FALL ISSUE... 2018 The Cheley PACK RAT CHELEY COLORADO CAMPS 1-800-CAMPFUN WWW.CHELEY.COM Building Communities That Are EMAIL: [email protected] Fostered in Respect and Trust BACORATAC – Building a community of respect and trust at Cheley. Imagine if we all focused on building communities that were fostered in respect and trust. Imagine if our young people were presented daily with examples of respectful behavior. Respecting other people’s views, beliefs, backgrounds, and aspirations. Rather than the responses of negativity and disdain for opposing views, we could all improve in our IN THIS ISSUE... responses to differing Building Communities That Are views and demonstrate Fostered in Respect and Trust ........... 1 respect. This would make Camp Dates for 2019 Season ............ 2 a huge impact on our communities. Hopefully Family Camp 2018 ............................. 2 this summer, each of our Cheley/Childrens’ Burn Camp 2018 .. 2 campers and staff were Teen Summit Camp 2018 .................. 3 introduced to different Cheley Mini Camp 2018 .................... 3 cultures, values, and Lower Chipeta 2018 ........................... 4 opinions. By spending time building relationships with people from different cultures, each of Lower Ski Hi 2018 .............................. 5 us have broadened our understanding of the world. Chipeta 2018...................................... 7 This summer Shawn Ness, our Director of Operations, consistently Ski Hi 2018 ......................................... 8 reminded us to consider positive presuppositions when talking or Senior Chipeta 2018 .........................10 working with others. The idea is that we start each conversation or Haiyaha 2018 ................................... 12 thought by giving everyone the benefit of the doubt. For example, Girls’ Trail’s End 2018 ........................14 when someone shows up late, often we think “they are lazy, they don’t Boys’ Trail’s End 2018 ...................... 16 care, they are not responsible enough to be on time, etc.” Instead, start your thought with, “something must have come up, maybe they have something going on today, I hope everything is okay.” Start by calmly having a conversation, “Is everything okay?” You will be amazed Trigger Bill says... One of the most beautiful compensations of this life is that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself. 2 CHELEY PACK RAT at how this practice lowers your stress and anxiety and improves your connection with others. IT IS NOT EASY!!!! I think we are hard wired to react and assume the negative. Instilling your relationships with positive presuppositions builds trust and will help you build respect from your CAMP DATES friends and colleagues. FOR 2019 We often express our desire that the community that is built at Cheley needs to go beyond the Cheley gates. We want our campers to continue to Summer Camp live up to the Code of Living when they return home. Our small group of FirstTerm: people can have a positive impact in the world if we live at our best every Tues. June 11th – Sun. July 7th day. The world needs us to be excellent right now! SecondTerm: Tues. July 9th – Sun. Aug. 4th Full Summer: Family Camp 2018 Tues. June 11th – Sun. Aug. 4th Families from all around the country took part in our August Family Camp at Girls’ and Boys’ Family Camp Trail’s Ends. It’s a unique Mon. Aug. 5th – Sat. Aug 10th opportunity for families to come together to play, grow, meet new friends, and experience the Cheley way of life. Parents and kids enjoyed archery, crafts, hiking, horseback riding, technical climbing, fishing, and singing around the campfire. It was a great mix of current Cheley families, Cheley alumni, and families brand new to Cheley. We enjoyed watching families unplug from technology and have fun together in the beautiful Colorado Rockies, under the leadership of our talented staff members. We always enjoy our little slice of heaven in Glen Haven for the week and look forward to next year! GTE: Director Alyse Averdick, and Assistant Directors Kim Betts and Meg Booth PACK RAT PUT TOGETHER BY BTE: Director Jess Feltner, and Assistant Director Ashley Carter Around the Campfire:Cheley Staff Staff Updates: Jeff Cheley Camper Information: Jeff Cheley Cheley/Children’s Burn Camp 2018 Layout: Cheley Staff Transformative. This is the most used adjective to describe the Editor: Jeff Cheley Cheley/Children’s Hospital Colorado Burn Camp. From outdoor Any news for the Pack Rat? adventures and dance parties, to cookouts and campfires, pediatric e-mail to: [email protected] burn survivors thrive in the camp community as they are challenged to CHELEY