Thursday, May 3, 2012

"Day of Camp" at Stony Brook University Hospital

On Saturday, April 28th, 2012 we had an amazing day with 11 potential new families at Stony Brook University Hospital.  Our LiT/CiT Team were incredible! This motivated team, lead by Jamie Pacheco, Kelly DiNoia, Leah del Percio and Alyson Childers, helped to make sure these new families got the FULL CAMP ADVENTURE treatment.  Great job everybody!!

LiT/CiT’s facilitated activities, handed out prizes and made sure that our special “campers” had a lot of fun. While the kids were having a great time, Dave & Melissa met in another room and talked about camp with the parents… with a little help from some of our own veteran camper families.

We hope to see some new faces at camp this year!

Special thanks to Rosemary Mahon, member of our camp medical team and staff at the SBUH pediatric oncology unit, along with Jackie Wands, Senior Director of Patient and Family Services at ACS for making this possible!

Next Activity Meeting is Wednesday 6-20-12

Our next Activities Meeting is scheduled for this Wednesday 6-20-12. We are finalizing a lot of our projects.


It's getting closer and closer to camp. I can't believe it. I hope that you are all filled with ideas on how to make all our dreams happen this year.


I wanted to give you an update on how we are managing with our activities. I think we are in great shape.

When we started dreaming our estimated costs for the activities during the week would have a retail value of about $25,000... and I asked you to do it, for $0. That's a BIG leap! We are not there yet, but getting closer!

I know you have already seen the schedule of events. Here's where we are at with our small, medium and big ticket items.

Candy - to create candyland/Hershey Park we are asking volunteers and friends to donate candy and looking for donations at stores.- This is already happening. Many people have committed to donating these goodies.

S'Mores - Believe it or not, the four campfires at camp could equal about $800 worth of s'mores!! Once this hit the pipeline our volunteers said they would have this covered. CHECK!

At waterfront for an optional activity, looks like we have a bouncer that new volunteer Kim Bjorklund is willing to lend us. This will be a nice addition, at no cost!! Thank you Kim :)

We have three events that require a DJ, we already have TWO covered without cost and working on one more. we have leads, it's not uncommon for us to pay for some travel for these types of things. - Dave has a DJ that will be working our Disney Ball and Jill spoke with Rudy about coming out for beach day.

We have one event that needs a band with sound equipment, we have a great lead on getting this for free - again, we may need possibly pay for travel- This is Kathleen Lao's Brother's Band.

Splish Splash day - Amazing! we have a quote for about $1400 worth of water slides and other cool stuff for only $250 bucks! this is a great deal not only that... I just got a check to have it payed for AWESOME!! Thanks Rob. 

Pizza for beach day/splish splash day will cost about $1500- That's a pretty low price for the Pizza!! Maybe we will also get some sponsors.

The catering for Disney Ball/ Banquet - a big tradition to have this catered meal... we got an amazing quote of only $9 per person for lots of bells and whistles, including a pasta station and paper goods. Thanks for getting this great quote Nicole!

The dance Dance Revolution - we are still in negotiations, but they have worked with us in the past and always been quite reasonable. (Dave in negotiations)

The Carnival is our big ticket! we are looking for underwriters for this event. Still looking to get bids at this point. (Marissa and Mike Pulgrano were looking intro this. It's our BIG Ticket item! We hope to have sponsors for this. It will likely cost around $2500) 

Yearbook - We are moving ahead with a soft cover yearbook and Jill is in the process of getting these details for us.

Other Items we need to start working on and need prices.
TShirts - Thanks to Kim Bjorklund's husband Eric we have an awesome logo to work with.
Sweatshirts
Knapsacks
Water bottles


Activity Meeting Minutes from 4/25/12
Present: Kim Bjorklund, Robert Baldeo, Jennifer Pulgrano, Mike Pulgrano, Nicole Sanchez, Marissa Sinclair, Ron Mcgratten, Karen Kraemer-Singh, Sue Rubin, Joanne Noonan
ACS Staff: Melissa Firmes, Jill Thorsen,



Next Meeting Scheduled for Wednesday 5/16/12  at 6:00 pm. (NEW MEMBERS STILL WELCOME. No more new members after this meeting).

