What Camp Foley Means to Mae

This Thanksgiving, as with every Thanksgiving dating back to 1924, we are thankful for our campers. This year we will put the spotlight on one of our Hall of Fame inductees, as we are incredibly blessed to have alumni just like Mae in our Foley Family. Mae wrote her Bridge Crossing essay during her 5th summer as a camper (2012) and had the opportunity to read it aloud to all of camp while she entered the Hall of Fame in 2017. As a 16 year old,  Mae found her 11 year old writing to be quite comical as she took frequent laugh breaks while sharing what camp means to her with her camp peers.   

What Camp Foley Means To Me

Mae M. 

2012

I love Camp Foley so much! It is awesome and it is the main thing I look forward to doing the summer. It is like fourteen days in paradise.

Camp Foley means friends! Everyone always has so many friends at Camp Foley. I love going back to camp to see so many of my friends that I have not seen in a year. It makes me so excited to go  back to Camp Foley! Also, all of the people and counselors are very, very nice and awesome. They are always smiling and giving great advice to everyone.

Camp Foley means super fun activities! All the activities are so awesome. But my very favorite two of all the many activities are windsurfing and soccer. I was so excited when they added soccer. I like playing with a TON of people. I also love facing my brother and sister in soccer. Windsurfing is also super cool. I get so excited while I am windsurfing.

Camp Foley means overnights! Every year I have slept in the tree houses. It is awesome because we have hot dogs and a treat. We also play a fun game called Mafia and a whole bunch of other games. Along with the tree houses I am also excited about my first year being able to go on a canoe trip. It reminds me of going to the Boundary Waters with my family, except at Camp I will be going with all my friends instead. I think it will be even more fun going with my friends. I am excited to be able to cook our own food and sleep in a tent.

2017

Camp Foley means amazing food! Camp's food is so yummy! Sometimes we even get special treats like ice cream and soda bread. I think canteen was one of the greatest inventions ever. You can eat ice cream, candy, and pop. So Good! It makes my tummy rumble just thinking about it. I love Baker's Square Night. It is pie night. All of the older girls dress up. I love camps pie.

Camp Foley means history. All of the cabins are names after American Indian people or tribes. It is so exciting to figure out which cabin I will be in every year. Camp Foley has been around since 1924. Both my parents were counselors at Camp Foley and my mom started there when she was eight years old. So if it weren't for Camp Foley I would not be here.

Camp Foley means super fun extra crazy things. I love how camp always does funny skits and lip syncs. The opening campfire is always my favorite of all three campfires. The staff is so funny! I also love the banquets. The food is so yummy and it is so fun to dress up in crazy costumes.

Camp Foley means activities, food, overnights, dances, lip syncs, and campfires. But it mostly means friends, and having a very fun time at Camp Foley.

Thank you for letting us share your essay, Mae! If you would like to be featured on the Rattlin' Blog please shoot an email to Jordan. Or if you know someone who would love all of the yummy food just as much as Mae does, Register Today! 

Grateful for YOU

In 2016 we had a lot to be thankful for, from completing our 92 summer serving youth, to welcoming many new campers in to our Foley Family, to having the opportunity to cuddle with Nike and Norm on the daily.

Always at the top of the list is our entire Foley Family. We are infinitely grateful for the incredible campers, staff, and alumni. You are the reason camp has such a feeling of "home."

The Foley Family is spread far and wide across the world, which is a beautiful thing. We enjoy celebrating with you all in spirit and were excited to receive photos from current and past Foleyites. Below are few of those photos!

We look forward to seeing where 2017 takes each of you!

Pippa, a staff member in 1999 and 2000, and her family pose for
a photo near their home in South Africa. Happy Holidays!

Lilly, camper for 10 years, celebrated on the slopes in Colorado.

Former campers and staff Diego, Claudia, Mauricio, and Regina
sent their holiday greetings from Rome. 

Hally, a staff member in 2014 and 2016, celebrated back home in Australia
by putting "another shrimp on the barbie." 

