Halloween 2004

is just around the corner and Tajar has a few friends to go Trick-or-Treating with this year! Lucky, Gracie, and Scout decided to show off their costumes at camp. Lucky is the Tajar's friend, Madam Witch. Hopefully, she won't pin any magic on the Tajar's back this time! Of course, Jim insisted that Gracie be Elvis. She's been singing, "Nothin' but a Hound Dog." Scout is dressed as Dracula and enjoying every minute of being in a costume! This is what happenswhen camp isn't in session and we don't have evening programs to dress up for!

What a great summer! 2004 was Merrie-Woode's 86th summer! Some of the highlights include the productions of Anastasia, Charlotte's Web and Into the Woods; going on rivers; winning the regional camp climbing comp in Asheville; going to Worley's cave; nights spent singing karaoke and at the carnival; boat and swim meets just to name a few. Thanks for all the great memories!

In August 2004, Fritz Orr, III and Doug Ceramon lead a trip of over 20 Merrie-Woode alumnae down the Main Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho. The Class III and IV whitewater were a breeze for the accomplished Merrie-Woode paddlers. The trip was a huge success! Thanks to Fritz for all his hard work. More details and pictures to come.

Merrie-Woode still stands! Although they tried, Hurricanes Frances and Ivan were not able to get the best of Camp. The most damage was done to the road. Thankfully there was no major damage done to any of the buildings. The maintenance crew is staying busy cleaning up the trees and fixing the road. Let's all hope it doesn't happen again. See NEW DROP PROCEDURE
The road washed out completely between the Dunn's house and the Infirmary....		Several of the big trees on the waterfront fell down.
	...and down by the dining hall.		There was a huge slide that just missed Avalon!

May 2004
There's Wits End!
In less than a month, this is what Wits End looks like. The building and maintenance staff continue to impress us with their abilities. This structure went from rock pilars to being "dryed in" in just eight days. The new look and design will be a pleasure for those lucky enough to be staying there. It should be completely finished in just a couple of days and ready for people to move in when camp opens.

May 2004
Early Birds
Camp is "buzzin" early this year. Many of the counselors in Mountaineering, Boating, and Horseback Riding have arrived early to participate in additional instructional and safety clinics. Many have just arrived from school and have passed up an opportunity to rest before camp starts next week. They have shown once again that they are selfless and energetic and eager to make the campers' experience the best one yet. We can't wait to see you next week! Chug-A-Wump.

April 2004
Baby Chicks Return To Camp
Baby Chicks Return To Camp After a long hiatus, chickens will be making a return to the coup this summer. By the time campers arrive this summer, there should be a variety of chickens living in the coup behind the Nature Nook. The chicks arrived on April 19th, only two days after they were hatched. They will live in a nice warm brooder for a couple of months before being allowed to roam in the chicken run. There are roughly a dozen different breeds of common and rare chickens. They are very cute and should be a lot of fun for campers hanging out at the Nature Nook.

April 2004
Where's Wits End?
This is all that is left of the old cabin. The footers have been poured and the rock pillars are being built to get ready for the new and improved Wits End. Campers and counselors living in Wits End this year will be pleasantly surprised by the new "old" look and feel. The old cabin had one of the original large two-sided stone fireplaces. Kim, Glen, and Travis have been able to keep the old fireplace and plan to rebuild the new cabin around it. It will have a large camper section, three bathrooms, a counselor living area and a counselor sitting area in front of the fireplace. The weather has been a challenge, but the maintenance crew still feels they'll have it ready for the summer. (See Wits End rebuilt)

85th Anniversary Alumnae Reunion Notes and images have been added to the alumnae pages following the 85th alumnae reunion held earlier this year.

March 2004
CMW Installs Sand Volleyball Court
Campers and counselors will be pleasantly surprised when they return for the summer of 2004 and find a brand new championship caliber beach volleyball court. It boasts of three feet of ground preparation including proper drainage, drain tile, subsurface gravel, and the latest in non-compacting sand. It should be a blast and really bolster the activities in land sports. The Merrie-Woode maintenance crew worked their magic once again by completing the construction and then finished it off by completing a beautiful rock wall between it and the Arts and Crafts building.

Winter 2003-4 CMW Gets New Security Gates
The next time you visit Camp Merrie-Woode®, you will notice the addition of a beautiful new set of security gates installed on the camp road near the old inn site. Many things led to the decision to install the gates. We felt that given recent world events, an added layer of security would buy a little extra piece of mind.
The remarkable thing about these gates is that they were completely designed and constructed by our own Merrie-Woode maintenance staff. Kim, Travis, and Glen completed all phases of wood milling, rockwork, concrete pouring, welding, and assembly this past fall. The Merrie-Woode logo is prominently displayed in the gate's design. For all you historians, Melville Branch, of Richmond Virginia, created the logo design. Melville's mother was a friend of Dammie Day's, he was a staff member one summer and while he was at camp he created the now well-known CMW logo in the wood shop.
When you are in the area, we invite you to stop in and visit Camp Merrie-Woode®. If you are coming by to visit the camp, office, Fritz, Julie, or the Dunns, you simply press the appropriate button at the gatepost and we can buzz you in. If you come when there isn't someone on the property, you can press the button for Public Safety and they will let you in. You simply need to tell them you are an alumna, your daughter is coming or went to camp here, you are a camper, you are a counselor, or you're staying at High Heaven. Whenever Public Safety is talking to someone who obviously has an association with camp, they are instructed to open the gates.

We offer one of the newest additions to the Camp Merrie-Woode® Web site-preparation of an image suitable for a computer monitor's screen saver or wall paper. You can find out on this link. There are instructions for making the image your screensaver or wall paper too on both MAC or PC platform.