Schedule of events and assignments:

8/11 Saturday
3:00 pm Camper Arrival
        SURPRISE!
       (see Nicole Sanchez for examples of signs).  – A-TEAM

5:30pm Fire drill
            Horn Blows and all of Camp report to Dining Hall

6:00 pm Dinner

7:30 Bonfire – NEEDS POINT PERSON
            


8/12 Sunday
Day-Time Activities  - Regular Schedule
Point People: Kim, Joanne & Sue Rubin
Evening Activity: Hershey Park* Labor Intensive
We need at least two levels of activities one for the younger and one for older kids.
This activity will start at 7:30 pm and go till 9:00 for little kids and till 10 pm for older kids.
Music should not be overlooked at this event.
Evening’s Brainstorm:


8/13 Monday
Point People
Mike Pulgrano & Marissa Sinclair
Great Adventure Safari (a.k.a. Carnival)
Day Time Activity (Regular AM Day and No PM Activities)
Starts After Lunch 1:00 pm – 5:00 Dinner Time

Evening Activity
7:00 – 10:00 pm
RELAY for LIFE – Use the ACS Relay Team
Dessert Under the Tent
Music / DJ
Luminary Bags
Track is set up next to the Tent
Bonfire



8/14 Tuesday
Point People
Rob Baldeo
Field Day / Beach Day
No regular day time activities
Sleep in!
8:00 Wake Up
8:45 – 9:30 Breakfast
9:30 – 9:45 Flagpole
10:00 – 12:00 FIELD DAY
12:00 – 12:30 Clean-up
12:30 – 1:30 LUNCH
1:30 – 1:45 REST
2:00 – 5:00 SPLISH SPLASH at BEACH DAY
5:00 – 6:30 DINNER/ PIZZA at Beach Day
6:30 – 7:15 Freshen-up
7:30 – 7:45 Counselor switch / Counselor’s Night Off – Meet under the tent
8:00 – 10:00 SURPRISE  with the Baby Sitters & LIT/CIT
11:00 Lights out all camp



8/15
Point People
Marissa Sinclair/Dave
Regular day time activity schedule
Evening Activity Starts at 7:00 pm
FRIGHT FEST at Hollywood Studios & DDR



8/16 Thursday
Point People
Nicole Sanchez / Kim Bjorklund
Disney Never Never Land Ball
Regular day time activities – Less period 6
4:00 – 5:15 Disney Never Never Land Ball Prep
5:30 – 8:30 Disney Never Never Land Ball / Catered Dinner
8:30 – 9:00 SURPRISES
9:00 – 10:30 Bonfire & Graduation Ceremonies for Senior Camp
10:30 – 11:00 

Friday 8/17
Pack up
Breakfast
Closing Circle  at Bonfire area & T-Shirt Signing Ceremony
Say goodbye to campers
All Camp Pack up!


Typical Regular Day Schedule
7:00 Wake Up
7:45 – 8:30 Breakfast
8:30 – 8:45 Flagpole
9:00 – 9:45 Period 1
10:00 – 10:45 Period 2
11:00 – 11:45 Period 3
12:00 – 1:00 LUNCH
1:00 – 1:45 REST
2:00 – 2:45 Period 4
3:00 – 3:45 Period 5
4:00 – 4:45 Period 6
5:00 – 6:45 DINNER
7:00 – 10:00 Evening Activity
11:00 LIGHTS OUT


To Be Discussed at the next meeting possible NEW day time activity:
Camp Spirit
Held at Chapel Area
Time to share with kids what camp is all about
Allow for kids to sign memory books
Live music – Kathleen to Lead activities, use guitar
“Mindful” Activities with Counseling Team Staff
            Filling jars with rocks/sand – drawing on rocks/writing on rocks
Opportunity to talk about feelings, how things are going
Use this time for team building and dealing with any camper/cabin issues head on
Staff it well enough to allow for kids that don’t feel like “talking” to hang out and do other things.
NOT THERAPY – but maybe therapeutic.

Possible Leaders
Pam Toy
Ronda Brooks
Kathleen Lao – Music