Week 1 - Daily Hye Life - Tuesday

Hello Hye Camp families and friends,

Today was a full and active day for our campers and staff.  Some of our early birds decided to wake up at the crack of dawn and go fishing.  Our other campers woke up at 7 a.m. and all headed down for chapel.  After breakfast, campers headed to their morning classes which included Armenian dance, music, history and bible study. 

Following lunch and some rest, a fun filled and wet afternoon commenced with Vartavar games.  Campers cheered one another on as they competed to see whether their team would be the first to finish a tray of watermelon.  It was an impressive sight.  Next up, the teams competed in a water balloon relay.  Our campers had a great time following the relay successfully soaking the girls’ and boys’ deans with water balloons.  The Vartavar games wrapped up with a canoe race and swimming. 

The day wasn’t over yet though!  A cool evening hike through the forest followed chapel and dinner.   Upon reaching a majestic scenic vista, where campers gathered together and gazed down upon the San Joaquin Valley, Der Sarkis graced us with an evening devotional stressing the importance of gratitude.  After hiking back down, the evening concluded with stargazing on the basketball court and a fantastic lesson on our solar system.

To the next 50!

Week 1 - Daily Hye Life - Monday

Hello again!

Today was the first full day of camp and we had a blast!  The campers woke up bright and early at 7:00am.  Morning classes included a nature walk, Armenian history, ice breakers, and Bible study where Der Sarkis spoke to us about the peer pressure we face every day in our lives. 

After lunch, the campers had some free time to hang out with friends and get ready for afternoon activities.  The campers participated in volleyball, arts & crafts, basketball, archery, canoeing, swimming, and field activities.  It was a warm day today but the campers used their Hye Camp water bottles to stay hydrated! 

Everyone got ready for chapel where our Primate, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, shared with the campers how special they are to him and the Diocese, as well as the significance of the camp program.   He stressed the importance of becoming closer to God and how Hye Camp is a beautiful vehicle to help achieve that. 

We kicked off our evening activities with our camp picture, which the campers will bring home with them at the end of the week.  This is a Hye Camp tradition, one we all cherish each year and enjoy looking back on to recall fond memories and lasting friendships. 

Campfire was the perfect end to this day.  We enjoyed skits from the campers and staff and sung songs including Boom Chicka Boom, The Moose Song, and the Hye Camp original ballad, And Now We Are Friends.  As we write this, the campers are in their bunks recollecting on the fun they had today and making plans for tomorrow, just as many of you did at their age. 

To the next 50!

 

Week 1 - Daily Hye Life - Sunday

Hi Parents, Friends and Camp Family!

The first day of Camp 2014 is officially complete! All campers and staff arrived safely and have been having a great time settling into their cabins.  We have a lot of fun things planned for this week and we hope you enjoy your glimpse into a week at Hye Camp.

The campers arrived this afternoon and were greeted by their counselors who had come up with creative cabin themes.  After getting to know one another, everyone headed to the arbor for orientation.  Director Mike Hollis introduced the campers to everyone on staff and we reviewed the rules of camp for the week.  Some of the activities we can look forward to are campfires, sports tournaments, Talent Show, Blast from the Past Dance, and Arts & Crafts.

Tonight, everyone headed to the Mess Hall for the ice cream social where we made our own sundaes.  Then we all made our way to the Lion’s Den for campfire.  Each cabin performed a cabin cheer and a few of them participated in brownbag skits.

At 10:00pm the festivities ended and it was lights out for campers and staff.  The sky is filled with stars and our hearts, excitement, as we rest up for first full day of Week 1, tomorrow.   As most of you know, this year marks the 50th anniversary of Hye Camp.   We are all excited to be here this week as we celebrate our past and make future memories. 

To the next 50!