Louise, a current camper, had a frosty time decorating cookies
for Santa with her younger cousin near Minneapolis! 

Peter, a long time camper and staff, celebrated
with his preschool students in the province of Sanmatenga.



Explore CAMP FOLEY and REGISTER your child today. 

Camp in all its Beauty

Sunset over Whitefish Lake 

This fall, Mother nature has blessed us with all of the weather we could possibly wish to experience in northern Minnesota. From temperatures reaching the 60's throughout early November, to a blizzard bringing in nearly 20 inches of snow, we are thankful this Thanksgiving for all the beauty these conditions have provided.

November typically prompts us to head indoors as it brings colder temperatures, with highs reaching in to the 40's. This November we experienced temperatures twenty degrees warmer than usual. This provided an ideal setting to continue spending time outdoors, including many bonfires and enjoying the nightly sunsets over Whitefish Lake!

Director hotdog roast
in early November

Our transition from these warm temps to snowfall happened in a short weeks time. Mother Nature decided she wasn't going to bring on the snow gradually this winter, she was going to start us off in a total whiteout- 18.5 inches of snow fell last Friday. Although this provided for much less than ideal driving conditions, it layered camp in a white bliss. For most of our alumni, campers, and staff who have only seen the wonders of Foley in the summertime, observing camp in these conditions is truly a unique experience.

Jack, a longtime camper and staff, was in awe as he walked passed the Chapel last weekend. Jack said it perfectly, "This is beautiful. Camp is always beautiful, but this is something special. For many years I have seen this place so full of energy and excitement. Seeing it calm, covered in snow, and quiet made me take a step back and really appreciate how secluded and fully immersed in nature we really are."

Director Alli Faricy took full advantage of this snowy opportunity and captured some fascinating shots of Camp Foley in its winter form, enjoy the pictures below.

We encourage you all to #optoutside and find the beauty in everything you encounter this Thanksgiving!                
    

  

         

B is for Breathtaking

Summer camp campers and counselors at Camp Foley come from all over the

Photo by Camper Genevieve S

world (last summer 24 states and 11 foreign countries to be exact), a fact of which we are immensely proud. On the first day of each session, one can hear tales of the bright lights of New York, the beaches of Cancun, and smooth Parisian accents drifting through the air, and it is often wondered how we all ended up on the same piece of land in northern Minnesota.

After a few strokes of a canoe paddle through the Whitefish waves or a night of stargazing on top of the marina, it’s easy to see why Camp Foley is so magnetic. Campers fall asleep to singing loons and wake up to crystal blue skies peeking through the pines. They look out over the summer camp from the top of the climbing wall and wave to the sailboats as they skip over the Minnesota water on wake boards. And on quiet afternoons walking the trails, they can look straight ahead and see nothing but trees.

How much do you love Camp Foley?

Gratitude

grat·i·tude

ˈɡradəˌt(y)o͞od/

noun

noun: gratitude

1. the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

Each day at Camp Foley brings an over-abundance amount of gratitude from the depths of my being.

What am I grateful for?

1.  Campers:  New or old, smiling or tearful, successful or struggling.  Each one growing, showing grit, demonstrating independence, and investigating so much in the camp environment.

2.  Counselors:  The giving, caring, and befriending of all the campers.

3.  Parents:  Their financial, supportive, and encouraging role to their camper as they make camp possible!

4.  Nature:  Chrystal clear waters of Whitefish Lake, gorgeous sunsets, and shining stars. 

During this Thanksgiving weekend, let us all take a moment to thank those, near and far, who have had an impact on our lives and whose friendship and support make it possible for us to do new things and accomplish the goals we have for our lives.

2013 Preview: What You'll Learn at Camp

Lessons nine and ten
are my life. 

As I was perusing the camp-blog world, I stumbled across a blog post that was written with inspiration from a poem by Robert Fulghum, "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindegarten." America's Finest Summer Camps is a blog for four camps on the east coast (apparently they've never heard of Foley, which actually happens to be America's finest camp...). I like their list just fine, but I thought it would be great to create a list specific to what a camper can learn at Foley. So here it is...

