July 27, 2006
July 25th
Forget the camp theme song, there is a new song that has taken over our dinning hall. "Build Me Up Buttercup" is sweeping the camp; they sing it over and over and over!
On a wetter note, swimming lessons for six volunteer juniors took place during their pool time. They are working on strokes, breathing and staying afloat in general!
The evening ended with discussions that both the juniors and teens had with Der Krikor. They discussed interesting topics that kept both groups over their time limit.
July 24th
This week the schedules change and the teens and juniors switch activities. We started the new week with a bang.
In Arts & Crafts, the campers made cards to send home to their parents; so for all you parents out there keep your eyes on the mail! The evening activity was put on by the oldest teens and they did a wonderful job. Hosted by Superman and Superwoman, it was a fun-filled night of improv.
July 24, 2006
July 23rd
This Sunday started, as all do, with the Bararak service. Following brunch, our 12 new arrivals moved in and had time to bond with their new bunk mates!
In order to insure true camp spirit, we had our annual camper-staff games. This year, the theme seems to be Matball. The game was interrupted as our beloved Nurse Julie came to say goodbye and our love for her was much more important than a game.
One of our new culinary volunteers Jeff H. brought a popcorn machine with him and treated every camper to a fresh cup of steaming popcorn.
P.S. Mariah is the best ever!
July 22nd
A wonderfully continental breakfast of cheese and choreg was followed by our first week campers closing ceremony. After the loss of 20 campers, everyone gladly took the hour and a half nap time that was extended towards them.
Because of the rain we stayed inside and made the best of it. We started with a camp wide bingo game that led us into the first ever SVC dance off! After dinner we ended the evening with a movie. The campers were lulled by the screen as they and the staff needed a mellow night off from the usually craziness!
July 21st
Friday is our last full day for our one week campers but fortunately many of them have already asked to stay. The day went smoothly as the water wars continued.
They ended however with the arrival of Archbishop Khajag. He talked with the campers about the pride they should have in their Armenian heritage and its relation to religion.
The day finished with the first dance of Session B, followed by a campfire to end the night on a mellow note.
July 20, 2006
July 19th
Today is supposed to be the end of the heat and humidity wave here at SVC. In order to stay cool the campers played volleyball in the pool. They also made beautiful gold crosses in Arts & Crafts.
Capture the Flag was our evening activity and once again a winning was a lost cause. Each camper simply wants to win so bad that they will do anything. We ended the evening with a campfire where all the campers shared their best jokes!
July 18th
Today, around 125 Armenians celebrated Easter! The campers woke to councilors with bunny faces and cotton tails.
It was also our first day of Session B Olympics, that was started with the passing of the flame and lighting of a torch! All the teams were asked to make a cheer and final pose that was judged by our Greek Gods Hercules, Zeus, Poseidon and Aphrodite.
On a side note, Der Krikor did a Cannon Ball during swimming that had all the juniors cheering his name!
July 19, 2006
July 17th
Our first full day at SVC was a real scorcher. With temperatures of over 100 degrees we did our best to stay cool. Ice pops and ice cream were both a must for everyone and swimming was a huge hit in the heat!
Also, the entire dining hall erupted in applause as the water delivery truck pulled up to the garage during lunch. If we can make warm weather fun, we can't wait to see what the cooler weather will bring with it!
July 17, 2006
July 16th
As the rest of the campers rolled in today, Session B official began. With over
90 campers and not a single bed left, the Ararat Center is overflowing with
Armenian pride. Swimming tests were administered this evening and everyone
passed with flying colors. We also had "Ice Breakers" with blankets, singing, and
animal noises, so that everyone could get to know their fellow campers. With
every piece of housekeeping out of the way tomorrow the campers can get right
into their weekly groove!
July 14, 2006
July 12, 2006
Ararat Center Festival
If you are planning to attend the Ararat Center Festival on July 15, click here for directions and lodging info.
July 11th
This afternoon we played an intense game of Capture the Flag, and the score ended at zero to zero, as neither team was willing to lose.
Our evening activity was Armenian Idol (fashioned after the ever popular TV version American Idol; only ours was much better of course!)We had 11 acts, but only one could be our Session A Armenian
Idol. And our winner was Ani J. from the youngest junior girls with riveting renditions of "When there was me and you" from the movie, High School Musical and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight."
July 11, 2006
July 10th
Week Two!
Because it is the beginning of a new week the schedules for the teens and juniors have been flip-flopped. Those whom had classes in the morning now have them in the afternoon and sports and swimming earlier and visa versa.
We have all been waiting for a specific member of the Saint Vartan Camp staff to arrive and today Maestro finally came. The camp welcomed Maestro with a very loud "la la la". We ended the evening with an activity organized and run by the oldest teens. It was a night of crazy improve acting.
