Dear Blog readers:

I want to share a letter with you that is being sent to all our camper families.  Filling our sessions too early is a terrific “problem” to have, and we look forward to many more similar problems in the months and years ahead.

Two Week Camping Now Available for 5/6th Graders in Session I


Dear Ramah Outdoor Adventure families:

As we close out the 2011 calendar year, we have been pleasantly surprised by the response to our two week camping sessions for 5/6th graders during session II.  If we opened our summer season tomorrow, we would have surpassed our enrollment expectations for this age group that we set back in September.  We have already added two additional tents for our 5/6th graders in session II.    We have 5/6th grade chalutzim (campers) coming from throughout the country and as far away as Israel.  We are planning a phenomenal program for them.

Due to our unexpectedly high enrollment during second session, we have decided to open up two additional 5/6th grade bunks (one for boys & one for girls) for two week camping in our first session.  Therefore, starting today, entering 5/6th graders who want to come to Ramah Outdoor Adventure for only two weeks now have four registration options:

  • IA – first two weeks of session I (June 19-July 2)
  • IB – second two weeks of session I (July 3-16)
  • IIA – first two weeks of session II (July 18-July 31)
  • IIB – second two weeks of session II (Aug 1-14)

We continue to receive anecdotal evidence from our initial summers that as chalutzim age into our program, they receive more lasting benefits by being in a four week program over a two week program, and the four week program remains available to all campers in the first and second sessions.  However, because two weeks of Jewish summer camp is certainly better than no weeks of Jewish summer camp, we will continue to offer the two week option in second session for older chalutzim, as space allows.

Our two week program for 5/6th graders in the first session will be the mirror of the two week program in the second session.  We will program for a month long session knowing that about half of the chalutzim will be staying for four weeks and half will be present for only two.  The first week of each session will take place at the base camp, where chalutzim will engage in a variety of base camp activities including mountain biking, horseback riding, wilderness survival, nature arts and crafts and much more.  On the second and fourth weeks of the session, chalutzim will have the opportunity to leave camp on their Massaot excursions.  During a four week session, we are planning: a rafting trip, a hiking day trip, a trip to a high-ropes course, a trip to Pikes Peak and a three day backpacking trip.  Chalutzim enrolled for the two week session will have an opportunity to do whichever one of these massaot are scheduled during their time at camp.  Feel free to contact me to find out which excursions are planned for when, but know that the weather plays a large role in making the final decision, so anything we have planned now is subject to change based on the rainfall and snowmelt in the late spring.

If your child is registered for two weeks in the second session, and you would like to now move them to the first session, please be in touch with our registrar, Sandra Yaron, Sandray@ramahoutdoors.org or email me directly eliavb@ramahoutdoors.org.  There is no charge for switching sessions.

Thanks

-Eliav