-All I Really Need to Know I Learned at Camp Foley!-

1. There is only one way to clear a table. The Tablewaiter way. By following directions, I may be helping to make another person's job easier. 

2. The only way to be on time to Skiing/Wakeboarding is by being early. My actions can directly affect other people's experiences in a positive or negative way. 



Lesson three - I used to be very scared of Paintball, hence
the lifejacket I am wearing under two sweatshirts.

3. A lifejacket isn't necessary at Paintball. It's important to overcome my fears because the risk is definitely worth the reward!  

4. When someone says, "This is a repeat after me song!" there is only one correct way to respond. Enthusiasm and positivity are contagious. It's always important for me to have a good attitude.  

5. Just because I don't know what something means, doesn't mean I can't sing about it. Waddlee-acha? Oh nico nemo, oh golly golly gumbo? The Ricabamboo? Ichdan schpeelan - dukecan schpeelan? And don't even GET me started on Flea Fly's, "Eennie, meenie, decimeenie, oo wall a wall a meenie! Ex a meenie, zoll a meenie, oo wall a wall! A beep billy oh bo, bo bop a deep da, bo bop a deep da shh!" WHAT IS THAT! There is no reason for me to fear the unknown. Familiarizing myself with the unknown is the perfect opportunity to learn something new.

Sand in the bed, frog in the bed.
What's the difference?

6. No matter how hard I try to keep it out... there will always be sand in my bed. Just because I don't see the desired results, doesn't mean I should quit trying! 

7. I have to eat the green beans. There will be times I have to do something I don't want to do simply because it's good for me.

8. Sometimes I'll have to do outside sweep when it's not my day. Things come up and I may have to do things I didn't plan on doing. I gotta roll with the punches.

9. The more ridiculous I look, sing or dance is directly correlated to the amount of fun I'm having. I can be comfortable in my own ridiculous, awesome, one-of-a-kind skin! I don't have to worry about what others think of me. 

10. Make it a great day or not, the choice is mine. I can choose to make the best or worst of any situation. No one can make the decision for me.

This is, in no way, the end-all-be-all list of things you can learn at Foley. These are just ten of the major lessons I got from my experience as a camper and staff member. I definitely think other campers/staff can learn these things at camp, plus so much more! What are would you add to the list? Let us know! 

-Krista Strobel

Foley, Futbol and Friends of the Orphans

What is the number one most important piece of equipment around camp? It's the one thing that gets used every day, rain or shine?  You can't play GaGa, 4-Square, Tennis, Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer, Dodgeball, Bocce Ball, Croquet, Kickball and this year Spiekball and 9-Square without it. The answer: A ball.

Did you know there are literally millions of kids around the world that would cherish a ball with their lives... IF they could afford to own one?  It's no coincidence that Soccer is the world’s sport as it is quite often the easiest thing for kids with little to no worldy possessions to play. Owning a soccer ball allows kids to be imaginative, practice teamwork and problem solve, plus it gives them an outlet for aggression and a hobby to keep them out of trouble. This type of play is what makes camp so great. Often the staff, leadership members and even the campers are making up games, coming up with new uses for equipment and using their imagination to interact. Wouldn't it be great if camp could provide kids across the world with the opportunity to do the same? Well, we are!
We are partnering with an organization a Foley Alum, Gaby Driessen, works for called Friends of the Orphans to donate soccer balls to children that live in orphanages in Latin America and the Caribbean. Through the One World Futbol Project, Foley families can donate a soccer ball directly to Friends of the Orphans. Gaby provided us with a bit of background information on the organization and what these soccer balls will mean to it: 

 READ ENOUGH AND JUST WANT TO DONATE? CLICK HERE!

