All About SmugMug

It's Sarah here, the girl behind the camera this summer. I'm going to tell y'all how to see pictures of your kids while they're at HoneyRock by way of FAQ. Here we go!

First things first: what's the link to SmugMug?
www.honeyrock.smugmug.com/Summer-2014 

How many times is it updated?
I do my best to update Intro & Res Camp every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. High School programs (Advance Camp, 2:22, Service Team) are updated every Tuesday/Thursday. However, keep in mind that Advance Camp and 2:22 go on relatively long wilderness trips, so there won't be quite as many updates during those times. In Advance Camp, guys leave the first week and girls towards the middle/end of camp.
Assistant Counselors (ACs) also have their own gallery, so I try to pick out all of the pictures they're in to duplicate from the Intro/Res sessions into their gallery.

How is HoneyRock's SmugMug page organized? 
If you follow the link above, it will take you directly to our "Summer 2014" folder. Find your camper program by rolling your mouse over the boxes to see their titles, and click!
If you have to search for HoneyRock's page at smugmug.com, simply look to the upper right hand corner of the screen, and type "HoneyRock". Click "People" under the new search bar, and HoneyRock's profile will pop up. 

Where do I find the password? Why do we have one this year?
If you remember past summers, we didn't protect our images with a password. We introduced this safety measure so only the loved ones of campers can see our photos. If you check the email you provided HoneyRock, the password should be included in an email that was sent at the beginning of your camper's session.

Can I order pictures off of SmugMug?
Yes! That's the beauty of this site - not only can you view pictures, but you can also order prints directly to be shipped to your home. Easy! 

Update, June 25: 
You're talking about some email with the password - I can't find it!
We've been having some difficulty with our emails going directly to Junk mail - check your spam box to see if it accidentally got lumped in with those pesky subscription emails.

Why aren't there as many high school photos as Intro or Res Camp?
There are a couple reasons for this. First, Intro Camp is three times as big as Advance Camp. With about 165 little ones running around, it seems like everywhere I turn there's a new face to capture. Advance Camp has 51 campers - which means they are more spread out doing different activities around camp.
Second, Intro Campers are so much more inviting for me to snap their picture. Like the little boy in the picture below, they'll literally run by yelling "take my picture!!" which is AWESOME. However, there aren't many, if any, high schoolers that would do that. It's incredible to see how this changes from Intro up to High School - how the younger ones are so much more free, while the older kids are a lot more self-conscious. I could talk a lot more about that, but maybe in another post.
Third, Advance Camp & 2:22 go on longer wilderness trips where, unfortunately, I can't follow. However, your camper will have so many stories to tell from this time!
Fourth, Service Team & Assistant Counselors are so spread out on camp. Sometimes, Service Team even goes off camp to help out around town. I do my best to enable their counselors to get good shots during these times. Also, as I mentioned yesterday, Assistant Counselor pictures may accidentally get lumped into the Intro/Res folders.  

I don't see many pictures of my camper in worship or bible study or quiet time - why not?
In my mind, this is always a balance. Since HoneyRock is a place apart, and I firmly believe in keeping it that way, I don't always want a camera up in their face - especially when they're in the middle of worshiping or bible study. That's an incredible time of learning and growing in faith...the last thing I want is for kids to be distracted by me fumbling around with a camera and the "click" as the photo takes. At the same time, I want to show all parts of camp, allowing parents to get a glimpse of a "day in the life". I'm still working on finding that balance!

Anyways, while snappin' photos isn't my only job, it's definitely my favorite part of serving at camp. Getting out of the office, running around, seeing all of the smiling faces is the best part of my day! Here are a couple of my favorites from the past 24 hours.  

Cabin of Advance Camp guys, about to leave on trip!

Intro Camper, as he was running by "Hey! Take my picture!"

Intro Campers, about to play "Ninja"

Intro Camper: ""YEAHHHHH!"

Some of our cute little Daisy Chains.

