Tales of Creativity and Play: A Ted Talk for All of Us

Tales of Creativity and Play

Raise your hand if you believe playfulness helps drive you towards more creative solutions and ultimately more happiness in your everyday life? Our hands are raised high! We love play, and it has a place in as much of our lives as we allow for it. Here are three takeaways that excited us from this Ted Talk:

1.  Having a sense of trust and friendship is what allows us to feel secure in taking creative risks - something we should all be doing and what we strive for at Camp. 
2. Learning is a by-product of play (learning by doing), you don't need a formal workshop to be creative - use what you have around you to think with your hands!
3. Act out flaws in whatever you may be working on. Role-playing can be a great tool for understanding rules of social interaction. Think about "playing house" or "playing store." You are trying out this identity and living through experience to learn what works and what doesn't when it happens in life.

Playful exploration, playful building and role-play are great ways to learn and gain new insight!

In the Ted Talk below, Tim Brown discusses and expounds on creativity and play in schools, in the workplace, at home, etc. Prepare to be inspired to become more playful!  

Ted Talk: Tim Brown Tales of Creativity and Play

What Does Camp Foley Mean to Eric?

For those of you that have reached your fifth summer and are still putting off your "What Does Camp Foley Mean to Me?" essay, read how guest blogger and 2013 counselor, Eric Wilson, answered the question before he embarked on his third summer. Maybe it will help give you some inspiration to write it 

What Does Camp Mean to Me? 

Eric with cabin Mandan in 2011.

I figured this would be a good question for the basis of a blog post about Camp Foley. I came to camp after my first year of college. I only knew one person and I had never been to Minnesota before. To be honest I was scared to death. I thought that I wouldn't fit in and I'd be stuck in this foreign land all summer long. Fortunately that didn't turn out to be the case. Everyone at Camp Foley immediately welcomed me with open arms and minds. I found that for the first time in my life I was truly being myself 100% of the time. That's the magic of Camp Foley; people accept you for who you are. It was such a liberating experience and allowed me to forge some of the closest bonds that I ever have. Camp Foley has given me some amazing friendships. 

Eric with cabin Mandan in 2012.

After my first summer of fun I didn't think I'd be able to come back to Foley. I told myself that I needed to get a "real" job (whatever that means). Fortunately that real job didn't work out and I was able to come back to Foley, the best job of all. My second summer was just as incredible as the first, but in so many new ways. 

Now heading into my third summer I can't wait to see what fun things I have ahead of me. 

--Eric Wilson. 

TBT: Mary Claire and Spidey Sacajawea

Counselors Katie and Mary Claire
with CIT Maddie L (center).

For this Throwback Thursday, guest blogger and 2013 counselor, Mary Claire, recalls some of the weirdness that happens at camp and how fun it can be! We can't wait for all of the counselors to start planning cabin themes and special events for summer 2013. Who knows what kind of crazy shenanigans they'll have the campers doing in 2013!

When I think back on my time as a counselor at camp, I think of being creative, quirky, and weird! That's what is so magical about camp to me: you can be the person you want to be without fear or reservations. I think this is perfectly demonstrated by the themed cabin activities we do at Foley. 

Everyday Sacajawea

Every session, the cabin theme changes and along with it, a cabin event. Regardless of the age group, each cabin has some kind of themed evening. One that sticks out to me happened this past summer during 3rd session.  

Our cabin theme was Spidey Sacajawea. On any other day, the girls in the cabin looked like normal, Coyote girls but on that night, everyone looked like a little bit silly and a lot red! That evening we had a spider web made out of rope that everyone had to make it through, Spider-Man style (that means no touching the rope!) We walked like spiders all the way to the short climbing wall and climbed across it sideways. Then at the end, we made some pretty tasty cookies with chocolate frosting that looked like webs. And during all of this, we had a BLAST. 

Spidey Sacajawea.

Just like most things at camp, cabin activities are what you make them. If the girls had had bad attitudes or didn't want to do the cabin activity, it could have been a mediocre evening. But instead, they decided to make the most out of it by dressing up, taking funny pictures, and being unafraid to be a little weird and have a lot of fun. 

-Mary Claire Costello

What kinds of fun activities are you looking forward to this summer? Before you come to camp, be sure to visit the Meet the Staff page on the website. Find out which counselors (like Mary Claire and her 2012 Spidey co-counselor Katie McGuire) are returning in 2013, and to learn more about the first-time counselors.

