Take A Closer Look At The Shop

Hello! For this Rattlin’ Blog, I thought I would take a slight step back in time to a previous building project that has had a great impact on Foley. Back in the winter or 2009-2010, Marie and I had a conversation on how we could move the Maintenance Center, Shop (camper activity), and the Garage to one location. At that time they were spread out on the main side of camp. The Maintenance Center with all the tools was so nicely located in the same building as the bikes; the Garage was a space that housed the bobcat, tractor, and other equipment; and finally the Shop which we were outgrowing. We wanted to create sufficient space , specifically for the activities at camp while separating areas for maintenance.

At that time, across the road was “Stormwood” - a building at one time used for the camp caretaker(s). In the summer of 2009, it was turned into a haunted house as part of a special program. It was the perfect location complete with utility hook-ups. So demo started in May of 2010. Our master plan was to have it completed, up and running with everything moved in so we could use it during our 2010 camping season. Well, let me tell you, that didn’t happen, BUT we did get it ready for the summer of 2011.




Our new building is home to Shop (path leading up to entrance), the Garage and the Maintenance Center.









Our new spacious shop!


















In closing, this was an exciting project from designing the plans, to following through with the construction and finally seeing the completed project. It was like a jigsaw puzzle! Like most of my work here at Foley, the best part was seeing the campers enjoy the new space!
Until next time,

- Christopher Mathiowetz, Director

The Trees Are Our Best Antiques

A few weeks ago, Adam and I took a weekend trip down to Minneapolis to visit some friends. Since moving to Camp Foley in January, this was our first trip out of the area and we were excited to be in a city again with all the bustle and convenience. As we headed home, inching further north, Adam said out of the blue, “It is really good to see the trees again.”

It is amazing how that simple, tiny observation got me to really take a look around, not only in center camp, but in woods across the road and toward the lake to where Father Foley’s fireplace still sits, 80 plus years later. These trees, in all their towering glory, have seen it all.
There are many species of trees around Camp Foley with many of them falling into the coniferous category. Red Pine, White Pine, and Jack Pine are all coniferous trees and can be seen around camp. You can tell this by looking closely at what they are covered in, because a coniferous tree will always have needles, which are a type of leaf! This allows the trees to always look green, even in winter because there are always needles waiting to replace the old ones. That is how they got their name-evergreen!

What got me more about these trees was their enormous size! They seem to hover, watch and protect camp from above. You can get dizzy trying to look up at the tops of them and it makes you wonder just how old they are. And that’s when it dawned on me - they are as old, if not older than Camp Foley. These trees are equally as pristine as the Chapel and as statuesque and mighty as the old fireplace. They have been here since the beginning and have seen Camp Foley become what it is today and admired by thousands of campers over the years.





The first picture ( left) was taken during the 1950's, and the second picture (below) was taken in 2011. The trees surrounding have grown taller, but they're still the same trees!

These tall pine trees are truly a gift to all who visit Camp Foley. So, next time you visit, take a moment to really look at the trees and appreciate the strength and stability that they hold. They truly are a treasured piece of the Camp Foley history.

- Carrie Stageman, Assistant Director

Gaby Carries That Foley Feeling Into Adulthood

The following blog submission is written by Foley alumnus, Gaby Driessen. Gaby is the daughter of, Martha Lopez, who was among the first “class” of female Foley campers back in 1974! As a second generation Foley-ite, Gaby spent 9 summers with us as a camper, and 2 as a counselor. She truly embraced the time she spent at camp. Read on as Gaby reflects on how she has managed to carry that “Foley feeling” into adulthood:


“I am literally obsessed with Camp Foley. If I could be a camper and/or staff for the rest of my life, I would do it, and I would obviously reside in either Pocahontas (so much closet space) or Mingo (because why not?). Last spring when I was faced with that notorious decision of what to do after graduating from college, I knew that I had to choose something that either a) revolved around Foley, or b) I could love as much as Foley. In a super risky move on my part, I opted to not go with option A and attempted to go for the latter. I am almost six months into my first out-of-college-job, and I am realizing that somehow I managed to combine the two.

“My first “real world” job at Friends of the Orphans (www.friendsoftheorphans.org/sponsorship) might as well be a full time Foley job based in Chicago. While there is no Marina, no soda bread, and definitely no large field games (currently picturing myself and Maddi McCrea leading a game of Capture the Flag in Millennium Park…awkward, but awesome), one common factor between Foley and Friends is their respective missions. ‘The mission of Camp Foley is to partner with parents to develop confident, responsible, and respective youth who gain skills and have fun through a quality camp experience in a youth centered community’ (totally still know it by heart, boom). The mission of Friends is similar: ‘Friends of the Orphans is dedicated to improving the lives of orphaned, abandoned and disadvantaged children through the support of the Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH, Spanish for ‘Our Little Brothers and Sisters’) network of orphanages in Latin America and the Caribbean.’ Specifically, Friends help transform lives of NPH children by teaching them the values of unconditional love, shared responsibility, and education. Character traits anyone? I believe that Responsibility and Sharing were purple and red beads, so I think my job’s mission deserves at least 2 beads in the bucket.

