Well, haul out the holly and deck the halls – the Christmas season has officially arrived at Camp Merrie-Woode! December 6, 2011
Big news! The Merrie-Woode Stock Shop is now taking orders online! Your favorite Merrie-Woode items are available. Visit the new online Stock Shop to find CMW apparel, CDs, water bottles, coffee mugs, jewelry, and much more.
This year the dogs really went all out and included props to go with their theme. Colorful balloons attached to a wooden doll house really set the stage for the dogs' Halloween extravaganza! Now that the work day is finally over, Grace, Max, and Irma can't wait to get out of camp for some serious trick-or-treating. Surely in these outfits they will score plenty of treats! Happy Halloween from all of us at Camp! P.S. Ever wonder what it takes to get three dogs in costume for Halloween? Check out this video we posted on our You Tube channel...
October 26, 2011
The new camper lists for the 2012 summer are now posted! Be sure to check out all your old camp friends and cabin mates that will be returning this coming summer. Summer will be here again before you know it!
September 1, 2011 Maddie Marion is sticking around camp this off-season! She has started an internship working in the main office, helping Merrie-Woode prepare for the summer of 2012. Many of you know Maddie in camp as a long time Riding Staff member. Maddie started her counselor summers in 2008 and has been at camp every summer since. This past summer Maddie took on the role of Merrie-Woode's Riding Director and was a huge asset to camp's riding program. She is a recent graduate of Hollins University, where she earned a degree in Sociology with a concentration in Social Work and Social Policy. We are thrilled to have Maddie on staff with us as her role at camp expands.
August 23, 2011 The Healing Force, one of camp’s favorite visiting artists, has a new cell phone ringtone available
on their website! Download the “Funga” ringtone here: http://www.thehealingforceonline.com/
June 3, 2011 June 2, 2011 The Camp Merrie-Woode© Spring 2011 Newsletter is now available to view here on the Web site. (in .pdf format). Please let us know if an alternate format is needed. Remember you can find Camp Merrie-Woode on Facebook and Twitter too! May 29, 2011 May 28, 2011 May 24, 2011 May 23, 2011 May 19, 2011 May 17, 2011 April 13, 2011 We are thrilled to announce that this year's June Session play will be The Legend of Sleepy Hollow . The classic tale, by Washington Irving, will spring to life on the Castle stage this summer. Sleepy Hollow, a quiet little village in the Hudson River Valley, has a new schoolmaster – the somewhat bumbling and nervous Ichabod Crane who claims to never believe in ghosts. As All Hallows Eve approaches, he learns that the village is known to be haunted by the legendary Headless Horseman, the frightening specter of a Revolutionary War soldier who lost his head in battle. It is said that when the full moon appears the Horseman rides the high road in search of revenge. When Ichabod tries to win the hand of the lovely Katrina van Tassel, he makes an enemy of her former suitor, the brawny Brom Bones. Brom vows to settle the score and, on Halloween Night with a full moon above him, Ichabod finds himself in for the ride of his life! Who does Ichabod find on the road that night? Is the legend of the Headless Horseman just a superstitious myth or is it time for Ichabod to start believing in ghost stories? April 7, 2011
So here it comes…this is the big announcement of the year! Merrie-Woode is going “Unplugged”! The technology explosion of the past decade has placed many of the fundamental foundations of summer camp directly under attack. When Dammie Day established Merrie-Woode in 1919, she created a place where reflection and self discovery were valued and young women could revel in the beauty and divine spirit surrounding them, both in the landscape and in their fellow camp comrades. Dammie could have never imagined campers coming from a world where the need for speed, constant connection to technology, and instant gratification threatened the deep connections made at camp. We have watched as van rides on camp trips have shifted from an atmosphere of sharing…laughing, writing trip songs, and reliving the excitement of the adventure…to more of an isolating experience…everyone with ear buds in, listening to their own music, not talking. Nights in the cabin used to center around writing a letter by flashlight to the folks at home, dreaming up the next evening program skit, or simply listening to the crickets and the bullfrogs. Now a camper can watch a music video or play an electronic game on her iPod. As technology rapidly continues to advance, we know this problem will only get worse as the summers progress. Many of our campers, counselors, and alumnae tell us the best part of their camper years is and was the absence of electronics. It helped them meet new friends, reconnect with old friends, and allowed them to be truly engaged in the camp community. And