existing in an uncertain time.

    At CYO Camp we have shifted to working from home and if on camp property we work in physical solitude connecting via our electronic devices. We are happy to do so to help keep the virus away. We are happy to help protect ourselves and others. Another change we have noticed is that folks are turning to and tuning more and more into what is happening online. You may have noticed that as well; camps and outdoor places are staying connected with electronic offerings such as web cams and online opportunities. Count us in on that!

    We can’t play at camp in person, but we can enjoy a small bit of camp via the internet. Look for opportunities from us every day or so with links to nature/craft activities, videos, web cam offerings, and more.

    To get us started here is an easy activity to get us outside. The sun is shining, and you don’t need much space for this one; all ages can participate: You could even close your eyes and pretend you are at camp!

    Grab some paper and a pencil, pen, marker or crayon. Find a spot to sit outside… maybe your front or back yard, your porch. If sitting outside isn’t an option sit by a window. Once you get comfy just take a deed breath... look, listen, smell…

    After about 10 minutes, jot down a few notes or drawings in response to the following…

    • When I am in nature, I feel…
    • I see…
    • I hear…
    • Something that I noticed was…
    • I am discovering.

    Second option...try this at night!

    Once you are done, we hope you will share via camp’s Instagram or Facebook. Bonus fun points if you get someone to take a picture of you while do this and then post it for us to see.

    Until next time…

    Peace,
    Angi Sullivan
    Camp Co-director

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    Choice

    Choosing a summer camp experience for a child is a big deal…. a really big deal. Camps provide some important lessons for children such as faith, fun, skill development, friends, independence and positive role models; parents want to make sure they are choosing a camp that will make it all happen for their child. It is important to know everything from how staff are hired to how a child will be kept both emotionally and physically safe. And so much more!

    As a camp director and parent of five almost all grown up kiddos, I know the importance of feeling confident in choosing a summer camp. I know both sides well. My kids had camp experiences at CYO Camp and various other camps as they were growing up. I always did my homework when discerning camps for my kids and I am grateful for those who check out CYO Camp.  

    It can be hard to know where to start or to know the questions to ask. I advise families to make a list of the areas they are most worried about to help formulate questions. For example, if a child has a food allergy or other need, a parent will want to make sure the camp can support that child's needs. Camps should have well thought out answers for parents' concerns and if a parent doesn’t like an answer then maybe looking at a different camp is the answer. No matter how great a camp’s reviews are families will want to make sure the camp is the right camp for their child.  

    The following are ways families can check out CYO Camp:
    1. Visit our website. Parents will learn the essence of CYO Camp in just a quick check of the site. Our mission, core values, standards, programs and more can be accessed. www.campranchoframasa.org.
    2. Visit camp. Our official Open House is Saturday, May 9, from 11am-3pm. Families can take a tour of camp, meet some of the staff, and meet my husband, Kevin, and me. We co-direct camp and welcome this opportunity to chat with families and answer questions. For those who cannot make it to this day, please give us a call so we can schedule a visit.
    3. Talk to friends who have attended in the past. Truly, those who have already attended can give tons of information about the experience---everything from the food to the cabins to the staff.
    4. Call or email us! We love talking about camp like it's our job! Oh, wait it is our job. Seriously, though we are happy to spend some quality phone time and/or respond to an email to help families feel good about choosing CYO Camp. The camp number is 888-988-2839. Emails: angi@campranchoframasa.org, kevin@campranchoframasa.org and regsitrar@campranchoframasa.org

    CYO Camp has so much to offer children and choosing CYO camp over another camp or another opportunity should be one each family feels good about. Of course, I think CYO Camp is the best camp (yes, I am biased), but each family gets to decide that for themselves. I hope the information above supports families in choosing a camp and yes, in maybe choosing CYO Camp for their child for an experience this summer.
     
