On Sunday May 6th Waha TV was on location at the 2012 Intercamp Classic! The event featured a male softball tournament, female hand ball tournament and a high school flag football tournament between camps from across Ontario.

We had a chance to catch up with a number of current and former campers and staff to chat about all things Waha!

The summer is quickly approaching so stay tuned to Waha TV and keep the countdown going!

Proceeds from the event will be given to an incredible charity called Kids in Camp, which helps provide subsidies for families in need to send their children to camp in Ontario. The goal of KIC is to enable less fortunate youth to access the camp experience to develop important physical, emotional, and social skills.

WahaTV Exclusive: A special message from the one and only Fremah…

This is what happened…

I was minding my own beeswax while driving in Yorkville to drop off some supplies at my Daddy’s house when a swarm of paparazzi surrounded my car. I realized it wasn’t the sparkly, stunning, star-shaped glasses I was wearing… it wasn’t my “Rainbow’s the New Black” groovy sweater I had on… and it wasn’t even the polkadots on my car that they were in a frenzy about. It was my car’s false eyelashes that I just installed! That was it!!!  I’m going to be “The” supplier of those puppies (or should I say spiders) and become a ZILLIONAIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So the very next day, while supply shopping for my son’s Kangaroo-Jumps Basketball (GO ROCKETS!) B-day Party later that night, I put in an emergency call to the greatest creative mind of all times (and I’m not just sucking up! Remember Gondola Night?) Mr. Brucey Nashman. I said, “Hey Bruce, sorry to bug you on the weekend but I need to come up with a sexy name for car eyelashes cause I am going to market them and become a ZILLIONAIRE!!!”  So he said something like BLINK & DRIVE and I said,  “Needs some tweeking… thanks for the seed… gotta go buy the ingredients for Joey’s basketball-shaped cake because his party is on in less then 2 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”  So yadda yadda yadda (as Seinfeld used to say) a company was born! Things have blown up! In one week…

1) I got incorporated (whatever that means…but who cares … cause I’ve officially been given the name of Madame President by my new groovy Lawyer, Zafir if you can believe!)

2) I figured out my mission in life besides having fun at Camp Wahanowin and Camp Trillium: G-D put lashes on my car for a reason… to “open the eyes” of girlfriends worldwide that Dying from Drinking and Driving sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3) I started the process to register a charity BETA ALPHA LAMBDA to cause a movement of Girlfriends that pledge to not drink and drive!

4) I was asked by Staples to have my grand opening at their store to promote the Special Olympics… which can only be a good thing.  It starts TODAY!

For the rest of the deets come to the party… STAPLES PLAZA at Dufferin and Clark.  (May 5^th 12-6pm,  May 6^th 12-5, and May 13^th 12-5)

P.S. I had no time to edit this blog!!!!!!!!!  Spelling doesn’t count!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The second weekend in May is Mother’s Day so we thought we would celebrate by having our Head Staff Training Weekend at camp. Unit Heads, Head Counsellors, Program Directors, Directors and key Heads of Specialty will all be at camp for an intensive training weekend and to rev up the energy and excitement as the summer approaches. Special programs, the summer schedule, unit schedules, new E.P.s, service themes and plays, theme days and meals, goals for the summer and new ideas will all be covered and planned so we are 100% ready to go on opening day!

Two weeks later on May 21^st, Camp Wahanowin is teaming up with the UJA’s Walk with Israel. I invite you to join us by donating money to our fundraising page http://my.e2rm.com/teamPage.aspx?teamID=277359&langPref=en-CA&Referrer=http%3a%2f%2fwalkwithisrael.com%2f to raise money for Israel and walking with the Wahanowin team. Our goal is to raise $5000 and if we do, the entire camp benefits by having a huge party this summer sponsored by UJA. There are several camps involved with the walk but I would love Wahanowin to be #1 in spirit, number of walkers and fundraising. So, please support us and plan to walk with Wahanowin and Israel on May 21^st!!

There’s quite a bit going on but there’s still more to come. The “Crazy Cabin Reunion” takes place the weekend after the Walk for Israel and we can hardly wait to host this Wahanowin First!! If your cabin qualified, you’ll be spending an incredible day at camp on May 26^th and get a sneak peak at all the new and wonderful additions to camp for 2012. A fun filled day of excitement and activities with your favourite camp friends and staff. Lunch and dinner in the Dining Hall plus the big draw to see which cabin will travel to camp by limousine bus on opening day.

This is all in the month of May. A full summer of activity is taking place before camp even begins. But don’t worry, there’s plenty of energy, spirit and excitement that’s being reserved for the main season and we’re just as eager as you are to get going. Remember, at Wahanowin, we don’t just talk the talk, but we literally Walk the Walk and we hope you will too!!!