Friends of the Orphans is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to improving the lives of orphaned, abandoned and disadvantaged children through the support of Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH, Spanish for “Our Little Brothers and Sisters”) network of orphanages in Latin American and the Caribbean.  As the US branch of NPH, Friends of the Orphans raises both awareness and funds for the NPH homes located in nine Latin American and Caribbean countries.  Thanks to the generous support from our US supporters, the 3,800+ children of NPH are able to receive the basic needs that every child deserves – clothing, education, food, and most importantly, a loving family.   The key pillar of the NPH orphanages is that there is no adoption; the idea being that the children can be at ease, knowing that they will always live with their brothers and sisters.  In fact, all the children of NPH refer to each other as brothers and sisters – the children will tell you that they have over 3,000 siblings! Click here to donate a soccer ball to some of these children now.

The NPH El Salvador girls varsity team huddles
before a game in the 2012 NPH Futbol Tournament. 

Today, futbol (soccer) plays a very significant role in Latin American culture.  Similar to how children in the US start playing football and hockey at young ages, children in Latin America grow up learning how to play futbol.  Some of today’s best international soccer players, Messi, Silva, among others, are all from Latin America and learned how to play futbol in Latin America. Friends of the Orphans and NPH encourage its children to learn and play futbol.  Each NPH home has a boys and a girls varsity team and a boys and girls junior varsity team.  

The children practice year around, and ultimately they compete in the annual NPH Futbol Tournament.  In 2012, all the NPH teams met at NPH Nicaragua, where they competed for the 2012 title of best NPH futbol players.  Perhaps it was their home team advantage, or maybe they truly were the greatest players out there this year, but NPH Nicaragua boys and girls teams won the tournament and were named champions. 

Gaby's entire family (including Foley alum mom, Martha Lopez-Tolsa and siblings, Tali and Alex) has been heavily involved with Friends of the Orphans and NPH for over 15 years.  Gaby and Alex had the opportunity to travel to NPH Guatemala last May, where they played futbol with several of the children.  The Driessen family has had the opportunity to see first hand how futbol gives the children of NPH the opportunity to learn the importance of being involved, being active and being a team player. 

Gaby Driessen enjoying an indoor game of futbol
with the youngest children of NPH Guatemala.

Alli and Gaby along with fellow alum Maddi McCrea are heading to the orphanage in Guatemala in April and look forward to delivering some of the soccer balls at that time! Click here to assist Foley, the Driessens and Friends of the Orphans in its mission to better the lives of children throughout the world!

Throwback Thursday – 1997-2002 with Melanie

Melanie, 1997

Melanie Pflug Anderson first came to Camp Foley at age 19 in 1997. She spent six summers at Foley in the late 1990s and early 2000s – three summers with the Ish-Yak girls and three summers as an Assistant Director. Most of her time was spent down at the Swimdock teaching Swimming, but she could also be found at Soccer and Tennis.

We reached out to Melanie to find out what was happening at Camp while she was here and what Camp Foley meant, and continues to mean, to her. 

What were your first few days or weeks like at Camp Foley?

I met two people that I still consider two of my dearest friends, even though we don’t see each other much – Emily Hofstede and KC Williams*. I fell in love with camp almost instantly. There was a lot of hard work, excitement and anticipation about campers coming.
*You may recognize KC Williams West, who now helps out in the summer and her son, Shef, now attends camp!

In the years you worked at Foley, what were the new additions?

The climbing wall went up during my time at camp and the walls in the tennis courts were painted. However, of the things that I can remember, the most significant is the Dining Hall. The [old] Dining Hall was so small and dark and crowded. The re-building of that changed the camp grounds in an incredibly wonderful way!

The old Dining Hall (left) was much smaller than the new Dining Hall (right)

Foley counselors at the first Harry Potter Banquet, 2001

What were some of the Banquet themes you remember?

Mardi Gras, one where they smoked a pig in the middle of camp and Harry Potter. Harry Potter was the best during the time I was there. Alli created the game “Quidditch,” which the campers LOVED. There was root beer for dinner and [Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans]. The teams were really into the whole day and the songs that were created to represent each team were so thought out and GREAT! I mean, it was so exciting and everyone was so into it. That was one of the most fun days that I ever remember at camp.

