YMCA Camp Quinnipiac

What a Summer!

2009-08-28T06:28:00.000-07:00

It was a terrific summer! It really was, and it may have been the quickest summer on record. Without even being sentimental, it truly seems like just yesterday we finalizing the 2009 staff training, getting all of our supplies and transforming Chapman Elementary School into YMCA Camp Quinnipiac.

The humidity has finally broken and cool weather is on its way, which can only me a couple of things; camp has come to and, school will be starting soon and plans for the 2010 camp season will soon be underway!

The YMCA Camp Quinnipiac staff and I would like to thank all of the campers who made this summer everything that it was; fun, exciting, memorable and simply great! We would like to thank the Cheshire Herald for all of their promotions of YMCA Camp Quinnipiac, especially the Jokes of the Week and the Camper's Choice Awards. That was a new and different aspect of YMCA Camp Quinnipiac and hopefully one that we can continue into the future. The Jokes of the Week were a definite hit with all of the campers, I just wish that I could have won at least once. I guess that I will have to work on my jokes for next year! We would also like to thank Chartwell's for donating all of the food to YMCA Camp Quinnipiac for our great family nights. I think that this year's family nights were fantastic and really exemplified what camp is for all of the families that attended, and those that got to sing the bear song! Lastly the staff and I would like to thank Chapman Elementary School for allowing us to "run-a-muck" of the school and use every square inch that we could to make it a great summer for everyone that attended YMCA Camp Quinnipiac.

Now that summer is officially over we have a request for all of our YMCA Camp Quinnipiac parents. Included in our blog page, under the favorite links section, is a link to our 2009 YMCA Camp Quinnipiac Camper Survey. Please take a few minutes and fill out the survey as best you possibly can. We use the information gathered in the survey to make YMCA Camp Quinnipiac better for future generations of campers.

If you have any Lost and Found items that you and your camper were not able to re-collect by the end of the summer please be sure to contact the Cheshire Community YMCA. The Lost and Found items will be kept for about a week, until the first full week of September, will then be donated to Good Will.

If you have any questions about this summer of camp, future summers of camp, the YMCA Camp Quinnipiac 2009 Camper Survey or Lost and Found items please be sure to contact the Cheshire Community YMCA.

Again, thanks for a great summer. Please enjoy the school year and hopefully it will fly by faster than this summer did and we can all enjoy another summer of great fun at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac!

Thanks for a great summer,
Coach Mike & the YMCA Camp Quinnipiac staff

This is the end, my friends!

2009-08-22T05:31:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe, but we really did it! We made it through another summer of great fun and great memories! All summer long we have been battling the weather with tons of fun and great activities which are all coming to an end.
This summer has been one of our best and the magic of number 13 could really be felt everyday. The weather looks like it will perfect this week, and what a fitting ending it shall be.
This session is our Green Week session and should be a lot of fun for everyone. This past session we had a great Family Night filled with funny, silly and all around great skits and songs, yes we even heard the famous “Bear Hunt Song!” I would like to thank Chartwells who donated all of the great food for the evening and all of the staff in LIME GREEN who volunteered their time to cook for all of the families. If you have any lost and found please claim it by Tuesday of Session 9 or it will be donated to good will.
Please make sure that you visit our blog page and check out the end of summer greatness along with the year end evaluation.
Please also remember that there will be no camp on Thursday, August 27th and Friday, August 29th. On Wednesday, August 26th all of YMCA Camp Quinnipiac will be leaving at 9:15am for the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA. Campers will not need a lunch that day, but will need lunches that do not need to be refrigerated on Monday and Tuesday!

Let the WACKY WEIRD-NESS begin!

2009-08-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

The weather is warming up and it is really starting to feel like summer. Now that the year is drawing to an end all of those rainy days seem like a distant memory of days of days long ago. Those days were definitely fun, but the days left will still be packed with great memories, fun adventures and wacky-weird encounters! I can not wait to get the great session 8 started!
I would also like to tell everyone that on Wednesday, August 19 YMCA Camp Quinnipiac will host its second Family Night of the summer. Our first family night was a great success and we are looking to duplicate and surpass the fun of that evening! Family Night is open to anyone that has been at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac this summer and will start at 6pm. There will be cook-out food for all that attend. All family night goers will be able to see songs and skits from their campers starting around 7pm and finishing up at 8pm. It should be a great time for all who attend.
If you have any questions please feel free to ask me. My office will be the portable trailer just in front of Chapman School. Kelly and I will be more than happy to answer any questions that you might have! My number at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac is (203) 271-1982. If you have any questions please see either Kelly or myself in the office.

Color Games!

2009-08-07T14:07:00.000-07:00

Yes it is that time already. Usually Color Games is saved for the end of the summer, but this year we just couldn't wait! It is here early and all of us at camp are just brusting with excitment. This session is going to be great! Not too many times am I able to say that before the session even starts, but I truly believe that this is going to be one of the greatest sessions ever. The staff have gone completely mad and changed up the entire schedule for this session! Every afternoon during the Color Games session the entire camp will be participating some great activities for all to enjoy. I can’t wait to get it going.

I also just heard about a great family activity happening on Friday, August 21st at Cheshire Park. The Cheshire Community YMCA will be hosting a Rock Concert and is welcoming all to join them Please make sure that you pick up one of the flyers about this great event in the trailer. It should be a rockin’ time!

Please make sure to mark your calendars for our last Family Night of the year. During session 8 all families are invited to join us at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac for a fun evening including a cook-out, camp fun and great entertainment.