    Angi K Sullivan
    Camp Co-Director

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    Go for LO, Over and Out

    On my very first day of working at camp, we went to Brown County State Park to eat pizza and get to know each other a little better.  As we left, we got to watch this gorgeous sunset. I remember thinking as we left, “if the sunsets are always this beautiful, and the people are always this great, I’m going to really love being here.”  Now, I’m finding myself at the sunset of my time working at camp, and I can say truthfully that the sunsets are dazzling and the people are even more so.  

    I have been thinking often about my impact on camp and vice versa.  Truthfully, I don’t really know what my impact is on camp, and it probably isn’t really up for me to decide my impactfulness anyway.  However, the things that have made an impact on me and helped shape the person that I am now could fill one hundred blog posts. Since I’ve only been allotted this one, it’s hard to know just what to say.  So I came up with this self-prompt: if I literally absorbed the things I’ve been exposed to at camp, what would I be made of?  

    We can start with the tangible things: creek paint, sweat, lake water, creek water, dirt, mud, gravel, chocolate milk, dust, leaves, pollen, grass stains, face paint, sawdust, tie-dye dye, campfire ash, and chicken taco drippings.  When we move into the intangible is when it gets a little harder to narrow it down. There’s the feeling I got the first time I heard someone say, “this is so cool!” There’s the feeling I get when I look in the passenger mirror of Gus the Bus and see all of the Adventure campers sleeping after a big day in the cave or on the water.  There’s the feeling I get watching someone exceed their goal at high ropes. There’s the feeling of singing camp songs over and over until you sing them in your dreams. There’s the feeling of campers remembering you when you go on school visits or when they come back the next summer. There’s the feeling of being complimented on your Chaco tan.  There’s the feeling of walking through the woods and hearing nothing but the birds and the breeze floating through the trees. There’s the feeling of worrying that this Jump Shake Your Booty is finally going to be the one that breaks the bench, sending all of you tumbling to the floor. There’s the feeling of watching relationships grow over a day, a weekend, a week.  There’s the feeling of meeting thousands of new people and learning from all of them. There’s the feeling of watching the first wildflowers bloom on the forest floor in the spring. There’s the feeling of starting a lanyard on the first try. And there’s the feeling of singing Take Me Home, Country Roads on the last night of camp.

    I think, out of all of that, if I’m even a little more faithful, fun, joyful, brave, humble, knowledgeable, compassionate, or generous than I was four years ago, then it probably has to do, at least a little bit, with being steeped in the amazing environment that is CYO Camp Rancho Framasa.

    Thank you for everything,
    LO



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    Something New

    Something New
    CYO Camp Rancho Framasa has long been in the business of getting people outside. Well, it is not as much of a business model as it is part of the mission. The research is staggering that being outside does a human a world of good. Back in the nineties we started camp’s first outdoor education programming. It has evolved through the years and most recently, until a year ago, the structure mimicked what you might see in a classroom… a teaching, sharing facts, something to read and something to write…only all this was happening outside at camp.
    What changed in this last year? Two of our staff members received a grant to attend a BEETLES’ training. With a little bit of knowledge and a whole lot of eager to learn they attended a weeklong institute to learn how to teach in the outdoors differently. We fondly refer to this as Beetle—izing the curriculum.

    What is BEETLES?

    From their website:

    BEETLES is Better Environmental Education, Teaching, Learning & Expertise Sharing
     BEETLES has the following beliefs, ideas, and values:
    • All students deserve consistent opportunities to develop environmental literacy and build meaningful connections to nature by participating in educational programs, spending time in wild spaces, and connecting to the natural places within their own communities.
    • Outdoor science learning can and does occur in a broad range of environment-rich contexts, including, but not limited to: environmental education; environmental justice; social and emotional learning; nutrition, health, and wellness education; transportation initiatives; food justice; and clean water and air rights.
    • Outdoor science programs are powerful, often transformative experiences for students.
    • By “thinking like a scientist,” students are empowered to use tools and practices of science to explore, wonder, connect to, and think about nature wherever there’s a patch of green in their world.
    • There is potential to increase the quality and impact of outdoor science education.
    • Outdoor science instructors and program leaders deserve resources designed specifically for the work they do, to help them be deliberate, reflective, and effective educators and leaders.
     