How did Camp Foley change you as a person?

Camp made me who I am. It gave me leadership skills, confidence in myself and so many skills in working with people. I didn’t experience camp when I was a kid and after my time at camp, I will do whatever it takes to give my kids that experience. It changed me in the best ways imaginable.

If you could give one piece of advice to current Camp Foley campers, what would it be?

Experience as many activities as you can fit into your time [at Camp], even if you aren’t sure that you will like it. Be open to making friends with people that you may not have considered being friends with at school, you will be amazed how much better you life is because of this. Be open-minded and HAVE FUN!

Also: A big Camp Foley Happy Birthday to Melanie whose birthday was on Monday!Everybody... sing it with us!!
Happy Happy Birthday, to every girl and boy...

A Trip Down Memory Lane

What better alumnus to ask to capture their Foley reflections than Peter Kronschnabel! Anyone who has spent time at Camp Foley since the early ‘60’s, has probably run into a Kronschnabel or two. As Peter started chronicling his 45 years of Foley experiences, he realized it couldn’t be summarized into just a few paragraphs. Here is his first submission -watch for more in the future. Sit back, and relax as Peter takes us back in time…

Peter K. (left) pictured with friends during 2010's Alumni Triathlon

Reading the blog brings back memories of being a camper, counselor, marina director and a parent. It's amazing to say the least that after 45 years, I continue to be a member of the Foley family. Camp has created lifelong friendships that continue today for both me and my family. When gathering with camp friends there is always an exaggerated story of how someone did this or that. Even with facebook, internet and blogs the stories continue and amazingly enough still are exaggerated even with photos. As I reflect on my Foley experience you’ll be reading things that may sound strange, harsh or even totally absurd to today’s societal standards. But please remember Foley has evolved as society has changed. Foley was great back “in the day”; it is great now and with the current leadership the future looks very bright for the Foley tradition.

I began my Camp Foley journey years before I was old enough to be a camper when my family would vacation at "Myrwin Manor" which is now known as Alli’s house. Yes, there are some home movies of me playing in the sand on Whitefish as early as 1964. My actual camp experience began at the tender age of 7 in 1967. "The Hill" was for the younger campers and my first cabin was MicMac. Back then "The Hill" consisted of MicMac, Ishtakaba, Yakama and the West Washo. Tekawitha was the heath center/ nuns quarters and Pocahontas/Matoaka was the tripping center and the garage was used as a garage. I think there were about 12-14 boys in MicMac for those two weeks. It was an assortment of characters from all over the Midwest.

Some the things that stand out are:
• Those who could not pass the swim test had to wear a “red ribbon” around their neck. If they passed the swim test while they were at camp, there was a big ceremony. They used a meat cleaver more suitable of butchering a cow to cut the ribbon. Very dramatic.
• Food from the plates was scraped into empty milk cartons and burned.
• For some reason I remember nuns working in the kitchen. 
• We got to take overnights on the Voyager—a house boat. Making popcorn, eating s’mores and sleeping at an island or in a bay was always an adventure. But not as much as an adventure as when we awoke the next day missing our gas hose or gas tank. Yes, the old staff would pull pranks on the new staff and that poor counselor would have to figure out how to get that big house boat back to camp.
• Huge closing campfires with tons of action, extravagant costumes and story lines.
• Singing lots of songs on stormy days in the Dining Hall.
• Lifejackets were not needed on the boats, unless you had a red ribbon. Later that evolved to taking, but not wearing, a life jacket.
• The Checkmate (wooden C scow) was the king of the fleet.
• Big Red was real.
• A bunch of boys running around the cabin in their “tighty whities”; them screaming in panic when the nurse was at the door.
• Vi Schmid’s cousin “Aunt Frannie” was the camp nurse.
• Standing outside the cabin at night gargling salt water—then getting a splash of honey from Frannie.
• The swim dock “H” faced the west.
• Not a day went by that somebody didn’t get a leech on them.
• Two weeks, two sign ups. Only 4 periods in a day. The rest was cabin activities, free swim, canteen or rest period.
• First time I saw colored lights indoors was in Foley Hall. Also known as the Library.

