About 2 weeks after camp

Camp has been over for about 2 weeks and I know so many of you really miss it. I hope that next year, with alot of help, we will be able to have a longer camp. Please keep an eye out for information about fundraising and other opportunities to help us provide a fun and safe typical summer day camp experience for your child!

Monday, June 29

Everyday at camp has been so awesome, I can’t tell you how easy it has been for me. I know some of our counselors have a few challenges with their groups, but they are handling each and every episode gracefully, professionally and efficiently.  Parents, If you get an opportunity, please thank your counselors for the stellar job they are doing this year. I have heard from so many of you about how grateful you are for camp, please let your staff know also.

We were really lucky to have 2 residents fro Developmental Pediatrics at MUSC volunteer today. Thanks to John and Karie for coming and giving us your time.

On Tuesday, tommorrow, we will have the second of our Parent Seminars by Susan Clark, “How to get your child to eat more than chicken nuggets.”  Even if you did not get a chance to sign up, please feel free to attend it, it will be held in the Ladson Library at 9am.

Also, The Therapy Dogs are scheduled to come and visit at 1pm. We LOVE them!

A letter went home today telling you about the last day of camp. We have planned a celebration starting at 11:00 in the cafeteria. We will have music, dancing and GOOD TIMES! Please consider donating some snack/drink items for the party. We hope to be done by 12ish.After that,  The staff will be packing up camp. You will be welcomed to take your camper home at the conclusion of the party. You can leave your camper till the customary completion of the camp day at 3pm, but there will be no specific planned activity.

The Falcons and the Gorillas are scheduled for a trip to the movies tommorow.

Heres to happy campers and counselors

Beth

Sunday, June 28th

Tommorrow starts the last week of camp. Please wear your camp shirts, since a photographer is suppose to visit us.

The Eagles and the Dinosaurs will be going to Splash Zone. If your campers is in one of these groups, be sure to apply sunscreen before you leave the house. Don’t forget your lunch. As a matter of fact, all campers should have sunscreen on, since all go to the pool or have waterplay at camp and it has been sunny and HOT!

On The 30th at 1pm, we will have a visit from our friends the Therapy Dogs. Our campers and counselors always look forward to this event. This will be about the 6th year they have come to Camp Good Times.

The Parent Seminars will be Monday and Tuesday at 9am. These are worthwhile programs for you, our families. The information given is really something that we all need to be aware of. I can not stress enough how important it is to constantly be educated about IEP’s and behavior issues and how to manage them.  Just the networking with other parents going through the same thing as all of us is priceless.

On a personal note, I have had a very difficult year and I am so happy with how flawless and fun camp has been so far. The campers,counselors, Ellen, Miss Vi, the Ladson Elementary School staff and our The Community Education  contact, Angela, have made it all worthwhile and shown me how important this camp is, not only for the children, but to us, their parents.

See you at 8:30 tommorow morning

Here’s to happy campers

Beth

A Day at Camp (part 2)

So once again I’m Taylor, a volenteer in the oldest group. For me camp is over My last 2 days were great! On Wensday we went to the pool and had a cook-out. Dang can these guys eat! WE also participated in normal camp activities like art. We all made bead necklaces. We also hung out in the gym for a while. My last day we went to the movies to see Transformers 2, then went to Cici’s pizza. This is another great day. I’m gonna miss camp so much!

6 Days down, 4 to go, Friday, Very Early

It’s Friday morning, 6am and I am ready to go to camp, oops! no camp today, so why am I up?? I am really excited about camp this year. The campers really are having fun, even when there is an unexpected change in our schedule. There was a bit of confusion about the buses on Thursady. The movie bus did not come to take the Falcons and Gorillas to the movies, but they got to see movies at camp anyway. Plus, they got an Ice Cream sundae party afterwards! It still amazes me when kids who are not suppose to be able to handle changes do it so effortlessly. I owe a great deal of thanks to the counselors, Ellen and Beth Swain for really pitching in and making a success out of something that could have been difficult.