I look forward to seeing you at one or more of our upcoming pre-camp events.

Bruce

Hopefully, you’ve had a chance to check out the brand new Virtual Tour on our website. It truly is the next best thing to being at camp. In fact, it will give you a whole new perspective on Wahanowin as you’ll see it like never before. And speaking of a brand new look; The Toronto office has been turned into a beautiful picture gallery featuring the campers and staff of 2011. Last summer we painted the office, in the Fall we added our Logo to the wall when you enter and during the winter we enlarged over 100 pictures and framed them to hang in the office. The pictures are now up and looking spectacular. If you are near the office at anytime over the next few weeks, please drop in and check out yourself or your kids hanging on our office walls.

There’s lots to do over the next few weeks including finalizing the summer schedule, hiring the last few staff, finishing off all the construction at camp, gearing up for the “Crazy Cabin Reunion”, organizing all the Wahanowin Wannabe programs, coordinating all the camper arrival information, finalizing staff training and planning all the incredible programs, theme days and special events to ensure this is indeed the summer to remember.

We’re on it and can hardly wait to see your smiling faces when you return to the sunny shores of Lake Couchiching in just a few short weeks. In the meantime, I wish you all a Happy and Healthy Passover and a successful and positive end to the school year!

Once in a while some videos get left on the cutting room floor, never seeing the light of day. As the countdown to camp has officially entered double digits, we thought it would be appropriate to turn back the clock for just a moment and take a look back to the summer of 2011 and watch one of these videos in a segment called “Dave Walking”.

Enjoy this glimpse at some never before seen footage from Summer 2011, and continue the countdown to Summer 2012!

The WahanoWOW summer of 2012 will certainly be one to remember but we are also looking ahead to a very bright future as we plan for 2013 and beyond. The architectural designs are being finalized for the spectacular new Phyllis Weisfeld Theatre. Construction will begin immediately after this summer and we are planning the grand opening for the beginning of camp 2013. The next major project will honour Harold Nashman and the place he loved the most at camp and where he led so many inspirational sing songs and enjoyed the fabulous camp cuisine. Harold Hall will be the new dining hall and an announcement about the development and construction schedule will be made after the summer. Both buildings will be in a new location at camp and will open the waterfront up for new beaches, boardwalks and landscaping to further enhance the beauty and picturesque shores of Lake Couchiching.

Harold and I discussed these projects and he provided many suggestions and ideas that will be implemented into the final product. Harold also wanted to make the camp experience that he believed in so strongly, available to as many children as possible. To honour his will, vision and legacy, we are establishing The Harold Nashman Legacy Fund. This fund will provide a $1000.00 campership for up to twenty-five campers per summer to be used for any session they attend camp. This fund will be available for our 2013 season and will be offered every year for the next ten summers. Details will be announced during camp this year.

So, as March arrives, we are marching forward toward camp this summer and beyond. The future, to quote Harold, is looking “Fantaberaneous”, and we are all very excited to share it with you and your families!

We wanted to give a big honourable mention to Bryan Kurzman for his amazing photos rocking his Wahanowear. Bryan’s stylish adventures took him on a 300 metre-long suspension bridge over the trees of the Amazon, and to the sea lions of the Galapagos Islands with his siblings, Sean and Jessica.

Thanks so much for sending in your pictures, Bryan! If anyone else wants to share their worldwide Wahanowear photos, send us an email and join the stylish team of proud jet-setters that make up our Wahanowin family!

After 6 summers of celebrating Valentines Day on July 14, celebrating in February with my camp friends was definitely a Wahanowin 1^st for me!   It was great seeing so many Main Camp and BOB campers along with lots of siblings and brand new friends of the Wahanowin Family!   Valentine’s love was everywhere! 

I must say there are two main bonuses to having this party in February… First, unlike in July when every day is basically a party with all of my BFFs, this party was the only one I had going on all month!  I miss everyone so much…I’ll take any excuse to get together!  Second, in July the party store thought I was crazy when I asked where the Valentine section was!!

But I will say Valentine’s Day at camp also has its bonuses. A flagpole to remind everyone of the big day!  24 hours to party as apposed to 2!  (It wouldn’t be that challenging having a 2 hour dance marathon!)  600 or so Valentine hugs!!! No coats and boots to take away from the Valentine’s Day party wear!  And the best part is…We don’t have to go home when it is over!!! Don’t forget to check out the pictures from the Valentine’s Day Party!!!

Dancing, Pizza, Games, Prizes, Snacks, Crafts and More! Wahanowin keeps the fun going all year round! February 12th was no exception. Waha campers, family and friends were all invited to an amazing Valentine’s celebration at Breakout studios in Toronto.

As always, Waha TV was there to capture all of the fun and excitement! If you missed out, take a look at some of the highlights, and get ready for the next “play date” coming soon!!