Stay tuned, more to come...

- Mary Stevens, Administrative Assistant.

BEST. CAMP. EVER.

A few months ago, we heard from Claire Benton; a Foley camper from 1987-1992. Claire is currently the Assistant Director at Cornell University’s Engineering Co-op & Career Services Office, working as a Career Counselor. She lives in Ithaca, New York with her husband, Sam Simkin, who is busy finishing up his PhD, and future Foley camper, daughter Lydia, 2 ½. In the process of updating her information with us, she mentioned she couldn’t wait until her daughter is able to attend Camp Foley “as attending Camp Foley is the best thing I’ve ever done!” I thought, who better to feature on our next alumni blog! Here are Claire’s thoughts about the “BEST. CAMP. EVER”:

Claire Benton.

Camp Foley, ra ra ra! Often I am asked what experience has had a big impact and influence in my life. Without hesitation, my answer is always Camp Foley! Honestly, I can’t think of any other experience I have had that has impacted me as much as my years at Foley. I have always felt that there are “camp people” and “non-camp people.” Then one day, when listening to NPR’s “This American Life,” I hear an entire episode decided to this very topic! I understood then that it isn’t just me; lots people out there GET IT! They fully understand what I am talking about. But THEN, there is the whole idea of what makes “MY” camp the “BEST” camp. Where to start!!! What about Foley comes to mind off the top of my head?? Just watch this…

• Amazing friendships that I still have today 
• Friendship campfire and the giving and receiving of the Anchor Award. The year I got it and the year I gave it away especially…and the tears that came along with it 
• The annual talent show 
• Capture the Flag 
• Awards/merit badges 
• Soda bread 
• Cabin time and the bonds made with the people in my cabin 
• Singing songs at meal time, camp fires (filled with joy and tears and various times) and throughout the day…ones I STILL know all the words to 
• Being carried and thrown into the water for my birthday... "Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. We hate to do it but we must, we must!"
• Canteen time (and having a hard time deciding if I should get candy or soda) 
• Mail time and water on my head when my folks would purposely send a large number of letters on the same day 
• Care packages 
• Lake Superior sail trip 
• ALL the amazing activities including my favorites: 
• Sail racing, riflery, windsurfing, archery, tennis and swimming 
• Families! 
• My cool brothers and all my friends’ brothers and sisters who attended. 
• LOVED the generations Chapel time 
• The counselors getting dressed up and dancing around like fools and LOVING it!
• Cute boys and all the juicy conversations that were had late at night in the cabins about them 
• The buddy system 
• Washing up in the lake 
• Canoe trips to who knows where but were they fun 
• The wonderful counselors that were SOO old and wise; who are now friends and aren’t really that much older at all 
• Meeting people from all over the US and the world and being able to visit them when outside of camp
• Learning all about cool new clothing trends…Birkenstocks, GAP, Polo, etc. and shopping with my buddies who lived in Minneapolis since northern WI didn’t have that much to offer 
• Conversations about “soda” vs “pop” 
• Learning “lifelong” skills from an early age: respect, encouragement, perseverance, how to have fun!
• Learning how to live away from home at an early age and learned how to live with others 
• ALL the laughs, energy and cheering that occurred daily 

And the list could go on and on!

One thing that continues to keep me connected to Camp Foley is that the same dedicated people, year after year, continue to make Foley what it is…the BEST CAMP EVER! I love that the next generation is involved as well. I very much enjoy hearing from all my camp friends, seeing what they have become as “adults” and seeing their children grow up. I hope that one day my daughter Lydia will be able to experience Foley and have a similar, most amazing, experience. I can only hope that she will be so lucky. Thanks to everyone at Foley, Foley attenders and mostly to my mother and father who allowed me to have this experience!

- Claire Benton, Alumni

Back in the day...