so we feel that the time has come to take steps to preserve this community we all cherish. The presence of technology in camp has made it increasingly difficult for our campers to truly experience and appreciate the “back to basics” nature of summer camp. We want our campers to enjoy nature, friends, and activities while at camp. We don’t want camp to be a place where texting, playing electronic games, watching video clips, and spending time with ear buds in our ears drown out the experience of camp. With the advent of playing video games, watching movies, and connecting to the internet on various hybrid devices, it has become harder to regulate what is an acceptable electronic device and what isn’t. For these reasons, we have decided to become an “Unplugged” camp. We feel that this move will set us apart and make this “Place of Rarest Beauty” even more special. Campers will no longer be allowed to bring electronic items to camp. This includes, but is not limited to the following: cell phones/smart phones, iPods/MP3 players, laptops, electronic games, DVD players, electronic readers, and cameras with internet-uploading capability. The biggest drawback people may see with this plan is that iPods are where music is found in this day and age. Gone are the days of The Parent Trap where Haley Mills listened to records with her sister. Record players are no longer found in cabins and neither are cassette players, or even CD players. The music libraries of campers and counselors exist solely on iPods. Music is a big part of camp. Campers and counselors enjoy listening to music while in their cabins and during activities. We also use music for many of our evening programs. In an effort to accommodate the need for music, we are purchasing iPod Nanos and speaker docks for use in the cabins and throughout camp. iPod Nanos have the capability of playing music, but not videos or games. These will be pre-loaded with a wide variety of music based on suggestions made by campers and counselors. In doing so, music will once again become a shared experience in camp instead of an isolating one. Tradition is something that is fiercely protected around here at Merrie-Woode. Just whisper a word about changing “Follow the Gleam” or altering “Closing Campfire” and you will be met with an entire army of counselors and campers ready to fight to preserve the traditions which have helped to shape their camp experience. By implementing this “Unplugged” policy, we are protecting the larger and overarching tradition of Camp. We all share the ideal that the cornerstone of the Merrie-Woode experience is largely based on a community of simple living and appreciating the beauty around us. Merrie-Woode girls will show the world that we can live without the distractions of technology while enjoying the magnificence around us, reflected in both the mountains and each other. Take pride with us as we reclaim the significance of Dammie’s words, “No bond could be stronger than our mutual love for open skies, moonlit trails on mountain peaks, the music of tumbling water lulling one to sleep, and the soft fragrance of the woods. We have built campfires together…and believed in the wonder and beauty of life. Soon the call of camp comrades will echo above the din of the city and we’ll be going back to the best old camp of all.” We thank everyone for their support and we can’t wait to go “UNPLUGGED” in the summer of 2011!
April 1, 2011
According to reports, Jim's first sighting of the Tajar took place in his early days as camp director when Tajar went swinging through the tree branches outside Jim's office. He has managed to avoid seeing the Tajar again for almost eight years, but his good fortune apparently ran out last night. In the evening hours of March 31, 2011, Jim took his golden retriever, Gracie, out for a walk around Lake Fairfield. As they rounded the bend near the campsite of Beaver Valley they came upon the Tajar, dancing and frolicking in the moonlight. Jim was immediately stricken and rendered unconscious, collapsing to the ground. Because dogs are not affected by the sight of the Tajar, Gracie ran back to the house to alert Jim's wife and Co-Director of Merrie-Woode, Denice Dunn. In a true “Timmy's in the well” moment, Gracie led Denice back to the sight of the accident. When Denice arrived on the scene, she was met by the Range Ranger who ranges the ranges in the region. The Range Ranger was summoned by the Tajar who was horrified and grief stricken by the unfortunate turn of events his moonlight dancing had unintentionally caused. Once Jim was carried back to the house, the Range Ranger quickly ran over to Witch's Kitchen to find the Witch who was cooking dinner near her old, dead tree. He told her of the dire situation, and the Witch immediately began brewing a special potion to cure Jim of the deadly sighting. When asked at what point the potion will be ready the Witch replied, “it only brews for three hours, but then the critical time of fermentation must take place.” It is estimated