2013 Preview: Activity Plus

If you got the March 2013 Newsletter you've already got an idea of what Activity Plus is, but for those of you who don't have any idea what it is - read on!

We're in the business of giving campers what they want. One thing that we've hear for awhile now is that campers want longer activity period to pursue their passions. The problem was: How do we do that without lengthening the activity periods and offering fewer activity periods a day? The answer to that question: Activity Plus! 

Activity Plus will be select activities with extended periods, so campers can work toward awards, advance their skills or just enjoy extra time at an activity they love! Campers can choose to take an Activity Plus during a regular three-day sign up. 

Examples of Activity Plus

• Archery - Small class sizes and extra time means campers can work towards awards and hone their skills! Perhaps there will be more time to shoot the animal dummies or play some Archery games.
• Beginner Ski/Wakeboard - It can hard to get up on skis or a wakeboard for the first time. So don't worry about stage-fright or being intimidated by the more advanced skiers and wakeboarders because this class is for beginners only! 
• Outdoor Cooking - Sure, everyone gets to cook over a fire at the Tree Houses, but in Outdoor Cooking you'll get to learn more elaborate meals or how to bake over a campfire. None of the standard, TFD/Pizza Pie/Hotdog stuff. 
• Paintball - A longer Paintball period means there is more time for campers to play in 3-on-3 Tournaments or play specialty games. 
• Riflery - Campers will have more time to shoot in classes with fewer campers, which means they'll have a better opportunity to perfect their aim and advance in awards. 
• Sailing - This is the perfect activity for campers who don't take Sail Racing but want more time out on Whitefish Lake. A longer period will give campers more time to sail between rigging and de-rigging. 
• Skiing/Wakeboarding/Surfing - This extended class will allow campers to advance in their awards and perhaps try to learn a new trick. Campers will be able to go on longer runs with the extra time!
• Ski the Chain of Lakes - A fun challenge for experienced skiers: How many different lakes can you ski on?
• Surf Only - This Activity Plus is for wakesurf enthusiasts only! Work on your skills and take some chances with this specialized class!

Which Activity Plus are you excited to try out? Do you have any suggestions? Share with us! We'll see you this summer for Activity Plus and so much more!

#CF2013

First Session: 36 Days, Second Session: 50 Days, Third Session: 65 Days, Fourth Session: 79 Days.

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

Local Minnesota Teen Does Good!

Waterskiing at Foley
Summer 2012

Did you know that the most popular water sport at Camp Foley was invented by two teenagers from Minnesota?  That’s right!  In 1922, 18-year old Ralph Samuelson theorized that if it was possible to ski on snow, it should be possible to ski on water too.

Minnesota Water Ski Inventor Ralph Samuelson

Ralph convinced his brother Ben to pull him across Lake Pepin, Minnesota in a power boat with a clothes line.  Ralph started out by trying downhill snow skis, cross-country snow skis, and even wooden planks which he strapped to his ankles with a window sash.  Eventually Ralph learned that by leaning backwards to keep the front tips of the skis above the water, and by making sure Ben kept the boat running fast enough, he could ski across the lake.

Ralph with the seaplane
that pulled him at 80 mph!

Ralph and Ben began custom building skis specifically for the water from wood planks.  They learned that wider skis worked best, and before long they were holding public exhibitions in the summer on Lake Pepin to show off their new skills.  People began coming from to the lake from nearby communities to watch Ralph, who soon learned he could slalom around buoys on water skis too.  By the time Ralph added the first ski jump over a floating ramp to his exhibition, people were traveling to Lake Pepin each summer from miles around to see this fascinating new sport.

By 1937, Ralph was performing water ski exhibitions in Minnesota, Michigan, and Florida.  One of his most famous variations was to have himself pulled with a long rope by an airborne WW1 seaplane at 80mph.  Audiences loved it.  And by doing so Ralph became the world’s first speed skier.

This wild, new Minnesota activity caught on with vacation resorts across the country in the 1950’s, and soon Hollywood was including elaborate water ski “stunts” into their big budget, widescreen, color musicals into their teen beach/surf romantic comedies.