Alli here, reporting in about reunions and gatherings with campers, staff and alums. This month we have a great example of how camp friendships hover around like that last beam of sunlight when you are trying to sneak in a final ski run before the sun goes down. When I added up the approximate years that this group of people attended, worked or otherwise helped out around camp it equaled more than 85 years! That doesn't even count the years that their kids have attended. Needless to say this is a very dedicated group of friends who we are happy to call part of the Foley Family.


The following all-star Foleyites got together for, as Beth put it, a "super fun afternoon/evening of ice skating, snow shoeing, snowmobiling and a bonfire at the Hughes'."

Future Foleyites (The Kids of all the Alums)

I have bolded the Foley Alums
Mary (Burnett) & Chad Jurgens
Pat & Chrisy (Barnett) Hughes
Brad & Jen Yerhot
Beth (Berger) & Andy Foster
Mollie (Juelich) & Drew Wulff
Nancy (Hughes) & Peter Kotovic Peter and Kym Kronschnabel (technically Kym is now an Alum, too, as she attended the 2010 Triathlon - welcome to the crew, Kym (you are in trouble now)!

Beth continued to say, " It was a lot of fun having our kids enjoying playing together outside on the lake." We hope that this enthusiasm for the outdoors and dedication to each other continues on long enough to see your grand kids play together in much the same way. I know from a personal level that many of these people have enhanced my own Foley experience and I hope all the readers out there take a minute to think about those great Foley campers and staff that created lasting memories and allowed for irreplaceable friendships.

Thanks to Mary Jurgens for the photo and giving us the heads up about the reunion. As always, let me know about your Foley get-togethers and hopefully you will see your name on the next "Rattlin' Blog".


Alli Faricy, 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.

The Unexpected Visitor

I have been at camp Foley for many years, and I often hear amusing camp stories floating around the office, but my quest to bring you blog-worthy tales of happenings from around camp brought me in contact with Kara Sime. Kara spent 3 summers with us (1991, 1992, and 1993) providing fun and guidance to Foley campers, and presently works as the Director of Human Resources for Agropur, a dairy Co-Op. She resides in Roseville, MN with the 2 significant people in her life, Ted and 2 year old daughter Catherine.

Kara recites a story where her duties called for a little more than she bargained for...

It was the summer of 1991 and I was the counselor of 9 year old girls in cabin MicMac. One night during the session we had a hike and overnight planned to the Tipi Village. Although it began to rain on our walk, our spirits weren’t dampened! When we arrived, I had a hard time lighting the fire due to the rain, but eventually managed to get it lit and cooked the hotdogs for the girls. Due to the rain, I allowed the cabin group to eat the hotdogs inside the tipi, and afterwards, I made sure that the girls removed all the leftovers from inside.

During the night, the nine 9 year-old girls were fast asleep in a circle in the tipi with their legs pointing inwards and I was awoken by a strange noise coming from outside the tipi. I was a little spooked by this noise, and my main priority was the safety of my sleeping campers. I laid there stiff and awake while I thought of a plan. I sat up slowly, grabbed my flashlight and for a fraction of a second, flashed it at the opening of the tipi. I was greeted by the unmistakable black and white color scheme of a skunk!

While I didn’t want to wake the kids, more importantly, I didn’t want the skunk to get any closer, or spray near the tipi. In the darkness, I started to lightly tap on the floor of the tipi (which was slightly raised off the ground) in an effort to scare the skunk away. The tapping was followed by ruffling noises from the skunk, so again I tapped a little harder on the tipi floor to try to spook my new “friend”. The second time, my tapping was followed by silence. I sat anxiously for a few seconds before building up the courage to turn on my flashlight to check on the skunk. When I did, the skunk had disappeared! The skunk had not sprayed and the girls were fast asleep - a complete success!

Kara is standing in the back row on the right and is pictured with her MicMac cabin group. As a side note, our tipis have now been replaced by tree houses, so stories like this are thankfully a thing of the past.

- Mary Stevens, Administrative Assistant, Camp Foley.