July 9th
We started the day with badarak and a fabulous brunch. Next up was watching the World Cup, where the crowd was split right down the middle, routing for either France or Italy. After watching the game on TV we had two of our own. The first was a tennis match between counselors from the youngest teen girls and oldest teen boys groups. After the girls won the teen boys had to serve the teen girls breakfast. The second game was the Camper-Staff game of Matball(SVC's original game)in which the staff won by a single point. It was intense.
July 10, 2006
July 8th
Today was bitter sweet as we said goodbye to some of our campers but enjoyed the rest of our day. Today started with a farewell ceremony for the six campers that sadly left us at the end of session A1. At the service we announced our campers of the week; from youngest to oldest they were Carrera, Vahe, Taylor, Alec, Brianna, Phillip, Christine and Paul.
After the ceremony we had a cookout with some of the parents. From then on our day was packed with hiking, swimming, playing Pictionary, and watching a movie. We ended the evening under the stars in our first campfire enjoyed by all.
Friday, July 7th
Friday is the day that all campers and staff members wait for impatiently, but, not because of the cool Armenian flags they made in Arts & Crafts. It also wasn't the volleyball games played in our own sand court. Instead, it was the groovy dance the CITs put on for the entire camp. The theme was "Under the Stars," and everybody was there dancing up a storm. We had techno music, pop, and classical Armenian that was played by our own live band made up, on the spot, by the staff.
Thursday, July 6, 2006
Toto, I don’t think we’re at camp anymore. Tonight was the SVC talent show hosted by our own funny man, Haig. There were guest appearances by Dorothy and the Scarecrow of the Wizard of Oz. It was a night of singing, dancing, piano playing and creative skits, by campers and staff. I am also glad to report that we had our first day without rain, which allowed us to give tennis lessons provided by our own Youth Outreach Coordinator, Jennifer Morris.
July 06, 2006
Happy Easter!
Our Saint Vartan Camp theme this summer is Easter and as a group we took time today to celebrate! In arts and crafts the campers dyed hard boiled eggs that they used for a camp wide egg cracking contest during dinner, which was won by the youngest teen girls.
Afterwards, the campers were sent on a scavenger hunt, but were disappointed to find that at the end there was no prize. Instead, our camp director, Fr. Krikor Sabounjian, gave a riveting sermon explaining that Jesus is our treasure at the end of our life hunt.
July 05, 2006
The 4th of July -- Saint Vartan Camp Style
Today started out like every other day this summer; with a chance of rain. We had a teen wide bingo game, where each winner got to choose a staff member to serve them dinner.
In honor of Independence Day we had a parade at the Ararat Center. Each counselor group was given a bag of random red, white, and blue paraphernalia. They were given 30 minutes to take what they were given and anything else they could find to create the best float for our parade. The oldest junior girls won with their witty cheers, but only by a hair, as the teen boys put on quite a show.
Perhaps the most exhilarating event of the day was the first session of Olympics. Right before starting we receive a down pour of rain, which only raised the campers' spirits. After the first relay race was over and the entire camp community was soaked through, we asked the campers if they wanted to go inside but instead they screamed for more. What morale!
July 3
After morning services and breakfast the entire camp started their day off with a raising of both the American and Armenian flags followed by kalesthetics.
In Arts & Crafts large colorful chalk murals were sketched out on the driveway and although the rain came and washed them away they were beautiful in their duration. In sports there was a junior's soccer game for the history books. It was so exciting that all the staff memebers recieved updated scores over their walkie talkies! Praying that God will grant us many more days just like today.
Opening Day
Welcome! Welcome All!
Registration went as smoothly as any staff member, camper or parent could have asked for. We had staff coming from as far as California and campers from both Texas and Florida. It was drizzling at noon but the clouds gave way to sunny skies setting a very welcoming atmosphere.
Many hugs and kisses were exchanged by friends, some who have not seen eachother since camp last summer. We look forward to the weeks ahead and hope that you check out our blog again!
Staff Training
The camp season preparations began way before the campers arrived for session A of St. Vartan Camp.
Staff from all around the Diocese came together on Wednesday, June 28, for four days of intense training and planning. Some of topics covered during their training sessions were evening and rainy day programming, a day in the life of a camper, understanidng who are campers are, Christian counseling and disciplining with love, camper saftey, saftey plans, fun and fellowship and so much more.
Throughout the training the staff and CITs focused on becoming closer to God through morning and evening prayer services and ended their time together with Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning. Their four days together came to an end and they truly felt prepared for the arrival their campers Sunday afternoon.
Photos soon
Because of technical difficulties, we anticipate photos from the 2006 St. Vartan Camp being posted beginning July 6.
The first session of campers have settled into the Ararat Center and have enjoyed the agenda of fun games, classes, and religious services. Though there was rain during the Olympics on Tuesday, campers' spirits were not dampened. The competition continued despite a few raindrops.