Elvis Presley water skiing in 1955

A water ski exhibition
for a resort in the 50's

Hollywood water ski
movie poster

Camp Foley began teaching water skiing in 1956 and joined the National Waterski Association in 1958.  The activity quickly became a camper-favorite, and we continue to expand and improve our classes, programs, and equipment – adding knee-boarding, barefoot skiing, and in 2004 wakeboarding too.  This year we made another impressive addition to the program with the purchase of a powerful 343-horse power Centurion ski boat.

Camp Foley's powerful new Ski Boat makes learning to ski even easier!

Foley Camper Wakesurfing like a pro!

Here at Foley, waterskiing instruction is open to boys and girls of all ages that have passed their swim test.  Our certified lifeguard waterskiing instructors teach campers all they need to know to learn the basic and expert tips to improve their skills. Campers can earn their Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced and Expert Camp Foley Ski Awards.

If you haven’t tried waterskiing at Foley yet, you should!  With a little help, you could be out there speeding across Whitefish Lake having fun in the sun.

For more info about waterskiing, check out the USA Water Ski Association, this cool History of Water Skiing link, or our Water Skiing at Camp Foley video.

Full of "pep in my step"

Toby G.

I recently had the opportunity to meet 8 year Foley Vet Toby G. Toby and I had no problems getting the conversation going and ended up talking about all sorts of things like drivers licenses in Virginia verses Nebraska etc. Toby first came to camp by hearing about it from a friend of his. “My parents made sure we would be in the same cabin so it was an easy transition to camp.” It took no time at all for Toby to adjust to camp life and making tons of new friends. “I remember all sorts of things about that first summer, I even remember that Mike (Mogard) was my counselor.”

Back home Toby is on the Tennis team, although when he is at camp he rarely spends his time on the tennis court. “I like to try new things at Foley like horseback riding, archery, and wakeboarding that I would never get the chance to do while at home.” Foley has become his home away from home, and it now just feels natural that when summer time comes, you go to Camp Foley!

Toby, wakeboarding (Summer 2011).

This will be Toby’s last year as a camper and he has plans to go on the backpacking trip. “I’ve heard that it is something you should definitely try at least once while at Foley so this is my last chance!” And although this year will mark the end of his era at Foley, Toby is excitied to return to Foley hopefully as a counselor. “I really want to always have Foley in my summers, and I hope to see what camp is like on the other side of the table as a counselor.”

We talked a little more about how soon camp will be starting and his school year ending, and I asked him for a piece of advice that he can give to the new campers starting. “Stay calm, the 1st day is jumping around and hectic, don’t over think anything it’s all easy to get used to.” I cant wait to meet Toby this year as he attends 1st and 2nd session, and maybe even get the chance to go wakeboarding with him a few times!

- Adam Ashley, Assistant Director

Hey who's that guy?

Ryan (right), playing Hockey.

This month I had the chance to meet new to Foley camper, Ryan A. Ryan is from Maryland and has attended summer camps in his area previously, but this year will mark the first for coming to Camp Foley. I asked Ryan how he heard about Foley and his response was, “I found it on the internet.” Ryan has family that lives in Minnesota so he has seen the beautiful landscape before, and that is partly what drew him to begin looking for a camp in Minnesota. Ryan has had to the chance to visit Minnesota with family before, but he is excited for the chance to make this voyage on his own.

Maryland holds activities that he participates in which he is also excited about trying at Foley like sailing. I asked him what things he will try as a Foley First and he is excited for paintball. The competitiveness of paintball seems to be a popular topic with most of the campers that I talk with. We also talked about our new boat and the chance to try water skiing and wakeboarding. We got a little off subject and started talking about wake surfing behind a boat, that was a fun topic for me to venture off on.  Ryan also enjoys playing Hockey, as you can see from the picture above, he looks perfectly at home on the ice. My hope is for Ryan to try his hand at floor hockey during his first stay with us!

I can tell within the brief time I had to meet Ryan that he will be comfortable in the Camp Foley setting and I can’t wait to see how many new friends he will make. It’s exciting for me to know that kids from across the world will be coming to my new home at Camp Foley and I can’t wait for the opportunity to learn something new from each of them!

- Adam Ashley, Assistant Director