“The biggest skill similarity between the two is cultivating relationships. As a counselor, it is extremely important to connect with both campers and fellow staff members. Here at Friends we fundraise, and the best practice for fundraising is cultivating relationships with current donors, new donors, and potential donors. I have noticed that as I learn how to communicate and connect with our donor base at work, I am becoming much better at doing the same within the Foley network. If I can connect myself to someone that I am just meeting through a fellow Foley-ite, boom, they are my new best friend. And I am totally guilty of #FoleyFriendGroupTexting [text messaging camp friends] at least once a day. Sorry, I am so not sorry for filling up your inbox, guys.

“But the most important similarity is how great I feel about my job. While I was a counselor at Foley, I would wake up every single day with a smile on my face (I mean, how can you not when Katie Rehani is the one waking you up in the mornings?). Even on the gloomy days where I was not able to send the kids out to sail, I looked forward to playing one of the plethora of indoor sailing games – who doesn’t like a fun and competitive round of Sailing Jeopardy?! By day 3 of working at Friends, I found that I was waking up with those same feelings of excitement and happiness. Excitement, because at my job every day is different, every day I acquire a new skill, and every day I am excited to go off to work. Happiness, because knowing that my job is helping children have a childhood is probably one of the greatest feelings I have ever felt.

My Foley #fomo [fear of missing out] may never go away, but the fact that I have found myself in a position that allows me to continue helping children have a childhood, but at the same time grow into wonderful and educated individuals, is just plain awesome."

- By Gaby Driessen

Let's Get Physical

The beginning of the new year always has an increase in one’s desire to become more physically fit. I always find that people have the desire to start working out but lack the knowledge to develop an effective plan, which leads to disappointment and ultimately quitting. As I prepare for the planning of this year's Alumni Triathlon and all of the details of housing and food etc., I can't help but think that more people would participate if they had a little help along the way.

The Treadmill: To some that’s a naughty word! People often ask me how long should I be going and how fast. Sure its easy to hop on, press start and run until you can't run anymore. Then you hurt the next day so you take a day or two off, you return reluctantly with that big ugly green button staring you down, as if mocking you saying, “Go ahead, push me and see what happens!”

Well let’s put a plan to paper and make it a success...

Step One: Find your maximum heart rate. To achieve this you will take (220 - your age). Let's just say you are 30 years old, your maximum heart rate would be 190 beats per minute.

Step Two: Fit yourself into one of three areas; beginner, intermediate, and advanced. If you are just starting out or it has been awhile since you exercised, start yourself in the beginner level and work up from there. Next use this guideline to find where you should be working out, those handles on the treadmill will give you a fairy good idea of your current heart rate.

Beginner: Take your maximum heart rate and multiply it by .65 - .75.
Example 190 x .65 = 123 beats per minute.
Beginner = .65-.75 Intermediate = .80-.85 Advanced= .86-.90
Now you have a target to stay at while on that motorized sidewalk!

Step Three: How long do I workout for? This one is a little harder and I will say to listen to what your body is telling you at all times while pushing yourself. To maintain general health you need 30 minutes of raised heart rate 5-7 times a week (i.e. walking the dog) just to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But we’re talking about losing weight and preparing for the Alumni Triathlon! So Improved fitness levels require working out in that 60%-90% max heart rate for 20-60 minutes 3-5 times a week.

Don’t forget to warm up for 5-10 minutes and cool down for the same, and a good stretch before and after with plenty of water. As with any new workout program consult a physician before beginning.

Tell me how you get in shape!

Yours in fitness,
- Adam Ashley, Assistant Director.

A Serious Need For Free Play

“When I was a kid, we played outside with no adult supervision, we didn’t need electronic gadgets to amuse us or coaches to tell us how to have fun”.
I personally remember on many occasions my own mother making statements like this when I was a child. I grew up in the 90’s, and as much as it embarrasses me to admit this now, I was more interested in my Sega Genesis than I ever was in going outdoors and playing with other children. I can now see why my mom would try so hard to convince me that there is a bigger world out there than the world of Sonic the Hedgehog.

Sadly, I think it’s getting worse in today's youth. With so many new technologies and social media websites, many children no longer see a need for interaction and play with others. A recent article printed in The Boston Globe by Carlo Rotella brought light to a serious need for free play. It made me realize two things – firstly, that I wasted a lot of my childhood, and more sadly, secondly, that many other children are doing the same today.