I have been speaking to a parent who really needs some support from others like her who have a child with autism.She seems to feel that she is out there alone dealing with the challenges that come with a child who is diagnosed with autism. While I do have some experience with my son, she needs more than me. I am sure that there are more parents who have kids who are at camp who need to vent and get new ideas on how to deal all the behaviors and how to deal with the public. I did direct her to the yahoo groups, Charleston autism moms, but I did not have the exact way for her to get with that group, so could someone post that info. Thanks.

 The best way I have found to learn about my child and not be a complete raving lunatic(I said not completly raving !) was having good friends who have a child like mine…thanks Betsy and Micheal.

We will be having 2 Parent Seminars. One on Monday, June 29 and the other on Tuesday, June 30. Both will be at 9am and in the Ladson ES Library. A couple of parents have signed up, but don’t worry about signing up. The topics are great.

Mondays will be “A crash course on IEPs and how to advocate for your child.  Wow, I wish I was better at IEP meetings. I feel so intimidated by all those test scores and percentages, do they mean anything for my son and how he acts at school?

Tuesday’s seminar will be “how to get you child to eat more than chicken nuggets” I thought this was genius. So many of our campers have such a limited diet. It is so much easier to take the path of least resistance sometimes and let our children eat what they want, instead of what they need for good nutrition.

On Monday, The Dinosaurs and the Eagles will be going to Splash Zone. I can’t wait! I love it there.

I hope you all have a safe and happy weekend and seeyou at 8:30 Monday morning

Beth

Pics?

Your 2009 Camp Good Times Staff

Day 4

Today was lots of fun.Some went to the pool and some of the groups went to the movies to see Star Wars:Clone Wars. And of course we had SNO_CONES…thanks Nurse Vi!

Sonya and Shannon from Carolina Childrens Charity came to camp today and helped our campers make Valentines Day Cards for the Charleston Firefighters. Betsy, the art counselor, showed our campers how to make beautiful cards, that the firefighters will always cherish.

Ellen brought the cookies to the groups and all the campers got to decorate cookies and the best part was that all the campers got to eat them! Although no one made one for me   ( not that I need to eat any more cookies!)

Tommorrow, Wednesday, the Bears and the Cobras are going to Splash Island. Ellen and Cecile, the music/ dance counselor, get to go with them.  If you have a camper in one of those groups, make sure to put sun screen on them, since the sun is really hot and can burn easily.

I’ll be holding down the fort and having a special activity for the Falcons and the Gorillas. The Water Slide will be up and running , so see you all in the morning!

Heres to Happy Campers

Beth

A Day at Camp

Hey! I’m Beth Weiner’s neice, Taylor. I’m 15 and have been coming to Camp Good Times for 2 years as a volenteer. Going to Camp Good Times has been a complete different expeirence from anything else I have done.

This year I have been put with the Hornets, the oldest group at camp. The Hornets travel alot, almost everyday. The first day we all went bowling and to Cici’s Pizza. This has so far been my favorite day at camp, and probably the easiest. The second day we went to Whirling Waters. The whole day was pretty much asking the kids, what do you want to do next? but because they are pretty well independent we didn’t have to hold their hand the whole time. Just be with them. The third day was a pretty simple day. The first 2 plans failed out so after swimming in the morning we hung out in the classroom. Today we went to the Serpentarium in Edisto. It was…ok. It was really hot out so and the campers lost their focus on the animals pretty quick.

Over-all its been lots of fun, and I know the campers love it.

Monday, June 22 Day three!

Camp today was awesome. The Gorillas and the Falcons went to Whirlin Waters and we had a blast! The weather couldn’t have been more perfect and the campers did a great job playing and having fun. Meanwhile back at camp, Ellen made cookies with everyone.

Tommorrow will be Valentines Day in June! Our friends from Carolina Childrens Charity will be at camp and help us make Valentines Day Cards for the Charleston area firefighters. Our campers will also decorate cookies and get to EAT them! Please have your camper wear red or pink.

The Cobras, Dinosaurs and Eagles will be going to the movies to see “Horton Hears a who.” We love going to the movies!

Heres to happy campers

Hugs and kisses

Beth