TBT: Parker Remembers Some Camp Dances

One of the favorite nights of camp is the Grand Dance Festival. Campers dress up crazy and make their way to the Wabi for a memorable night of dancing like a fool with friends. As you grow up and out of camp, you'll definitely remember a lot of the dance themes, popular music and spending time with friends in the Wabi (or Basketball Court if you were around for those dances).

This summer will be my tenth at camp. For most of my summers, especially as I got older, one of my favorite nights was the dance. Gettin’ my boogie on to some classic Backstreet Boys hits and rocking out to Bohemian Rhapsody--what could be better? When I look back at my dances as a camper, two moments jump out at me.

Parker with friends at the PJ Dance in 2009.

One of my very first memories of camp is from my first summer in 2003. I was a wee young ten-year-old in Yakama, and first session had been progressing quite nicely. I had made new friends, and I learned how to play Mafia; everything was great. Then, disaster struck. The dance theme was announced: Cabin Colors. Each cabin picked a color and everyone was supposed to deck themselves out from head to toe in said color. My cabin-mates decided that pink was the best choice, and I started freaking out because I didn’t own any pink. Worst case scenarios started flashing through my head: Would my cabin-mates stop liking me because I didn’t match? Would they bar me from the dance if I wasn’t dressed for the theme? Ten year old me couldn’t handle it. I was so distressed about not having any pink that I started crying.  

Everything turned around when, probably about twenty seconds later, some of the girls in my cabin asked if I needed to borrow anything.I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited to don a bright pink rain poncho than I was on that night.  All of my earlier fears were completely unfounded. I really hope that I gave my friends a caring bead at our cabin counsel later, because their offer to share brightened that entire session for me.  

Fast forward to my last year as a camper, 2009 first session. Something about being a CIT, being back out on the basketball court, and being there with a ton of my friends made that night incredibly special. When all the wolves got together at the end of the night to circle up and sing along to Piano Man (because that had magically become a thing the year before), I felt like we were a family. That dance was the cherry on top of a great session, and one of my favorite camp memories.

Parker with staff and campers at the dance in 2012.

As a counselor, the dance is still one of my favorite nights of camp. The Wabi and its new tech is cool as can be; the flashing lights just make me want to break out into a round of Call Me Maybe or Aaron’s Party. All of last summer’s dances were fantastic, and had some particularly brilliant themes (I’m looking at you, Bro-down Throw-down). Even if it’s a little warm, when the music is blasting, I feel the need to dance with anyone and everyone. I will dance at you until you dance with me. Though my dance skills are a bit lacking, I like to think I make up for that with enthusiasm. I’ve got at least four spectacular nights ahead of me this summer-- who’s going to dance with me?  

--Parker Poche

Are you ready to put on your dancing shoes this summer? We hope so because each session you can count on attending an awesome and memorable Grand Dance Festival! 

Molly Challenges You...

Guest blogger and 2013 counselor, Molly McGuire put together a list of thing she wishes she had she'd done as a camper. Molly's list is a great challenge for all of our campers this summer! 

Camp is a pretty spectacular place, and I think we can all agree on that. But what makes camp so amazing? Is it the famous soda bread on Sundays or the sailing on Whitefish Lake? Or is it the nights spent giggling with your cabinmates or hitting a bull’s-eye in Archery? When I think of what makes camp great, I think of all of the friends I made and the experiences I had. 2013 will be my eleventh summer at Foley and my second as a staff member. As I prepare to head up to paradise for the summer, I've been thinking about all of the things I wish I’d done while I was a camper. So here goes...

Check out how fun getting dirty at the Muck Pond looks!

1. Try every activity! It seems silly, but break out of your comfort zone and try something new! Whether it’s you’re tenth year or your first, take a class you've always wanted to take! Try shooting trap, wakeboarding, or finally getting to the top of the climbing wall.
2.   Go on a trip! Talk about stepping out of your comfort zone! Take a three-day trip with your cabin or pack group! Trips create lasting bonds and endless jokes and songs that will last well beyond the trip.
3. Play paintball (and don’t scream like a girl)! Paintball is a blast; don’t let inhibitions get in the way! Something about paintball always intimidated me, but once I tried it, I couldn't believe how fun it was. It is such a rush!
4. Adventure to the Muck Pond! It took me ten years into my Foley career to experience the wonders of the Muck Pond. There is something about it that just screams summer camp. Where else in the world could you do something like that with your best friends?
5. Meet everyone in camp! This one sounds a little cheesy but it’s the truth. I challenge every camper to make a new friend each day. Sometimes we get wrapped up in with cabinmates or friends from last year. This summer, make it a goal to get to know everyone in the camp community.

-Molly McGuire

So there you go campers. How many of those challenges do you think you can accomplish this summer at Foley? Hopefully at least one of them seems doable! 

TBT - Memorable Moments of 2012 (Part 3)

What better day than Valentine's Day to throwback to 2012 and hear what some of our campers LOVED about last summer.

Sofi Guzman (1st & 2nd session): "Camp this year was the best year. I loved Matoaka, my cabin, because of the people, and it was fun that we all stayed for 1st and 2nd session! The best moments I had in camp was going sailing with my friends. There wasn't anything new that I can remember, but I really enjoyed the whole month I was there and all the new experiences I had."


Jens Damgaard (2nd Session): "Well it was another amazing year! I went during a different session so that was really cool to meet a lot of new people. Honestly, the one huge thing that sticks out the most were my awesome cabinmates, and also being reunited with a counselor that I haven't seen in 4-5 summers... It was so crazy to see him again and really cool that he was my cabin counselor. Of course the activities were great, as always. I had a great time shootin' down at the ol' riflery range and blastin' some clays with Aaron at trap. As for banquets, the Roald Dahl theme this year was fun. Definitely the coolest thing of that banquet day was the activity where they turned the entire Wabi into the Chocolate Factory! I thought that was really cool and fun!"

Sam Munkeby (3rd Session): "This probably was my favorite year at Camp so far! The banquet was so funny especially when the counselors came out of the kitchen dancing like Whos! It was fun just being there with my friends; it didn't really matter what we were doing! I liked chilling on Foley Green and pretty much every activity I did, especially DRAMA!! All the food was amazing, and I ate so much because it was the best!"

We hope everyone is excited to get back to camp this summer  to enjoy all of the things the love at camp once again! If you won't be back in 2013, why not share with us what you loved about your years at Camp Foley?