Briarwood Bugle – 2023 Week 3

Check out our latest Briarwood Bugle! You can read it below or see it in glorious color and with photos here.

Briarwood Bugle 2023
Week 3

From Mike and Matt
We hold these truths to be self evident: that Briarwood is awesome (and sometimes steamy) . . . and that among this awesomeness are friends, laughter and the pursuit of gaga.

We had another great week! July 4th week barreled along and the kids had a great time swimming, playing, painting, Zoom Flooming and everything else!

And also — we enjoyed Red, White and Blue Day, Wednesday Themeday was Hawaiian/Tropical Day, we had our EPIC Gaga Tournament Week, our CITs and Super CITs went on some great trips, we played some fun (and cooling) Drip, Drip, Drench – and all around camp, you could see and hear bunks practicing their bunk shows.

We have a ton going on in the next few weeks—Lower Camp Bunk Shows, Upper Camp Bunk Shows, Halloween in July, Goofy Day, The Briarwood Semi-Invitational Mini Golf Tournament (actually everyone is invited)—plus all of our awesome, regularly scheduled program—art, sports, swimming, gymnastics, nature, rock wall and much, much more! Join us!

IMPORTANT DATES NEXT WEEK
BUNK SHOWS
LOWER CAMP
Tuesday July 11th 10:30am
UPPER CAMP
Wednesday July 12th 10:30am

HALLOWEEN IN JULY!
Friday July 14th!
Trick or treating! Come in costume!
It’s a boo-tiful time!

BUDDIES! By Melissa Berkowitz, Jeri Newman and Anne Witkin
Briarwood’s Buddy Program is back and it is bigger and better than ever! Our Buddy Program expanded this summer to include Busy Bees and it has gone amazingly well. Our program pairs an older girls bunk (Big Buddy) with a younger girls bunk or Busy Bee bunk (Little Buddy). Our big and little buddies got together for the first time last week and they will continue to get together throughout the summer to play, bond and make new friends in camp.

It is great to watch our big buddies serve as mentors/role models for the younger campers and our little buddies LOVE hanging out with their older friends. Briarwood’s Buddy Program is a great way to make new friends in different divisions, work as a team and have an even better, fuller Briarwood experience!

2023 GAGA Tournament Results!
Briarwood campers LOVE their gaga (did you know that we hold the Guinness world record for largest game of gaga? True! You can look it up!) and this year’s annual gaga tournament did not disappoint.

Each bunk had its own competition and then each division crowned a champion (with a championship belt!). The results are finally in…

Busy bee finalists: Brooke, Sam, Riley, Bodhi, Ayden & Raphael Winner: Sam
Lower boys finalists: Mark, Mark, Hugh, Slayde, Brayden & Clint. Winner: Hugh
Lower girls finalists: Coco, Savannah, Daisy, Chloe, Juliana, & Marissa. Winner: Marissa
Upper boys finalists: Will, Andrew, Chase, Aaron and Austin. Winner: Will
Upper girls finalists: Ryan, Giuliana, Emma, Jess and Alexa. Winner: Ryan
Senior camp finalists: Matthew, Molly and Ryan. Winner: Matthew

Congrats to ALL of our participants! Importantly, our tournament was a fun time and our campers learned and exhibited kindness, good sportsmanship and fair play!!!

SOME FRIENDLY BRIARWOOD REMINDERS:
• If you want to reach your camper’s counselor during the camp day, call the office at 215-598-7143 and we will gladly relay your message. Please do not TEXT or CALL your child’s counselor directly during the camp day. Our counselors are busy watching children and we have asked them not to check their phones during the day.
• Early and Late Care is available from 7:30 am—6:00 pm sharp. Please call the office if you will need this service.
• While it never rains at Briarwood, in the event of a passing shower, please send your camper with the appropriate rain gear should the forecast call for rain.
• Apply sunscreen daily prior to coming to camp.
• Please label all clothing and personal items. That said — and because we know
kids — our Lost and Found is located by the Sports Center on Upper Field.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO CAMP IF HE/SHE is NOT FEELING WELL