Women ACs '14

If you have any other questions, thoughts or concerns, please leave a comment or email media@honeyrockcamp.org - thanks!

Campers are Coming!

There's a different feel around camp today - breakfast was a little louder, Devo circle announcements took a little longer, and last minute preparations continue. Some returning staff loosely compare today to Christmas morning - so much preparation and training and waiting and anticipation for this day. Most of the staff has been up here for the past month: exploring the Northwoods on wilderness trips, learning about preparing and giving cabin impacts (among other things!), and serving one another day in and day out. With that training month in the books, we can confidently say that we're ready for campers. 

Abby & Hannah welcoming campers, 2013When the busses pull up this afternoon, rest assured that your camper is excitedly welcomed and guided to their cabin. They play icebreaker games and name games. The swim test is given, and directly following they eat a hearty dinner with fresh HoneyRock bread. After dinner, campers are introduced to the different parts of camp with various skits led by the Unit Leaders and Activity Staff. Finally, at 9:00 or so, the campers start to wind down the day with Cabin Reflection. It's a busy first day, but ensures that campers are safe and know their way around camp. Want to know more about the first day schedule? See this post.

We'll post updates of the busses here and to our Facebook page. Stay tuned this week as we continue to share Intro & Advance Camp, as well as Service Team's journey!

8:50am: Bus has left Shaumburg, on its way to Rockford.
1:15pm: Bus is traveling north of Madison...next stop HoneyRock! 
3:50pm: Bus passing through Rhinelander. 
4:45pm: Here safe & sound! 

Packing Tips!

Welcoming Advance Campers, 2013We don't know about you, but for us the countdown is on for Intro & Advance Camp, as well as Service Team! If you've been to HoneyRock, do you remember that first drive down Highway X and into camp? This Monday, campers (many for the first time!) will drive past the Rock, under the HoneyRock sign, and straight to the playing field where their counselors can hardly wait to meet them.

For those of you who have a first-time camper, we've put together a quick list of tips you!

• Pack in layers - Sweatshirt in the morning, t-shirt by noon, and back to a light jacket in the evening is the routine many days this time of year. Make sure to bring those layers!
• Dryer Sheets - Don't want to open up a suitcase and be greeted by some of those campy smells? A couple dryer sheets tucked away in the bottom of the suitcase can go a long way.
• Headlamp - So you may look a little silly wearing a light on your forehead, but for those walks from the campfire pit to the cabin or in a dark tent, they're pretty handy!
• Sheets! - Our mattresses are great, but having bedsheet on it makes it even better.
• Pack small - Packing at the end of camp is so much easier if you don't have too much to pack in the first place.
• Mark it up - Put your name on everything. See that sock? Mark it up. Beach towel? Yes. The toothbrush? Yep. Cool headlamp? Definitely. We like seeing the gear our campers bring, but we want to see it go home, too!
• Send Mail - Whether it's snail mail or our email option, campers love getting mail. If you're going the snail mail route, start writing. It takes a couple days to get to the northwoods. Need our address? 
  Camper Name, Program / 8660 HoneyRock Road / Three Lakes, WI 54562 
• Pre-Stamped Mail - Letters from camp are awesome. Prep your kids by handing them a couple envelopes pre-addressed & pre-stamped. We've even heard of some parents pre-writing letters. For example:
  
  Dear ____________, 
  Today, we went _______________. Then, we did ______________. For lunch, we ate ______________. My favorite part about camp is ________________ and I can't wait to tell you more about _________________________________! 

Want to see the full packing list? Click here.

While these tips may help, we believe the most important part of preparing for camp are the dicussions you and your camper have before (and after!) camp. Packing can allow great time for talking through fears or worries as well as what they're excited about. 

We're praying for you and your campers as the countdown continues!

Encountering God

Every weekday morning, the HoneyRock community gathers at 7:45, sharp. You see, we start our days together with a time of devotion: listening to the Word, hearing testimonies, and praying for the day. Lately, "encountering God" has been our theme - and we've heard some incredible stories. 

