2023 Summer Camp Wrap-up
Our summer camp season was full of friendships (old and new), lots of fun (ALWAYS!), challenges, new experiences, crafts, and of course spending time with our fabulous Mane Stream herd. We had 3 new horses this summer, Don, Joey, and Snappy, who you would have thought were old timers by the way they interacted with our campers! The weather cooperated, allowing 10 full weeks of riding and activities. Anna Squindo, Camp Activity Specialist, along with her interns Ella Wagner and Kathryn Blount, created a comprehensive curriculum that focused on educating the campers about the horses, along with fun activities. “Each week was a bit different based on the abilities of the campers” Anna explained. “During our advanced week, we focused on teaching more information, such as horse facts, body parts, and taking care of them, whereas with our novice campers, we focused on learning to groom and how to behave around a horse and in our barn.”
Mane Stream’s summer camp is open to all levels of riders, from beginners to advanced riders working on small jumps and everything in between. This year we had veteran campers, Girl Scouts, first-timers, siblings, and even cousins riding together. Our camp is considered a great place for children and or adults to begin their riding careers, as we offer specialized attention by limiting the number of campers each week. Our dedicated group of volunteers, interns, and PATH Intl. certified instructors work one-on-one with the campers every session.
For the first time, we offered an Adult Week, with 6 campers - 4 current adaptive riders and 2 who were new Mane Stream. It was a great success, geared to their abilities, with many highlights, including learning to jump the cross rails, which according to Daisy was “The best part of my week!” They also learned some sign language and how to groom. Katie, put it best saying, “I liked that I could improve my riding skills with my peers. Being around people my own age made me happy and excited!”
There was no shortage of laughs and fun during all our camp sessions. After riding in the mornings, our campers enjoyed scavenger hunts for bridle pieces, painting shirts, games, and crafts. Highlights included an activity during one of the advanced week sessions, where intern, Kathryn and instructor, Miss Kelly Champion set up a people jump course and had everyone one race barefoot through the course while being timed. It also happened to be “Sparkle Day” with Kathryn and Kelly in matching pink tutus and let’s not forget to mention Kathryn’s FABULOUS glitter jacket! And of course, what’s a “Sparkle Day” without the required HUGE amount of glitter on campers, volunteers, horses, and staff…Miss Kelly did not disappoint. Thank you to Meadowbrook Glitter for putting the sparkle in our day!
Mane Stream’s camp provides amazing opportunities for our campers…but it takes a team to make it happen. Our interns this year, Ella and Kathryn provided amazing support to Anna and Kathy Dermondy, Camp Director. Kathy noted that the interns and Camp Activities Specialist were amazing, going above and beyond! Ella said, “I have always loved my time volunteering at Mane Stream, so when I saw there was a spot available to intern, it seemed like the perfect way to stay connected and involved.” She went on to add, “We were responsible for creating the camp curriculum, with Anna, and I learned a lot about how to interact and work with different people and personalities. I loved it, and now know that this is something I really want to work with in the future! One of my favorite times was watching how the campers improved, whether it was learning about the horses or riding throughout the week.”
Campers also gave their input, and all of our campers learned to reach outside their comfort zones. Owen said that his favorite activity was painting shirts, and learning how to jump on Tux was a challenge he conquered. Myla enjoyed learning how to canter and also learning about the different body parts of a horse. Carly liked tacking and riding the horses and being with the other campers and counselors. She also noted it made her laugh when the horses drooled a lot (hmm…could this be a reference to Minnie or Dorito?) Lastly, Michael noted that he loved learning how to take care of a horse and was extremely proud that he learned to post while trotting. His mom, Kyle, summed it up by saying “My son was beaming when he got in the car at the end of each day. He was proud that he groomed the horses and loved riding them. He felt connected with the horses and was happy to overcome challenges like the posting trot.”
So, there you have it…a glittery, magical summer for all of our campers! Summer Camp at Mane Stream keeps getting better and better. We have already started to plan for next year. Registration opens February 1st – so mark your calendar!
Thank you to everyone, our staff, interns, and volunteers….it truly takes “A Village” and we could never do it without YOU!
Written by: Jennnifer Smith, Development & Communications Assistant
