New Tractor!

If you've been at Sealth in the last couple days, you may have noticed our newest addition to our vehicle fleet!  Thanks to a generous gift from the Boeing Employees Community Fund, Camp Sealth has a new Kubota tractor.  It will come in handy for all of our hauling, loading, and backhoeing needs!

Assistant Camp Director Plaid! couldn't wait to take the tractor for a spin.

Bikes, Boats, and Bows & Arrows at Special Family Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend is always exciting here at Sealth!  It's our Special Family Weekend - a time for children with special needs and their families to come hang out at camp.  Over 50 families joined us for a three-day weekend of boating, fishing, touch tanks, archery, pony rides, pony & llama petting, crafts, and adaptive bicycles from OutdoorsForAll led by our awesome Camp Sealth staff and volunteers.

Special Family Weekend was started by a Kent Camp Fire club in 1995 as a WoHeLo advocacy, and we are so proud of how much it has grown.  We are also immensely grateful to the individual and corporate donors, DSHS, and Camp Fire fundraisers who, through subsidies and camperships, make it possible for children of all abilities to experience the magic of Sealth.

It's not too early to start planning for next year!  Special Family Weekend 2013 will be May 25th-27th.  For more information, check out www.campsealth.org/specialfamilyweekend.html.  To be added to the SFW mailing list, contact Carrie at carriek@campfire-usa.org.

Horsin' Around through the Spring and Summer!

The horses at Camp Sealth have been hard at work this spring! Over Special Family Weekend May 26^th-28^th , they met many kids who were able to pet, lead, and ride our calm and furry friends. It also proved to be a big and exciting weekend for the horses as they were introduced to llamas for the very first time.

This past weekend was another big day for the crew as Saturday June 2nd,  was our All-Participant Play Day! Families and friends of our spring participants were able to come out and meet the horses they’ve been hearing so much about. Participants led their siblings and parents on pony rides and then participated in a program where they were able to show off the skills they’ve been honing over their weekends at camp.

At the Sunday workshop, our pasture was packed full of kids who were able to not only take their lessons with their trusty steeds, but create friendship bracelets, learn about equine first-aid, lungeing and more!

Camp Sealth's workshops for the rest of the spring are full at this point, but if you have a horse-crazy person itchin’ to get out to camp, we’re gearing up for our summer camp season and our new batch of horses.

June 14^th our herd will grow by an additional 20 horses in preparation for a summer full of trail rides, gymkhana games, beach rides, horse overnights, new staff and of course, kids! Our summer sessions of horse camp are still open, but filling quickly!

 If interested in summer, please checkout our program at: http://campsealth.org/residentcamp.html

Staff Member of the Month: Summer

Alexa, aka Summer, is our June Staff Member of the Month

What’s your name?
Alexa

Do you have a camp name?
Summer

Where are you from?
I’m from Redmond, Washington

What’s your job at Camp Sealth?
I’m an Environmental Education Specialist.  [Editor's note: Since our interview, Summer has been hired as the 2012 Unit Leader for BBH.  We're excited we get to keep her for an extra 10 weeks!]

What do you do when you’re not at camp?
I like hiking, camping, rafting, snowboarding – I’m a ski and snowboard instructor in winter – and spending time with my friends and family.

Where are you an instructor?
I taught at Snoqualmie Pass the last 4 years.

Did you go to camp as a kid?
I did not!  I was in Girl Scouts as a kid and we went to little sleepaway weekends.  I wish I had gone to camp.

Well, now you’re here!
That’s why I was so excited to start working here; I feel like I missed out on it as a kid.

If you could eat one food for the entirety of the camp season, what would it be?
I really like the berry cobbler Mary makes.  It’s good stuff.  I also like pasta in any form.

If you were an animal, what animal would you be? Why? I really like snow leopards, so I’d be a snow leopard, because…they really like the snow?  They like to be outside and they’re really cute animals...Snow is my favorite.

Why did you choose to work at a summer camp?
I’m very passionate about working with children, allowing them to experience nature, learn new skills, and learn about themselves.  I also wanted to have that camp experience I didn’t get as a kid!

What are you most excited to bring to camp?
Passion for the outdoors and a desire to make a difference.