    AND
     
    We use best practices in science education to inspire wonder and curiosity about the natural world.
    BEETLES resources are built around five primary design principles.
    Engage Directly with Nature
    Think Like a Scientist
    Learn through Discussions
    Experience Instruction Based on How People Learn
    Participate in inclusive, equitable, and culturally relevant learning environments
     
    We see BEETLES as a perfect fit for us and our participants. The goal is to get kids excited and build confidence around science learning and what better way is there than experiencing in it firsthand at CYO CAMP?
     
    So, we have been stepping into the BEETLES model of outdoor teaching and it works! If you are planning a trip to camp either summer or school year you may notice this change and we think you will like it.
     
    Here is what one group had to say about their BEETLES experience after being at CYO Camp:
     
    “I loved climbing up the hill and building a fire. I loved the bones of the different animals. Skipping stones and painting faces with the rocks was educational. We were able to tie so much of this to Indiana history and the way of life with the Indians.”
     
    “I loved the freedom of just letting the kids run and explore... They had a blast on the slide and just running in the woods.”
     
    “I feel like the entire experience was magical to these children. Many have never been in the woods before or gone hiking so the joy to be in such a space was a gift for me to experience.”
     
    Interested in knowing more? Click the Beetles link:  http://beetlesproject.org/about/  and/or sign a group up for camp!
     
    Peace,
    Angi K. Sullivan
    Camp Co-Director
     
     
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    The Best Neighbor

    Over Thanksgiving break, my family went to the movies.  My mom particularly wanted to see the new movie about Mr. Rogers, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.  I watched Mr. Rogers growing up, and had heard bits and pieces about his kindness and gentleness, but I really didn’t know a lot about him before I went to the movie.  I’m sure you’re wondering why I am writing about this movie that came out over two months ago now, but it just keeps popping up into head when I think about camp. 

    I won’t go too much into the plot if you’re still wanting to see it without any kind of frontloading, but I was struck with how Mr. Rogers interacted with two types of people: first, how he talked to children, and second, how he talked to strangers.   What became more clear as the movie went on is that Mr. Rogers is a great role model for camp counselors and camp staff in general.
    When Mr. Rogers spoke to children, he never talked down to them.  He often would find a way to literally and figuratively be at the child’s level, and would make a point to find something to help them connect to what he said.  I also realize now just how much I loved learning about different jobs and processes on his show because he was so excited to learn about them himself.  That kind of modeling was incredibly impactful, and I still distinctly remember how crayons are made because of him.

    When Mr. Rogers spoke to strangers, he made them feel welcomed and included immediately.  In the movie, one of the adult characters pushes back against Mr. Rogers’ friendliness, and Mr. Rogers never responds with frustration or walks away, he responds with patience and calm.  Slowly, we see this stranger open up over the course of the movie, and we see Mr. Rogers make a point to turn his full attention to this person in need.
    Not only does Mr. Rogers make everyone feel loved and included, the movie also shows how he still takes care of himself, even in the midst of holding the love and pain of so many others.  He releases frustration through playing the piano, he swims every single day, he found that a vegetarian lifestyle was healthiest for him.  Even as Mr. Rogers went above and beyond to care for others, he also made a point to care for himself.

    Finally, I noticed over and over throughout the movie just how much Mr. Rogers was an example of Jesus.  He was an ordained Presbyterian minister, but Mr. Rogers didn’t show his faith by preaching Scripture or instructing people how to pray.  He showed his Christian example by withholding judgment, by finding the good in everyone that he met, by approaching each day and interaction with joy and kindness, and by doing his best to make the world a better place for children, which makes the world a better place for all of us.

    Lauren Owen
    Assistant Camp Director