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

Throwback Thursday: 2004

Did you know that Camp Foley tuns 90 in 2014? We're already starting to plan Foley's 90th birthday so it can be as big a success as its 80th birthday back in 2004. For this edition of Throwback Thursday, we are revisiting the summer of 2004.

80th Anniversary Special Events

The Great Umgawa Festival: This festival was a popular tradition in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Campers would compete in swimming, sailing and canoeing competitions. The 2004 version of the Great Umgawa Festival included greased watermelon games, tug-of-war, canoe fills, a one-mile swim across the lake and a ski show. 

Taylor Hines playing guitar
at Foley Follies.

Foley Follies: In 1967, it was written about Foley Follies that, "The acts, always varied and refreshing, included skits, singing and even poetry readings." In 2004, the Foley community gathered to be entertained by the talents of our camp at Foley Follies.
Outdoor Movie: Movie night was a long standing tradition at Foley. Starting in the 50s, a 16mm projector was set up on Saturdays in Foley Hall for campers to watch movies. In the 80s and 90s Coyote campers would gather around a TV/VCR on the cement floor of the Wabi as Wolf campers gathered in Foley Hall. The Wolves movie night was a double feature with an intermission of pizza! After the construction of the new Dining Hall, movie night turned into cabin sleepovers in the loft. For the 80th anniversary, a new twist to movie night emerged. Campers and counselors found themselves bringing sleeping bags and pillows out to Foley Green for an outdoor theater under the stars, complete with popcorn!
Boxing: Believe it or not, 2004 also saw the return of the popular 50s and 60s activity, Boxing... with a twist! A ring was set up on Foley Green, and the new Foley Fun Center, and campers wore oversized gloves to duke it out. It was quite the memorable experience. Campers also enjoyed cotton candy and played "Pillow Knockoff." 

80th Anniversary Boxing Night (left to right): Pillow Knockoff,
Oversize Boxing, cotton candy.

 

    New Additions in 2004

Foley Fun Center: The Foley Fun Center was built for summer 2004. It included the Human Foosball court, badminton courts and giant tetherball. It was also in 2004 that the large 40x80-foot athletic court, complete with roof, was built. 

Foley Fun Center during its first summer:
Human Foosball (left) and Giant Tetherball (right).

 

2004 By the Numbers

• 82 watermelons consumed (or used for greased watermelon games)
• 98 total watercrafts at camp (22 canoes, 20 playaks, 18 paddleboards, 16 sailboats, 12 windsurfing rigs, 4 rescue boats, 2 paddleboats, 2 ski boats, 1 pontoon and 1 Spectrum fishing boat)
• 160 16x24-inch pans of Soda Bread eaten
• 171 gallons of ice cream enjoyed f
• 377 sweatshirts sold at Canteen 
• 390 Camp Foley Nalgene water bottles sold at Canteen
• 810 pounds of peanut butter consumed 
• 1,032 large family-size bags of potato chips eaten
• 1,639 gallons of gas used at the Marina to fuel boats
• 2,556 gallons of milk drunk
• 40,000 rounds of .22 caliber ammo shot at the Rifle Range
• 312,000 feet of toilet paper used     

Were you here in 2004 to partake in the 80th anniversary fun? Do you want any of these events to take place during the 90th anniversary summer? Let us know!
  

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...

Quick check up with Shane

Shane F.

We are busy preparing all of the details for Camp Foley to be ready in time for summer, and I had the chance to have a few questions answered by 2nd year camper Shane F. from Edina Minnesota. Looking back on Shane’s first year at Foley I can see that he was a “busy camper,” no pun intended! Shane left 2011 with 8 awards and also went on a 3 day canoe trip! 

I asked him what he remembers about his first day at camp. “It was very welcoming, but I was a little confused at first. The camp counselors explained everything and took care of me and put me at ease.” His favorite activities were shooting rifles, his three day canoe trip, and fishing.

How has camp changed you as a person? “It has made me more independent and confident.” And lastly I always ask for some advice to give to a first time camper. “Don’t be afraid to try new things, even if you have never done them before.”

This returning year Shane will be accompanied by his sister, so he must have been talking all about it when he left Foley…

- Adam Ashley, Assistant Director.