This week should be a ton of fun. The best to way to have even more fun is to make sure that you have everything that you camp to camp with. If you haven't done so already please make sure that you take some time and check out our lost and found, it is getting pretty full and the end of camp is getting pretty close.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask me. My office will be the portable trailer just in front of Chapman School. Kelly and I will be more than happy to answer any questions that you might have! My number at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac is (203) 271-1982. If you have any questions please see either Kelly or myself in the office.

~Coach Mike

More Fun in the Summer Sun!

2009-07-25T05:53:00.000-07:00

Parents and Guardians:
It looks like the weather will finally cool down and dry out for us this week, and not a moment too soon! We are back into the full swing of things and really having a great time this summer. It is hard to believe that on Wednesday at 12 noon we will be half way done with the summer. This summer is just flying by and we still have a ton of fun planned for the remainder of the summer. It seems sad to say that the summer will be half over, but it is pretty hard to believe that just about half of the summer has gone by already.

This week looks like it will be pretty crazy as we will be doing our best to do all of the great things that Scuba Steve planned for us to do this week. I sure hope that we can get through this list of great games, skits and all kinds of activities that he has for us! I think that all of the counselors will be doing their best to get us through the crazy schedule of survivor type games. I can not wait to see how it all unfolds.

Last week we had our first family night of the summer and it was terrific! Everyone that attended had a great time we finished off with the classic rendition of the “Bear Hunt!” If you were unable to attend don’t worry we will have another family night during session 8 on Wednesday, August 19th! For those of you that were not there for our first family night, you missed a great time and the unveiling of our sound system. The sound system was purchased with the camp improvement fee and it has made a huge impact on the summer in the short time that we have had it! I would say that it has definitely improved our dance parties throughout the day.

This week should be a fun one; here is a list of what will be going on around camp:

Rascals:
On Monday the Rascals will enjoying an outrageous game of kickball capture the flag! I am not sure how this will even work, but I am sure that it will be great! Tuesday looks even better with a great game of Survivor Trivia Relay Races. Make sure you study your survivor trivia! Wednesday looks like it will be an all sports type day with pillo-polo baseball and knock out! Thursday will be even better..karaoke! Friday brings the end of the week, popsicles and SURVIVOR SPUD!
Don't forget that you guys will go swimming Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday and will most likely use the Slip & Slide on Thursday so make sure you bring your bathing suits!

Mountaineers:
Monday looks like it will be really fun with some wierd game known as LAST MAN STANDING! On Tuesday be ready for a Survivor Scavenger Hunt. Wednesday looks like it will be great and so does a fantastic game of PREDATOR/PREY! Thursday is a field trip day to the Peabody Museum. Friday is popsicles and some great relay races. Don't forget your bathing suits or lunches!

Wranglers/Pathfinders:
This session we are combining the Wranglers and Pathfinders for an excellent week of fun. You guys will be competing in the same games as the Mountaineers, but you guys will have to see how much better you can do! Good Luck!

Sports:
I don't even know where to begin. You guys are in for so much great fun that I can't even explain it! Be ready, bring a waterbottle (and lunch of course) and bring a great attitude for some of the best sports you can possibly imagine!

I hope that everyone enjoys the week!
Coach Mike

1/3 of the FUN already Done!

2009-07-17T13:41:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's sad but true. A third of our summer fun is officially over...but that means that there is still plenty of great fun and positive changes out there for everyone who hasn't been to camp or who is still enjoying camp at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac!
What great luck we had last week! The weather really turned in our favor and gave us five of the best weather days of the year.
This session is our first family night of the year! That fact and the awesome weather that we have been having truly make it feel like summer and camp! The good times are rolling right along and we have some new things to add to the mix. Our camp improvement has been put to great new use and we have purchased a sound system that we will be using everyday out at camp, and will be using on our family night!
On Wednesday all families are invited to YMCA Camp Quinnipiac for a cook out and some family fun. The camp staff will cook for all of the families and there will also be skits performed by the campers for all of the families. Family night will start right around 6pm and will be over by about 8pm. The camp staff and I are looking forward to seeing you there!

Here are some highlights from what will be going on this week at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac:

MOnDay:
Rascals & Mountaineers will playing a great game of T.V. Tag.
Wranglers will be starting their Talent Show sign-ups & tryouts.
Pathfinders will be participating in some great TV/Movie trivia games.

TuesDAY:
Rascals will be playing one of the greatest games ever...scategories!
Mountaineers will also be trying their hand at scategories!
Wranglers will still be working on that TALENT SHOW!
Pathfinders will be making up their very own TV Show.

Wednesday:
Rascals come prepared, you will be playing "Don't Forget the Camp Q Lyrics!"
Mountaineers will be enjoying the classic game of "Family Fued"
That's right Wranglers will be putting some of the final touches on their Talent Show.
Pathfinders will be playing the ultimate game of questions and answers...Jeopardy!

Thursday:
Rascals will be enjoying a Popcorn & a Movie...in their P.J.'s!!
Mountaineers, Wranglers & Pathfinders will be enjoying a great trip to the Maritime Aquarium!

FRIDAY:
The Price is Right for the Rascals...a classic game of fun, I hope that there will be PLINK-O!
Pat & Vanna will be jealous to miss out on the Mountaineers version of Wheel of Fortune!
Wranglers, the day has come...Talent Show time!
Pathfinders...you've seen the movie, now it's time to play...DODGEBALL!

