Northwest Burn Foundation

NORTHWEST BURN FOUNDATION

CAMP EYABSUT 2011

Camp Eyabsut 2011 brought a mixture of weather, from downpour and thunderstorms to sunshine throughout our superheroes theme week, nevertheless, the weather didn’t dampen our fun.

Working together with our camp family once again reminded us that "Eyabsut," our camp name, means "to rise above anything."

On Sunday afternoon, campers arrived by cars, buses and planes with luggage, pillows and sleeping bags in tow. They reached camp to be greeted by their counselors and to get settled into their cabins. Then they all got some time to catch up with old friends and place their handprint on a Camp Eyabsut Banner before our opening ceremony. Next was our annual Chili Cook-Off with local fire departments and camp sponsors, coordinated by Craig Dyer, a local firefighter and member of the Eyabsut family. We were later entertained by Jet City’s Improv comedy group, who brought smiles and laughter to all. Their performance was followed by our first Camp Eyabsut campfire which included skits and songs, as well as recognition of this year’s camp graduates by presenting them with their sweatshirts.

Our first full day of camp sent the oldest cabins off to Ocean Shores for a two-day outing for beach fun, camping and bonding. The rain finally let up as the younger campers began the week with their fun-filled rotations through arts & crafts, team building activities, hikes, talent show & parade float prep time, archery with our friends from the Traditional Bow hunters of Washington, and pool time – all while earning cabin points and playing cards for the week’s Camp Challenge. Nancy Mendoza, Camp Manager, tried her hand at making the first arts & crafts project which was a wooden pinball machine. Our evening guest was the Reptile Man who brought a young crocodile he made fall asleep, a giant tortoise, and a variety of snakes. After his presentation we all got to take turns holding and interacting with some of them, including a giant yellow snake that took

multiple people to hold.

Tuesday, the sun made an appearance for the younger cabins and the Shreddy and Pooh Bears spent a few hours in the afternoon hiking and a having a picnic with our friends at Edelweiss Acres and their six delightful pack goats. Campers also participated in a craft project of creating wallets made entirely out of colored duct tape. Campers and counselors were also treated to a visit from the Red Cross who taught a class in emergencies and practiced earthquake drills. Later on, volunteers from Pony Partners brought horses for our campers to take a ride on in the round-a-bout area. We also had a group of young volunteers from local soccer leagues who ran through various drills and a kicking competition. For dinner volunteers cooked hamburgers and hot dogs which were all donated by QFC followed by ice cream bars provided by the Camp Waskowitz staff.

Wednesday began with cabin activities, swimming, the always popular camp climbing wall, archery and arts & crafts during which campers made beaded watches. In the afternoon we had our 5^th Annual Volleyball Tournament where the Boogie-Woogies won against the Flaming Aces in the championship round. For dinner we were treated to a delicious dinner of BBQ chicken, green beans and macaroni and cheese by our friends at Bellevue Outback Steakhouse. The camp team gave Christian Warren and his staff from Outback Steakhouse a big Eyabsut handclap and a thank you card signed by everyone at camp. Wednesday evening our friends from Allstate Insurance came to host our karaoke night which included prizes for all those who participated and yummy ice cream sundaes. It was a fun filled night of songs from individual campers and groups, ending the night with Journey’s "Don’t Stop Believing."

Thursday started off with the relay races in the barn where campers and counselors showed up in their superhero costumes. Carrie Pratt, in full Wonder Woman costume, lead the Superhero Parade of volunteers from the flagpole down to the river shelter where the cabins showed off the floats they made of cardboard boxes. NWBF Executive Director/Camp Manager Nancy Mendoza welcomed everyone to the VIP recognition luncheon honoring camp sponsors and special friends. Board President Steve Emhoff gave big thank-yous to the Taco Bell Association, Allstate Insurance, Outback Steakhouse, Jet City Improv, 4-H Goat Support Team, the Finish Line Youth Foundation, the WSCFF Burn Foundation and Nikki Smith for their service to Camp Eyabsut. The sponsors were presented with framed certificates, a camp cookbook, beaded watches, and camp T-shirt. Following the sponsor recognition, Steve Emhoff, Jeanette Day and Brian Hann of Taco Bell Associates, presented twelve scholarship award certificates to our graduating campers. Taco Bell Franchise owners and their staff then cooked and hosted lunch during which VIP sponsors, campers, counselors, and guests were treated to the "Big Box – Taco Bell Meal."

The NWBF Board Members, camp alumni, and our great team of volunteers then joined us for Carnival Day. Our carnival team – lead by Nikki Smith and Tessie Baird—put together another fun and successful event full of games, food, inflatable toys, the climbing wall and the popular espresso bar to name a few. During the carnival we also held a watermelon eating contest hosted by Craig Dyer in his Ghostbusters outfit and watermelon helmet, which was won by Jaclyn Strasburger and Ivy Hibbard-Jenkins. Later that evening, while the younger campers watched movies, Camp Counselor Troy Smith once again put the moves on camp with his New Years Eve-themed dance. Complete with a "Tiki Hut" with camper-friendly and superhero inspired named drinks, and DJ Sam with great sounds, the dance lasted late into the night and was a great success. Trip Peck, our camp facilitator, announced the winner of the Camp Challenge—the Panda and Koala Bear cabins—who got to sleep in and have "breakfast in bunk" delivered to their cabin at 8:30 a.m. on Friday by the Brown and Polar Bear cabins.

When Friday dawned, it was time to prepare for our annual Camp Eyabsut Talent Show, planned by the CITs (counselors in training). Campers and counselors alike showed us their awesome talents and creativity with several hoping to move on to "America’s Got Talent". Then it was off to arts and crafts to put the finishing touches on some of the campers projects, one more dip in the pool, and off to the field for an exciting game of "Capture the Flag" with Trip. After dinner everyone headed to the barn for our closing night ceremony which included certificates for campers and speeches by counselors about each of their campers. We also viewed the camp slide show capturing the memories of our week at Camp Eyabsut 2011. The video, prepared by Ky Azlein with photo contributions from various counselors and staff, highlighted our week of wonderful memories for all to treasure in the years to come. The Eyabsut Camp Song is always sung louder and rings sweeter to our ears at the end of our last campfire as the whole camp sang:

(Chorus) It’s great to be in a place where they’re a little bit more like me.

I like to be in a place where they’re a little bit more like me – it makes me free.

Finally the oldest cabins had their own special graduating ceremony at the campfire as everyone else headed off to bed. It was indeed a special week with new and old friends and fond

memories to savor.

Hats off to all who helped create and put on another successful and amazing year at Camp Eyabsut. We look forward to another incredible week next year.

Steve Emhoff Nancy Mendoza Jeanette Day

NWBF Board President Executive Director/Camp Manager Camp Planning Chair

Summer Camp 2012!

Coming Sunday, July 22nd-Sunday, July 28th for Campers!

Saturday, July 21st-Sunday, July 28th for Counselors!