Muhia shared one of his encounters on Sunday, at church. While in Nigeria earlier this spring, he woke up very early and walked to a beach on the Indian Ocean. Though behind him dark clouds threatened rain, the sunrise before him was as if God had "sent him a kiss" from above.

Mariel, one of our Res Camp Unit Leaders, spoke to her experience encountering God through her community at Wheaton College. Though her year was tough, she was able to repeatedly see God through the women on her floor as they gathered to celebrate the good.

Ashley, our Advance Camp Coordinator, began Wednesday's devotion shouting the questions, "Have you not heard, do you not know?" She continued preaching the good news of the Gospel, and how in the past, the present, and the future, it is our constant. Even through times of change, we have the Gospel. 

SLS, AMP and STP counselors continue to prepare for campers (Intro Camp, Advance Camp & Service Team come this Monday!). Today is a staff favorite, Water Safety Day! A couple weeks ago, staffers visited Antigo's pool for training and today is test day. At 1:00, they began a written test which then transitions to the Waterfront, where they are tested on all of their skills. Wondering what other kind of training our staff goes through? Click here!

We're so excited to witness the ways God encounters us at HoneyRock this summer - through experiencing creation, serving others, engaging with the community, preparing Bible Studies or answering camper questions, and so many other ways. God is in this place!

On the Wolf River

Over the weekend Charlie and Ben, Activity Staff Coordinator and Canoeing Instructor, led a trip for those in SLS who had been working on canoeing and kayaking throughout training.

Charlie (Activity Staff Coordinator) surfs a wave on the Wolf River

After warming up with the basics, we walked the river to check out the various elements and review safety procedures. The section of the Wolf River that HoneyRock uses for these trips has a slight U-shape, which enables people to run the section at their own pace. With water flowing at nearly twice the normal level, there were new places to avoid and more spots to play and surf. We spent about three hours on the river, working on strokes, rolls, surfs, and braces, and then packed up to head home.

 

Ben (Canoeing Instructor)

As a trip tradition, we debriefed the time we had on the river as we drove back to HoneyRock, talking about the highs and lows and how we saw God. The “lows” were primarily directed at the anxiety felt before getting on the river or the cloudy weather while the “highs” ranged from running the river without making a wet-exit to seeing confidence grow in the first-timers. 

Stephen (AC Unit Leader) takes a run down the river

While reflecting upon how we saw God, Charlie pointed out the community that this small group of 13 made for the day. In our time at the river, we were able to come together to support and encourage, learn and teach. Throughout the day it was common to see one come alongside another and give a high-five or share a tip to make the next roll or brace better. 

Charlie instructs Jeremy (SLS, left) and Cole (Archery Instructor, right)

In the coming weeks, all Advance campers will go rafting on the Wolf and several Res campers will have the opportunity to work on their canoeing and kayaking skills for their award requirements. There will be many highs and lows, requirements passed and failed, lessons taught and learned - all a part of challenge that is naturally and purposefully infused into canoeing and kayaking. All in all, we are thankful for a challenging, fun, and safe trip to the Wolf and can't wait for campers to share in the experience!

Check back today as we update the blog (around 6pm) after campers arrive at HoneyRock with the details of their first afternoon!

Work & Play

We're so pumped to finally have our Assistant Counselors at camp! They arrived Monday and quickly left on their 24-hour Wilderness Trip. They returned today, packed in at the Trip Locker, and moved right to their swim test.

Talking about tests - today was a big day for our SLS, Service Team, & AMP leaders. They had class and activities in the morning while the Water Safety test, knot test and canoeing test filled the afternoon.

working on knots and canoeing strokes on the front lawn

Ben (Canoeing) helps facilitate the Water Safety Test

Except, it's not all work...

Taking a big jump off the dock

Shalom, Ceramics Instructor, paints her mug

Anna (Crafts), Amy (Drama), & Olivia (Swimming)