For those of you who don't know we at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac have a couple of great happenings going on this summer in conjunction with the Cheshire Herald. Every Tuesday at camp is Joke Day and the Cheshire Herald has been judging between the campers jokes and my jokes to see who is funniest. I'm sure that I'll win one of these weeks. Congratulations to J.P & Chase our session 1 winners and Stephanie our session 2 winner. We will know session 3's winner next week. Trust me, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Make sure to vote on session 3's jokes. Here they are:
Brooke & Molly (the wonder twins):
Q: Where do pencils go on vacation"
A: Pencil-vania!

Sean:
Q: Why did the pig want to be an actor?
A: So he could HAM it up!

Ben:
Q: Why are fish so smart?
A: Because they swim in schools!

Here's my jokes:
Q: What stories doe the ship captain's children like to hear?
A: Ferry tales!

Q: What kind of hair do oceans have?
A: Wavy!

Q: What kind of car does Mickey Mouse's wife drive?
A: A MINNIE van!

That's all for know from Camp Q.
Have a great day!
Coach Mike

The Good Times Keep on Rolling!

2009-07-09T07:57:00.001-07:00

We are almost through week two (WORLD RECORD WEEK) and we are having a great time! The weather is a little wierd, but it hasn't slowed us down at all. Our first week went off with out a hitch and everyone at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac hopes that everyone enjoyed a great Fourth of July.

Last week we started a great event with the Cheshire Herald. If you haven't seen it, please check it out. They have posted our jokes of the week from last week and unfortunately I didn't win the funniest Joke but J.P. & Chase did. You can vote on the funniest Jokes. Make sure that you check next week's paper for this week's jokes.

Mike's Jokes:
Q: What button won;t you find in a tailor's shop?
A: A belly button!

Q: How did the farmer fix his jeans?
A: With a cabbage patch!

Q: Why was the broom late?
A: It over Swept!

J.P. & Chase:
Q: Did you hear the joke about the broken pencil?
A: Nevermind, it's pointless!

Abby:
Q: Why didn't the skeleton cross the road?
A: He lost his guts!

Ryan:
Q: What did the sweet potato say to the potato?
A: I yam what I yam!

Next week:
So far next week looks great and it looks like it will be our biggest week of the summer, so far. Next week is one of my personal favorites, Super Hero Week. I can't wait to see what all of the staff have planned for us.

If you havn't checked out our LOST & FOUND please do, it is growing everyday and we want to make sure everyone has everything that they came to camp with!

Check out these pictures of our first two weeks of camp.

Here are J.P. & Chase, our week 1 joke winners!

Here is Ellen our Camper's Choice winner from week 1 of camp!

It's Time for Fun in the Sun!

2009-06-28T06:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome to summer and especially welcome to YMCA Camp Quinnipiac! The summer is here and the memories are getting ready to be had. The staff has finished staff training and are eagerly awaiting campers on Monday morning. Chapman School has been completely transformed to YMCA Camp Quinnipiac. The moon bounces are cleaned and ready, tents are up, first aid supplies are in, arts & crafts supplies are ready to go and all we need now is you!

This week is our theme is INTERNATIONAL WEEK, and we have some great activities planned. Here is a list of some of the highlights for this session from each unit at Camp.

Highlights for the RASCALS ~
Monday - Kangaroo Races
Tuesday - Pot o' Gold Treasure Hunt
Wednesday - Pizza Box Relay Races & Special Guest
Thursday - Running with the Bulls & Special Guest
Friday - Paper Dragons

Get Ready To Rock Out with the Rascals! - Michelle, Ilana, Ryan & Lindsay

Highlights for the Mountaineers ~
Monday - Intro to Camp
Tuesday - Flag Tag
Wednesday - Fiesta & Special Guest
Thursday - Field Trip to "80 Licks"
Friday - Chop Stick Races & USA Puzzle

Mountaineers will be MOUNTAINS of FUN this session! - Courtney & Katie

Highlights for the Wranglers ~
Monday - Design your own Country
Tuesday - Geography Bee
Wednesday - Pot of Gold Scavenger Hunt & Special Guest
Thursday - Field Trip to "80 Licks"
Friday - Giant International Crossword Puzzle

We're gonna wrangle up some fun in Wranglers this session! - Ellen & Nick

Highlights for the Pathfinders ~
Monday - Intro to Camp Q & Ice Breakers
Tuesday - New Country Creations
Wednesday - Culture Shirts & Special Guest
Thursday - Field Trip to "80 Licks"
Friday - International Feast

We'll definitely find the path to fun with the Pathfinders! - Andrew & Lindsey

From the Director~
This week should be great. It looks like we are going to have some very traditional summer weather, there is a chance of thunderstorms every day. You just gotta love that summer weather!
This year there are some big outside concerns that a lot of parents have for this summer concerning the H1N1 Flu Virus. We at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac have taken many precautions to get the summer started in a positive and healthy way. Here is a list from the Connecticut Department of Health for parents to consider when sending their campers to camp.

The MOST important thing is to keep sick people away from healthy people. If your child is sick, you must keep your child home. Staying home when sick stops the spread of the flu and other illnesses and helps the sick person get well. Answer these questions before sending your child to camp:
1. Does your child have a fever (100°F or 37.7°C)? If you don’t have a thermometer, feel your child’s skin with your hand. If it is much warmer than usual your child probably has a fever.
2. Does your child have a sore throat, cough, body aches, vomiting of diarrhea?
If you answered “yes” to both questions above, your child might have the flu. Keep them home from camp for 7 calendar days, or until the symptoms are gone for 24 hours, whichever is longer.
If you answered “yes” to only one of the questions above, keep your child home from camp until symptoms are gone for 24 hours.
If your child comes to camp with the symptoms described in #1 above, or if they develop these symptoms when they get to camp, they will be sent home for 7 calendar days, or until symptoms are gone for 24 hours, whichever is longer.