MEET OUR WONDERFULLY AMAZING STAFF! PART III
We return with profiles of more senior staff members at Briarwood Day Camp!
EVAN GLICKMAN has been a part of the Briarwood family since toddlerhood—he started off as a 3 year old cricket in the Busy Bees. During the offseason, Evan attends Penn State University and enjoys working with technology. Evan’s favorite parts about Briarwood are the wonderful people and the ever-famous Briarwood mantra; “it never rains at Briarwood Day Camp.” If Evan could be an animal he would be a pterodactyl. This is because pterodactyls could fly and if Evan could fly, it’s “gotta be in style.” Most people don’t know that Evan is Israeli and if he could go anymore in the world he would go back to Israel. Ed. note: we’d guess that if Evan were a pterodactyl, he’d fly there!
C.J. HORAN is spending his 12th summer here at Briarwood Day Camp. During the off season he attends Bloomsburg University. His favorite thing about working at Briarwood is seeing so many familiar faces from every GREAT summer. If C.J. could go anywhere in the world it would be Amsterdam. Most people don’t know that he was born in Chicago, Illinois. C.J.’s favorite food is chicken parmigiana and if he were an animal he would be an orca!
ALEXA ORTMAN joins the Briarwood family this summer as the senior counselor of the Ladybugs. Alexa attends Bloomsburg University during the school year and is working towards achieving her degree in Business. Her favorite thing to do at Briarwood is wiffleball and her favorite food is pasta. If she could go anywhere in the world it would definitely be Italy! A fun fact about Alexa is that she played Division 1 softball.
EVAN BERNSTEIN marks his 15th year at Briarwood this summer! Evan began at Briarwood as a 7 year old Bear. His favorite part about working at Briarwood is that he gets to be outside ALL day long. During the off season, Evan teaches, DJ’s, and works in property management. His favorite Briarwood food is a “cup o’ croutons” and the last book he read was Tom Sawyer. If Evan were an animal he would be an axolotl or the elusive giant squid. Most people don’t know that Evan has a pet leopard gecko named Preston!
EMMA COOPER is glad to be back at Briarwood for her second summer! She attends Monmouth University and coaches softball during the offseason. Emma’s favorite thing about Briarwood is the variety of sports played here at camp and her favorite movie is Brave. If she could go anywhere in the world she would go to Reykjavik, Iceland. Her favorite food is bananas and if she were an animal she would be a sloth bear! Most people don’t know that Emma is also fluent in Spanish!

Quick quiz:
Q. What’s more fun than a day at Briarwood?
A. Two days at Briarwood!

Important Dates

• July 10th-21st-TIE-DYE Weeks at Nature **Don’t forget to send in something white to tie dye (like a shirt, shorts, socks or a pillowcase)**

• July 11th-Lower Camp Bunk Show at 10:30 am

• July 12th-Upper Camp Bunk Show at 10:30 am

• July 12th-Wednesday Themeday Disney/Marvel Day

• July 14th-Halloween in July

• July 17th-Second Half Begins

• July 17th-21st-S’more Week!

• July 19th-Wednesday Themeday Crazy Hat Day

• July 20th-Make up Picture Day

• July 21st-Goofy Day

• July 24th-28th-Briarwood Mini Golf Semi-Invitational Tournament

• July 25th-Busy Bee Show and Breakfast at 10:30am

• July 26th-Wednesday Themeday Sports Jersey Day

• July 26th-Busy Bee Show Rain Date

• July 26th-Gymnastics Show at 11:30 am

• July 27th-Carnival

• August 1st-Mystery Day

• August 2nd – Wednesday Themeday TBA

• August 7th – Briarwood Birthday Celebration

• August 8th – Drama Show at 10:30 am

• August 9th-Wednesday Themeday-Briarwood Spirit Day

• August 9th-CIT/Super CIT Dance

• August 11th-Last Day of Camp – EARLY DISMISSAL at 2:30