Thanksgiving this Year

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us here at Camp Foley! I thought it might be fun to be grateful this year is almost over. Today in this blog we are going to focus on things we are grateful for when it comes to CAMP FOLEY! Read below to see what the office staff say they are Thankful for...

1. FOOD!

You just can't beat camp food! From spaghetti on the first night, soda bread on sleep in mornings, and great dishes like Mexican Lasagna and Tater Tot Hot Dish. Lets take this moment to be thankful that we can have such great food at camp and that we have access to healthy well made food all the time. 

2. THE LAKE!

Camp wouldn't be camp without the great Whitefish Lake! Can you even imagine Camp Foley without skiing, sailing, or the water mats? Take a second to picture that beautiful body of water in your mind and be thankful it is there. It is pretty frozen right now but will be good as new by the time you get back to camp.

3. THE CABINS!

The cabins are so important to us all here at Camp. They become our home away from home for weeks! Do you remember your bunk beds from years past? That show show much of an impact these cabins made on you throughout the years. Lets be thankful they are here at camp and keep safe and warm while we get to experience Camp Foley. 

4. FRIENDS!

The #1 response to the question "Why do you come back to camp?" is "THE FRIENDS!". You
and I both know that one of the best aspects of
Camp is meeting new people and creating bonds that could last a lifetime. Here is a challenge for you... Take 2 minutes and reach out to a camp friend and wish them a happy Thanksgiving. It could be a camp friend you text everyday or someone you keep meaning to reach too again. Tell them the Ratlin' Blog sent you! 

5. CAMP FOLEY!

Yes I know, this one is pretty obvious. BUT I know we are all thankful for Camp Foley. It gives us all a community that continues to flourish long after summer has ended for the year. Camp goes beyond just activites or programming, and allows us to come out of our shell and experience new things we might never have gotten to otherwise. 

The core staff here at Camp Foley are so thankf ul for each and everyone of you! All of our campers, staff, and alumni make Camp Foley possible and because of you we have the opportunity to bring Camp back in 2021 stronger than ever. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Want to live Longer? Try being Thankful...

It's almost THANKSGIVING! You know what that means? It's time for great food, getting together with family, and of course being thankful. While it is great that people take this time every year to think and talk about what they are thankful for in their lives, did you know that doing this might have actual health benefits??? 

A study summarized by Harvard Medical School shows that people who wrote about things they were grateful for on a weekly basis, actually showed they were more optimistic, happy, exercised more and visited the doctor less. In another study cited by NBC website Today.com, found that gratitude can boost your immune system! The article says researchers at the universities of Utah and Kentucky saw that law students who said they saw themselves as optimistic actually had more disease-fighting cells in their bodies. What this means is feeling gratitude and being thankful  in your life might have the potential to make you healthier!

Need some tips on how to show your thankful to the important people in your life?

• Write a thank you note- You can make yourself happier and nurture your relationship with another person by writing a thank you letter expressing  appreciation for that person's impact on your life. Send it, or better yet, deliver and read it in person if possible. 

• Thank someone mentally- It may help just to think about someone who has done something nice for you, and mentally thank them.

• Meditate- Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on the present moment. Although people often focus on a word or phrase, it is also possible to focus on what you're grateful for

• Count your blessings-  Sometimes it helps to pick a number (such as three to five things) that you will identify each week. Be specific and pick a time every week to sit down and write about your blessings, reflecting on  what you are grateful for.

So make it your mission to show thankfulness once a day. Try reaching out to the important people in your life and telling them how much they have done for you. It might just help you live to 102! Enjoy Turkey Day and remember from all of us here at Camp Foley... We are thankful for YOU!

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! 

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!                
    

  

         

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.