If you have any questions about the H1N1 virus or precautions that can be taken at camp please make sure you ask!

This week we also have some changes to our schedule. On Wednesday July 1st we will be having a field trip to Norton School (we will have camp activities as usual). Chapman Elementary School and the Cheshire Board of Education will be working on a project that will only take part of the day on July 1st. The project requires that we not be at Chapman. We have mailed home a letter letting parents know and we have additional copies of the letter at camp if you would like more information.

I think that about sums up the first week of camp. I can't wait to get it started! See you guys there!
~Coach Mike

Two Weeks To Summer Fun!

2009-06-15T09:24:00.000-07:00

That's right! There is less than 33 hours, 35 minues and 30 seconds until the summer can officially get started and YMCA Camp Quinnipiac hits the ground running on its way to 14 years of great camp fun.

The staff and I are putting the final touches in place, getting all of the arts & craft supplies ready, making sure that all of the kick-balls are pumped up with air, checking all of the life-jackets, and making sure that the pool water is still wet!

The days and minutes are flying by and before we know it summer will be over. The staff and I will make sure that we get the most we possibly can out of everyday this summer, but the only thing we will need is campers! If you haven't signed up yet don't worry there is still time.

This weekend you can find YMCA Camp Quinnipiac staff at the Kiwanis Club's Bike Safety Week at Cheshire Park from 10am-1pm. This is a great time to get great information on bike safety and of course it will be great fun with YMCA Camp Quinnipiac! By the way, our BIG Moon-Bounce will be there.

Don't forget to fill out our survey!

See you guys soon,
Coach Mike

20 To Go!

2009-06-10T09:50:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it? The summer will officially begin in 20 days when camp starts on Monday, June 29th! Our first week is International Week and the staff are busy planning a lot of fun things for that week. There may even be a Zumba sighting that week. If you went to camp last year you have to remember how much fun that was, especially when we all had nachos afterwards! This summer we have a lot of great activities, some new field trips and we have all of our traditions of course. I also hope that everyone is ready for the first field trip of the summer, and it is a truly International one! Our first field trip will be heading out to 80 Licks Ice Cream for a tour of the ice cream facility and, of course, ICE CREAM!

This Saturday, June 13th from 10am-1pm there will be a camp day at the Cheshire Community YMCA. Everyone and their family is invited to join us for a fun filled time of YMCA Camp Quinnipiac activities. We will have both of our moon-bounces, the Slip & Slide Moon-bounce and the B-I-G Moon-bounce! We will also have some camp crafts going on, there will be plenty of gymp & fingernitting for everyone. And of course there will be some great camp sports like 4-Square going on as well. Moms & Dads don't worry, you can join in on all of the fun as well! There will also be YMCA Camp Quinnipiac staff on hand to answer questions, sing songs and play games. You will also be able to register for any session of camp that day. If you have questions please contact the Cheshire Community YMCA. I know that we can't wait to see you there!

This summer YMCA Camp Quinnipiac and the Cheshire Herald will be teaming up for some really projects. Make sure that you check out the Cheshire Herald every Thursday to see what cool and awsome camp activity will be going on that week. For our 1st session this summer, International Week YMCA Camp Quinnipiac will be judging International Recipies, and may even put together an International Camp Cook-Book!

The camp staff and I can't wait to get the summer started and we really can't wait to see all of you and your smiling faces this summer! If you have any questions about YMCA Camp Quinnipiac, please comtact the Cheshire Community YMCA at (203) 272-3150.

See you at camp!
Coach Mike

66 and Counting!

2009-04-21T10:53:00.000-07:00

That's right, there are just 66 days until the greatest time of the year - camp season! With summer so close there are a lot of projects on our to do lists and a lot of great things that we are planning for.

March started our registration season for camp and a lot of families took advantage of our March Madness early registration incentive and signed up for the entire summer! Talk about really cool and getting ready for the summer. Nothing really says get camp here quicker than families signing up for the entire summer in March.

Now that April Break is over the time will just fly by and before you know it 66 days will have passed in what seemed like 66 seconds and camp will be underway creating lifelong memories every single day for every single camper!

A lot of the staff have already told us that they will be coming back for another great summer and I can't wait to get the summer started. We do have some staff that are moving on from our camp family and we wish them all the best with thier future endeavors. With these members of our camp family moving on to help change lives in other areas and venues we can start adding to our current camp family. If you are interested or know someone that might be interested in joing our camp staff family feel free to apply! Applications can be downloaded at the Southington-Cheshire Community YMCAs website http://www.southington-cheshireymca.org/ymca%20camp%20quinnipiac.html.

With camp so close on the horizion we have had a few special things going on to really promote camp. The last Friday or March and the first Friday of April there were camp days at Highland Elementary School and Norton Elementary School. On Friday, April 24th & Friday, May 1st there will be camp days at Doolittle Elementary School and Chapman Elementary School. The camp days are great fun for all that are there. Pat Rosin from YMCA Camp Sloper and myself show up to the schools during after care, hand out popsicles (because on Fridays at camp it is always popsicle day!) and then everyone gets their chance at one of YMCA Camp Quinnipiacs greatest features...the big moonbounce!

YMCA Camp Quinnipiac's last open house for this season will be on Saturday, May 16th at Chapman Elementary School from 1-3pm. There will be some fun activities, some tours of where things will be at camp and of course that great moonbounce will be there as well! If you have questions about YMCA Camp Quinnipiac or if you have questions in general about camp please e-mail Mike Tedesco at mtedesco@southington-cheshireymca.org.