Rotella points out that over the past half century there’s been a steep decline in free play in children due to the increasing dominance of the car, TV and computers, and a retreat from public space and public life. Free play isn’t an "extra" to be squeezed in between lessons, practices, and screen time. Free play - meaning an activity chosen and directed by the participants and undertaken for its own sake (and not, say because an adult will give them some kind of credential for doing it), is what kids are designed to do.

Camp Foley can be a great help to combat this rising issue. It’s just like the ‘block’ that most parents will remember from their childhood – the more kids out there on the block, available to play, the more appealing it becomes to go out and play. There is plenty of time for unstructured interaction and play for your child at Foley, too. Morning Fun and Free Time being two great examples of this – the campers are supervised, but they are not actively engaged in a structured activity at these points. Campers are free to roam around camp and engage in any activity they choose, with whoever they choose, playing whatever games they decide to. This is where a child really learns lessons that no text book or TV program can teach them – it teaches children how to make decisions, solve problems, exercise self control, follow rules, regulate their emotions, get along with others, make friends and develop interests.

- Ricky Searson, Assistant Director

Chris & Kyle Revamp the Wabi

Look at what we’ve done…or, should I say…"Look at WABI DONE!"

During the spring of 2011, I was faced with the reality that Camp was in need of extra space! What with extra activities and increasing numbers of campers around here, something had to be done to expand our capabilities. I was torn between the decision of either revamping an existing space or building a new facility from scratch. After considering my options, I embarked on my most creative project to date... A complete revamp of the Wabi building! Let me start out by saying this was one of my favorite projects I have ever gotten to do. The new Wabi building is now a multi-purpose facility - and the new home for drama, dance, yoga, and the newest addition group fitness. Oh, and I better not forget to mention that it is also the home for end of the session slide shows, and Grand Dance Festivals.

I had the privilege of deciding what would best suit our needs in the building. The building is equipped with your basic home theater system with a little extra kick! We also have two very nice 50" plasma TV’s in there!

I and another camp employee, Kyle, had the opportunity to install the sweet set-up. We had to work fast to get it installed but we did it in time to have the kids enjoy it last summer. A feeling of satisfied achievement washed over me when the kids actually got to see it and use it for the fist time - when the kids took to the big padded floor for the yoga and dance class, and a nice seat to watch the slide shows from. The ultimate best part for me, however was watching the kids walk into the Grand Dance Festival! The lights (yes we have sound activated lights that go with the music) and the music system rocked the kids and they danced the whole time! It is just a great atmosphere.

Until next time…

-Chris Mathiowetz, Director, Camp Foley

The importance of playing with your children

I am totally happy as a parent when I am outside “playing” with my children. A highlight over Christmas vacation was the adventures on frozen Whitefish Lake! We walked, we skated, and we played with the dogs. We laughed and visited with family and friends as we marveled at the beauty of nature. It is in those silly moments that the bonds of family are strengthened.




Kylie sprawled out on the ice with
Nike as if above the water.

The ice was so clear that you could see the Crayfish

moving on the lake bottom.

Skating all over
Whitefish Lake!

The same is true for our campers as they become part of their “camp family” – it is in those moments of gazing at the stars, watching the sunset, or dangling their feet in the water, that they come to value their deep friendships with each other and the beauty of nature! Let’s partner together and “play” with our children!

- Marie Schmid, Executive Director, Camp Foley

4 City Tour

Hi everyone! Once again it is time to check in on all those great Foley reunions happening around the world. This month we are going to focus on the ones that Foley sets up...the beloved Pizza Parties. Whether we have Davannis, Dominoes or Imos the pizza always takes second seat to Marie's famous chocolate chip cookies (a Foley reunion tradition).

It was a GREAT year for pizza parties with over 100 people gathering in Minneapolis/St. Paul (a Foley Record) and some smaller yet equally as fun reunions in Des Moines, St.Louis and Chicago. Campers, staff, parents, friends and alumnus gathered to watch last summer's video and learn about the exciting things coming up this summer!  Every alumni that attended received a "Camp Foley Alumni" coffee mug as a thank you for all the years of support.

I look forward to the mid-winter reunions as a great way to remind myself of all the wonderful people we have in the Foley family and this year did not disappoint. Thanks to all that attended and a special thanks to those that brought new families along, too...you are the reason we are still going strong after 88 years. Hopefully next year we will see many more faces!

If you have had a reunion (big or small) lately be sure to email Alli and you might make the next edition of Reunions on "The Rattlin' Blog"!

Alli Faricy, Director