that the mixture will be able to be administered later today. In the meantime, Jim remains in a terrible state. He is beginning to speak from time to time, but mostly he only mutters complete nonsense and he remains in critical condition. Denice and the Range Ranger who ranges the ranges in the region continue to monitor the situation as the Witch works to finish her magic. We all remain hopeful that once that potion is given to him, Jim will return to the fun-loving camp director we all love and that he will only be slightly kookier than usual. We urge campers, counselors, and members of the camp community to send Jim get well cards as he recuperates from this trying ordeal. We are sure that they will be much appreciated as Jim begins to return to his normal self. Cards can be sent to: Jim Dunn
March 22, 2011 Well look out Camp Merrie-Woode, Dolly is right where she belongs – upon the Castle stage! We are Set in the 1890s, Hello, Dolly! begins when professional matchmaker Dolly Levi is hired to arrange a With a litany of memorable songs including “Put On Your Sunday clothes,” “Before the Parade Passes By,” “It Only Takes a Moment,” and of course, “ Hello, Dolly!,” this show moves from one show stopping number to the next! So, get ready Camp Merrie-Woode, because Dolly is dancing her way onto the Castle stage this summer, and even after almost 50 years in the spotlight, she’ll prove that the old girl is “still glowin’, still crowin’, and still goin’ strong!” March 16, 2011 The 2011 Camper Forms have been emailed to parents! Two emails went out this year. PDF files have been sent to all parents and must be returned by email to Phyllis in the camp office by May 1 st . Email 1: The following forms can also be found on the Summer Forms page on our website :
Email 2: The electronic forms for PC and Mac users were emailed from Phyllis and must be emailed back to Phyllis@merriewoode.com:
Parents, if you have any questions, or have not received your summer forms please do not hesitate to email Phyllis at phyllis@merriewoode.com or call at (828) 743-3300. February 20, 2011
In true camp fashion, not only did we work hard but we played hard, too! Once our meetings had come to a close, everyone headed up to the Dunn's house for a Lady Gaga themed dinner party. The collection of costumes and outrageous make-up was a sight to behold! We've never seen so much bright red lipstick and caution tape before! And if the costumes themselves weren't enough, we also had the Lady Gaga karaoke going. Senior staff serenaded everyone with a truly special version of “Bad Romance,” and Doug led JP, Tee, and Josh in a dance while the girls sang “Alejandro.” The revelry lasted long into the evening and left everyone excited for the summer and the return of our dance parties in Castle. Sunday morning everyone gathered in a warm and cozy High Heaven for breakfast before they got on the road to journey back to their homes and schools. The contributions everyone made during the weekend will certainly help to improve camp in the coming summers. We are thankful to everyone who participated and helped to make the 2011 Counselor Consortium a huge success!
February 15, 2011  Jim, Denice, Betsy, and Lindsay have just returned from the American Camp Association National Conference in San Diego, California. The conference was filled with several days of informative sessions and everyone came home with some good ideas for the upcoming summer. The conference was located right on San Diego Bay and very close to the city's historic Gaslamp Quarter. After a long, cold, and snowy winter here in Sapphire, it was wonderful to enjoy some California sunshine and warm temperatures! We all returned to camp ready for spring to arrive and to start planning for the best summer ever! |
October 31, 2011
We had a busy day in the office today, as the camp dogs were anxious to show off their Halloween costumes this year! Gracie, Max, and Irma wore costumes depicting the characters of the Disney-Pixar favorite “UP.” Max played Mr. Fredrickson, with his sweater vest and furry eyebrows, and Irma was Russell, the overly excited Boy Scout. Grace was not in the mood to dress up, so she took the part of the golden retriever, Doug. 
Announcing the June Session Play – The Legend of Sleepy Hollow 
But first she must manage to win the heart of her unsuspecting husband-to-be
in the Program Office for a variety of round-table discussions covering topics including camp traditions, programming, cabin life, staff orientation, and counselor life. The day was extremely productive as many wonderful ideas and suggestions were shared. We have held these consortiums every few years and summers at Merrie-Woode have greatly benefited from them. A special thank you is extended to Liz Irwin, Sylvia Coker, and Clair Marshall for representing the Merrie-Woode Board of Trustees. Their attendance this past weekend helped to make the staff feel that their voices were being heard and assure them that their hard work every summer is truly appreciated. 