Enjoy the rest of the school year and the final 66 days before the summer officially gets started!

Coach Mike

YMCA Camp Quinnipiac Changes

2009-03-30T09:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Camp Families,

I hope that everyone is as excited for this upcoming summer as the staff are at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac. Currently we are in the planning process for this summer and have some really great activities, opportunities and overall fun planned for all that attend YMCA Camp Quinnipiac this summer.

Every year when we plan for YMCA Camp Quinnipiac we take into account that there may be a change to our schedule because of school projects. This year we are lucky because there are currently no projects listed for Chapman Elementary School where YMCA Camp Quinnipiac will take place. However, because of our camp schedule and the school schedule we do have a change that will affect some of our camp families. The start to the 2009-2010 school year for Cheshire Public Schools is Monday, August 31, 2009. This poses a problem for YMCA Camp Quinnipiac because our last scheduled day is Friday, August 28, 2009. I have spoken with the Principal at Chapman Elementary School and together we have decided that our last day at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac will be Wednesday, August 26, 2009. This will ensure that YMCA Camp Quinnipiac will be out of the school and that Chapman Elementary School will be able to be cleaned and set up for the 2009-2010 school year.

For families that have already signed up and taken advantage of our March Madness incentive, your session 9 fees have been prorated and your accounts have been credited the difference from the full session cost. If you wish to have that difference refunded, please contact the Cheshire Community YMCA and request that refund. For those families that have put have paid the deposit only for that session, the session fee will be prorated and you will only have to pay the prorated difference.

A detailed schedule of that session will be available in advance of that session. If you have questions contact the Cheshire Community YMCA. Thank you for your understanding. We are looking forward to seeing all of you for a great summer of FUN, FRIENDSHIPS, and MEMORIES!

Registration Begins!

2009-02-26T11:15:00.000-08:00

The winter weather is finally starting to break and that can only mean 1 thing! Camp is just around the corner! Registration for YMCA Camp Quinnipiac will begin on Sunday, March 1st at 9am at the Cheshire Community YMCA. For the entire month of March, if you register for a session of camp and pay for it in full, you will receive at5% discount on that session.

The staff and I are currently getting ready for a great summer and are planning out activities and projects for the themes this summer. We are all very excited about the theme for Session 6. The theme that week is Scuba's Survivor. I can't wait to see what our very own Scuba Steve has in store for us that week. If you are like the rest of the staff and myself you are probably wondering where he comes up with all of those great ideas!

If you have questions about the summer or have questions about registration please contact me at the Cheshire Community YMCA at (203) 272-3150 or mtedesco@southington-cheshireymca.org. You can also stop into any of our Open Houses. Below is the list of our Open Houses including their dates, times and locations.

YMCA Camp Quinnipiac Open Houses:

Monday, March 9th from 6-7pm at the Cheshire Community YMCA
Thursday, April 2nd from 6-7pm at the Cheshire Community YMCA
Satuday, May 17th from 6-7pm at Chapman Elementary School

I hope that everyone enjoys the spring weather and is getting ready for just like all of us at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac.

~Coach Mike

Camp is Just Around the Corner

2009-02-10T11:28:00.000-08:00

Dear YMCA Camp Quinnipiac Families,

Happy New Year! We hope that 2009 is a year filled with health and happiness for you and your family. We are looking forward to another great year at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac and we have some big news for this upcoming summer of fun.

As an incentive to register for the YMCA Camp Quinnipiac experience we have adjusted our promotion that was advertised in the Cheshire Community YMCA Winter brochure. We have increased our promotional period to include the entire month of March. During the month of March if you register for a session(s) of camp and pay for it in full you will receive a 5% discount on that session(s). Registration will resume at a non-discounted rate starting on Wednesday, April 1st. As in the past any session, once it is registered for, will be able to be transferred until Thursday, April 30th.

Our YMCA recognizes that our families may endure tough times during this economic crisis and may have to make some difficult decisions. In the hope of making it a bit easier for you to continue to make the choice to give your child the YMCA Camp Quinnipiac experience, we have not increased prices this year. Also keep in mind that financial aid is available for families living in Cheshire.

The Southington-Cheshire Community YMCAs have been tirelessly working to upgrade their website to be more user friendly and to be more state-of-the-art. Please check out the website at http://www.southington-cheshireymca.org/. YMCA Camp Quinnipiac’s brochure and forms for the 2009 summer can be found there.

Have a great day!

Coach Mike

Thanks for a Great Summer!

2008-08-27T08:16:00.000-07:00

Dear Parents & Guardians,

Thanks to everyone who made this summer a great one! The camp staff and I had one of our best summers ever even though there were a lot of new challenges and obstacles on our end. We really found our grove at Chapman Elementary School and we are very greatful to our host this summer for letting us do what we do on a daily basis and really let the magic happen for all of our campers.

I know that it is hard to believe but in less than 41 weeks almost 300 days we will be starting this whole thing up again! I would like to wish all of the campers a great school year and we look forward to seeing you throughout the year and next summer! One of the many things that we will be working on for next year is how we can make the day camp expericence at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac better for everyone involved. If you can help us out by taking a few minutes to fill out the attached survey we would greatly appreciate it.

YMCA Camp Quinnipiac survey:

www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=q9wcguPVMerNKo1gsotzMQ_3d_3d

Thanks from all of the staff,

Mike Tedesco

Camp Director

Color Games Brings End to Summer of FUN!

2008-08-15T14:15:00.001-07:00

Parents and Guardians:
It is hard to believe, but we really did it! We made it through another summer of great fun and great memories! All summer long we have been battling the weather with tons of fun and great activities which are all coming to an end.
This summer has been one of our best and the magic of number 12 could really be felt everyday. The weather looks like it will start a little wet this week, but it should dry out and be great for the majority of our last session.
This session is our COLOR GAMES session and should be a lot of fun for everyone. This past session we had a great Family Night filled with funny, silly and all around great skits and songs, yes we even heard the famous “Bear Hunt Song!” I would like to thank Chartwells who donated all of the great food for the evening and all of the staff in LIME GREEN who volunteered their time to cook for all of the families. If you have any lost and found please claim it by Thursday of Session 9 or it will be donated to good will.

~Daily Happenings~

Monday: The first day of Color Games and the last session of camp! Make sure to make some great memories this week as school is just around the corner.

Tuesday: Joke Day! This will be your last opportunity to see if you are funnier than Camp Director Mike! I have tried hard all summer and will really try to make everyone laugh this Tuesday, hopefully I won't get booed off the stage like usual.

Wednesday: There will be some great Color Games activities, challenges and fun all day for all othe groups to participate in!

Thursday: Field Trip Day!

The Rascals will be visited by the Southington Police Department and their K-9 Unit.

The Moutnaineers will be enjoying a great day at Hidden Valley Mini-Golf.

The Wranglers will be enjoing a great day at Laser Storm in Southington.

The Pathfinders will enjoy shooting hoops at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA.

Friday: Last Day of Camp & Popsicle Day!

I hope you enjoyed the summer and look forward to hearing from you soon!

~Coach Mike

8th week of Summer Rolls Right In!

2008-08-08T14:02:00.001-07:00

Parents and Guardians:
Hopefully the weather will be warming up from what seemed like a record low on Friday of our Super-Hero Session. I am sure that the weather will dry out and we should see some really great days during our 8th week as well as a bunch fun at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac.
This week is our International Session, which is one of our best sessions! Last week during Super-Hero Session we had a great dress up day all around and some great songs, skits and super-heros of our own. Make sure that on Wednesday we are all dressed up for a great dress up day, the dress as your favorite Country or Nationality Dress Up Day.
I would also like to tell everyone that on Wednesday, August 13 YMCA Camp Quinnipiac will host its second Family Night of the summer. Our first family night was a great success and we are looking to duplicate and surpass the fun of that evening! Family Night is open to anyone that has been at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac this summer and will start at 6pm. There will be cook-out food for all that attend. All family night goers will be able to see songs and skits from their campers starting around 7pm and finishing up at 8pm. It should be a great time for all who attend.

~Daily Highlights~

Monday: 1st day of International Week

Rascals will play a great game of Stop There.

Mountaineers will be desigining World Flags.

Wranglers & Pathfinders will be having relay races & obstacle courses.

Sports Camp will play some futbol and knockout!

Tuesday: Joke Day at L.O.G.S., try to beat Camp Director Mike

Rascals will make Chinese Lanterns.

Mountaineers will have some Chopstick relay races.

Wranglers & Pathfinders will have an around the world scavenger hunt.

Sports will play kickball & pillow polo.

Wednesday: Dress up day, dress like your favorite nationallity or country! It's Family Night!

Rascals will be making paper plate maracas.

Mountaineers will be having a fiesta.

Wranglers & Pathfinders will kickball & have some international trivia.

Sports will play wiffle ball and have some relay races.

Thursday: Field Trip Day!

Rascals will ba having a movie day, bring your pj's!

Mountaineers will be going to the Maritime Aquarium.

Wranglers & Pathfinders will be going to the Only Game in Town!

Sports will be goint to the Maritime Awuarium.

Friday: International Popsicle Day

Rascals will make hanging Japanese fish.

Mountaineers will be having an around the world scavenger hunt.

Wranglers & Pathfinders will be desiging world flags.

Sports will be playing some international dodgeball.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask me. My office will be the portable trailer just in front of Chapman School. Kelly and I will be more than happy to answer any questions that you might have! My number at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac is (203) 271-1982. If you have any questions please see either Kelly or myself in the office.
Have a Great Day!

~Coach Mike

Session 7 - Super Heros

2008-08-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

Parents and Guardians:
Hopefully the weather will be cooling down from what seemed like record highs during our World Record session. Even if the weather stays hot, we will have plenty of fun at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac.
This week is our Super-Hero session, which is my personal favorite! Last week during World Record session we had a great dress up day all around and some great songs, skits and world records of our own. Make sure that on Wednesday we are all dressed up for the best dress up day yet… the best Super-Hero, best Villan or best Super-Hero is disguise!
I would also like to give everyone a heads up that next Wednesday, August 13th YMCA Camp Quinnipiac will host its second Family Night of the summer. Even though the first one was washed out we are ready for the second one! Family Night is open to anyone that has been at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac this summer at will start at 6pm. It should be a great time for all who attend. Also, the week after camp is over the Cheshire Community YMCA will be hosting a great “Family Luau” at the Cheshire Town Pool. If you are interested please contact Monica Cresta at the Cheshire Community YMCA at (203) 272-3150 or mcresta@southington-cheshireymca.org. We hope to see you there!

~Special Daily Highlights~

Monday: First Day of Session 7
Rascals - Super Hero Banners & Swimming
Mountaineers - Super Hero Pictionary & Swimming
Wranglers - Swimming
Craft & Sports - Lots of Crafts & Sports as well as swimming
Pathfinders - Swimming
Weather - 84° & Mostly Sunny

Tuesday: Joke Day, Try to beat Coach Mike
Rascals - Super Hero Masks
Mountaineers - Designing a Super Hero
Wranglers - Super Hero Tag
Craft & Sports - Craft Camp will be making a Pinata
Pathfinders - Swimming
Weather - 84° Mostly Cloudy

Wednesday: Dress-Up Day (Favorite Super Hero or Villan)
Rascals - Super Hero Shields
Mountaineers - T.V. Tag
Wranglers - Swimming
Craft & Sports - Sports will be bowling in camp
Pathfinders - Enjoying the moonbounce
Weather - 87° Scattered Thunderstorms

Thursday: Field Trip Day
Rascals - Hanging out at YMCA Camp Q
Mountaineers - The Peabody Museum
Wranglers - Ultimate Sports & Training
Craft & Sports - Craft is going to Ultimate Sports & Training & Sports is going to The Peabody Museum
Pathfinders - Enjoying Lake Compounce
Weather - 86° Partly Cloudy

Friday: International Popsicle Day
Rascals - Super Hero Tag
Moutnaineers - Super Hero Battle
Wranglers - Swimming
Craft & Sports - Swimming
Pathfinders - Swimming
Weather - 85° Parlty Cloudy

Have a great week!
~Coach Mike

Session 6 - World Record Week

2008-07-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

Parents and Guardians:
It looks like the weather has dried out a little for us, but could possibly get wet again for the upcoming week. Chapman School did finish their project last week and we are officially back to being able to use the entire building in case of inclement weather.
This week is our World Record session, which is always a lot of fun. Last week during All Sports session we had a great dress up day and a spectacular display of sportsmanship, athleticism and fun during our very own Olympics. We are going to keep the good times rolling right into Session 6 while we set some of our very own World Records! Make sure that on Wednesday we are all dressed up for the best dress up day yet… the Biggest Hat, Biggest Shoes & Biggest Shirt dress up day.

Monday: July 28th. Morning Showers (30% chance) & 86°.
1st day of World Record week.

Tuesday: July 29th. Partly Cloudy, Mostly Sunny & 86°.
2nd day of World Record week. Tuesday is also Joke Day. This is your chance to see if you are funnier than Coach Mike, the Camp Director, at L.O.G.S.!

Wednesday: July 30th. Isolated Thunderstorms (30% chance) & 83°.
3rd day of World Record week. Wednesday is our dress up day, wear your biggest clothes, shoes, hats and see if you can set the biggest clothes record!

Thursday: July 31st. Isolated Thunderstorms (30% chance) & 83°.
4th day of Word Record week. Mountaineers & Sports Camp will be going to Ultimate Sports & Training in Wallingford, Wranglers & Craft Camp will be going to the Peabody Museum in New Haven, the Pathfinders will be going to the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA. and the Rascals will be visited by Mystic Aquarium's Tuch-A-Tank.

Friday: August 1st. Isolated Thunderstorms (30% chance) & 83°.
Last day of World Record week. Friday is International Popsicle Day! At the end of the day on Friday we will all enjoy a tasty popsicle as we end our World Record week.

Have a great week! If you have any questions please contact the camp office at (203) 271-1982.
~ Coach Mike

Session 5 - All Sports

2008-07-19T08:03:00.000-07:00

It looks like the weather will finally cool down for us this week, and not a moment too soon! We are back into the full swing of things and really having a great time this summer. It is hard to believe that on Wednesday at 12 noon we will be half way done with the summer. This summer is just flying by and we still have a ton of fun planned for the remainder of the summer.
This week is our All Sports, which is always a lot of fun. Last week during Hollywood Magic Chapman School started one of their summer projects which was an asbestos abatement and it looks like it will finish right on time which will be Tuesday of this week. So, on Wednesday we should have full use of the school again, but in the mean time we will still have access to the extra outdoor bathrooms at camp and the church across the street.
Last week we had our first family night of the summer and it was terrific! Everyone that attended had a great time we finished off with the classic rendition of the “Bear Hunt!” If you were unable to attend don’t worry we will have another family night during session 8 on Wednesday, August 13th!

Here is what is going on this week:
Monday: - First day of Session 5
Rascals, Mountaineers, Wranglers, Sports & Pathfinders will all go swimming and enjoy a great 1st day of camp. The forecast is calling for Scattered Thunderstorms & 84°.

Tuesday: - Joke Day at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac.
Rascals, Mountaineers, Wranglers, Sports & Pathfinders will all go swimming and try their best to tell a funnier joke than the super funny camp director, Coach Mike. The forecast is calling for Scattered Thunderstorms & 85°.

Wednesday: - Dress like your favorite athlete or sports team!
Rascals, Mountaineers, Wranglers, Sports & Pathfinders will all go swimming and will show off their great sports team support all day long! The forecast is calling for Scattered Thunderstorms & 81°. The school's project should be finished and we should be able to use the school from today on!

Thursday: Field Trip Day.
Rascals will stay at camp, and enjoy the entire place! Mountaineers, Sports and Wranglers will be heading to Bushnell Park to enjoy a great day in the state's capital park. Pathfinders will be heading out on their own field trip. There will be more details to follow on this great trip! The forecast is calling for Partly Cloudy & 86°.

Friday: International Popscile Day & the last day of session 5!
Rascals, Mountaineers, Wranglers, Sports & Pathfinders will enjoy a great day of camp & swimming and put the final touches on our All Sports session! And of course at the end of the day we will all enjoy popsicles and the SUPER Q SLURP! The forecast for Friday is calling for Partly Cloudy skies & 85°.

Session 4 - Hollywood Magic

2008-07-12T07:36:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a great week we had last week. The weather really turned in our favor and gave us two of the best weather days of the year. However, looking forward to session 4 and session 5 there will be a project taking place at Chapman Elementary School.
The school, in conjunction with the Cheshire Board of Education, will be carrying out one of their scheduled projects for the summer and will be doing an asbestos abatement in one of the classrooms. What this means for us is that we will not be able to use the building starting on July 16th until July 22nd. The project should only take a couple of days and we should be able to use the school early in the week of session 5. We will be ale to use the refrigerators in the school, however no campers will be allowed in the building. We have talked with church across the street and they will let us use their building in case of inclement weather and we already have extra outdoor bathrooms for all of our campers.
Session 4 also marks our first family night of the year! On Wednesday all families are invited to YMCA Camp Quinnipiac for a cook out and some family fun. The camp staff will cook for all of the families and there will also be skits performed by the campers for all of the families. Family night will start right around 6pm and will be over by about 8pm. The camp staff and I are looking forward to seeing you there!
If you have any questions please feel free to ask me. My office will be the portable trailer just in front of Chapman School. Kelly and I will be more than happy to answer any questions that you might have! My number at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac is (203) 271-1982. If you have any questions please see either Kelly or myself in the office.

Here are the happenings this week:
Monday:
1st day of session 4. All groups will be swimming and enjoying a great day at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac.

Tuesday:
2nd day of session 4. All groups will be swimming and enjoying a great day at camp. It is also Joke Day. You can see if you are funnier than Camp Director Mike. Pathfinders will be going on a mall scavenger and will be back for the end of the day.

Wednesday:
3rd day of session 4. All groups will be swimming and enjoying a great day at camp. Wednesday is aHollywood Dress-Up Day where everyone should dress up like their favorite actor or favorite famous character. Wednesday is also family night and all families are invited to camp at 6pm to enjoy a great night of family style cook-out and some skits from your camers.

Thursday:
4th day of session 4. Mountaineers and Sports Camp will be going to the Imagination Museum in Bristol and Wranglers, Craft Camp and Pathfinders will be going to Hidden Valley Mini-Golf on the Southington/Bristol town lines. All campers will need a lunch that day and all campers will be back for the end of the day at normal dismissal time. Rascals will be staying at camp and will enjoy a full day and the run camp!

Friday:
Last day of session 4. All campers will enjoy swimming and a great last day of session 4. Remember that Firdays are "International Popsicle Days!"

We are really looking forward to a great Hollywood Magic Session! See you there.
~Coach Mike

Session 2 - "Dinosaur Week"

2008-07-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody,
Our first week of camp went great and we had a lot fun and new experiences at our new home. So far most of the kinks have been ironed out and Chapman School is quickly becoming one of the best places that we have had for camp! Here are a few things that will be going on at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac the week of June 30th - July 3rd. Please remember that there will be no camp on Friday, July 4th.

Monday - The first day of camp went great! It was a little hot, but we made the best of it. The Great Swami showed up at camp and told some fortunes by smelling shoes. It was terrific day at L.O.G.S. except for Patrick who had to go on a long walk as predicted by the Great Swami.

Tuesday - As always will be joke day. Make sure that you get your best jokes and try to beat Camp Director Mike in a "Joke Contest." The Pathfinders will be going to 80 Licks in Durham, CT for pizza and Ice Cream. The rest of camp will be enjoying a typical day of swimming and some great activities.
Weather: Partly Cloudy 83°

Wednesday - Wednesday should be a great day, with plenty of dinosaur activities including a dino-dress up day!
Weather: Partly Cloudy 85°

Thursday - Thursday will be a combination of field trip day and International popsicle day. Please remember that Thursday will be the last day of camp for the week, so we will have popsicles on Thursday after the trips. Mountaineers, Wranglers, Sports Camp & Drama Camp will be going to the UCONN Dairy Bar and it should be a tasty trip. The Pathfinders will be heading down to Rocky Neck State Park and will enjoy a day at the beach!
Weather: Partly Cloudy 89°

Next week is Holiday Fun. There is still room in YMCA Camp Quinnipiac so make sure you sign up today! See you next week.

- Mike

YMCA Camp Quinnipiac is Ready to GO!

2008-06-19T06:56:00.001-07:00

Hey moms & dads and campers! The final touches are being put on Camp Q for the upcoming summer of 2008. Eventhough there have been a few small changes to camp already the camp staff and I are really excited to get the summer under way. All of us are really excited about our new home at Chapman Elementary School and are looking forward to some of the same great activities that we have had in the past.
The staff is getting ready for its yearly training session, and will then be ready to let the fun happen at YMCA Camp Quinnipiac starting on Monday! That's right camp starts in just 4 days so make sure that you are ready.
If you have any questions please contact the Cheshire Community YMCA at 272-3150 and they will help answer your questions.
The first week of camp looks like it will be a good one weather wise, check out the forecast below:
Monday:
Jun 23 Scattered T-Storms 83°F

Tuesday:
Jun 24 Isolated T-Storms 85°

Wednesday:
Jun 25 Mostly Sunny 88°

Thursday:
Jun 26 Sunny 84°

Friday:
Jun 28 Partly Cloudy 84°

Welcome to the YMCA Camp Quinnipiac Blog

2008-06-09T06:53:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Camp Q blog. Here you'll find up to date information on our camp day including news, photos, and upcoming events. Be sure to check back here often to see what's new at Camp Q!!