COLORADO CAMPS new heights and forge friendships with others who understand exactly www.Cheley.com what it’s like to survive a burn injury. Around 80 campers arrived at Cheley as strangers and left as friends connected by a transformative life Winter: 303-377-3616 P. O. Box 6525 experience after their week at camp. Denver, CO 80206 Coming from widely varied backgrounds throughout the US and Summer: 970-586-4244 abroad, this program is a safe haven for burn survivors to scale rock faces, P. O. Box 1170 ride horses, backpack into the wilderness, hike trails in the nearby majestic Estes Park, CO 80517 Rocky Mountains, and take a leap of faith (on the challenge course!). Although having a burn injury here is a place of common ground, CHELEY PACK RAT is published four times a year by Cheley Colorado Camps to keep the Camp Family informed – send us news and information about you and your friends.The PACK RAT is mailed free of charge to all current campers and staff, as well as to lifetime and annual members of “Cheley Friends.” Others who are interested may get an annual subscription by sending their name and address with a check for $15 to PACK RAT Editor, Cheley Colorado Camps, 601 Steele Street, P.O. Box 6525, Denver, CO 80206. PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER CHELEY PACK RAT 3 campers learn that this does not define them nor others as they find solace in community. Since should it limit their potential. For many campers, it’s inception 35 years ago, this world-renowned it’s the first time since their burn injury that they program demonstrates the significant influence muster the courage to jump into a swimming pool, a camp experience has on youth as they gain try something new, or share their story around a confidence and a greater sense of self. For Burn campfire with peers. Camp, the words of the late Frank Cheley ring With tremendous support from a team of true, “Great things happen when youth and medical professionals, area firefighters and trained mountains meet!” Cheley staff, campers learn about themselves and Directors: Alec Rhodes and Trudy Boulter Teen Summit Camp 2018 This August marked the ninth summer that funding sources, campers’ families do not bear Cheley hosted the Teen Adventure Summit in any of the cost for attending, including travel. partnership with the Air Force Reserves and Air Because of the shortened time frame, the program National Guard. It is a week-long camp for 14 is designed to fit as much of the Cheley Experience to 18 year-olds who apply to participate in the into the week as possible. Campers begin their leadership development program. The 120 campers day at 6:00 am with physical well-being exercises selected came from all around the country and like yoga, Zumba, and running. After breakfast, overseas, and all have a parent serving in the Air campers depart on traditional Cheley activities like Force Reserves or Air National Guard. The program horseback riding, hiking, rock climbing, mountain focuses on teamwork, leadership development, biking, riflery, archery, ceramics, sports, and crafts. and growing self-confidence. Through a variety of Campers arrive back to camp around 4:00 p.m. and attend leadership classes until dinner. After dinner, campers have more leadership development rotations, followed by a social, typically ending in a dance party. Totally exhausted, but completely fulfilled, everyone is in bed by midnight. This summer, campers successfully summited Ida and Chief Cheley mountains on the EB hike and enjoyed new Cheley programs like high ropes and paddle boarding. The action-packed week ended with a banquet and recognition ceremony. Many of the campers have had to step up and help run their household while one of their parents was deployed or away at training. Cheley is proud to be a part of this dynamic program and serve this deserving population. We look forward to many more engaging summers with the Teen Summit Camp! Nathan Wilson, Director Erin Barham, Assistant Director Cheley Mini Camp 2018 Our second year of Mini Camp was a success! with their insightful contributions to their Code of We changed the program this year from a four- Living, which is one of the most important parts day experience to a six-day program. Campers of the experience here at Cheley. The campers participated in fishing, the climbing wall, archery, each received their Green Kerchief (GKs) and wore and crafts. They experienced part of an outcamp: them each evening to dinner to show their loyalty playing games, cooking over a fire and fort to the Code of Living. We hope to see all our Mini building. Campers traveled up Trail Ridge Road to Campers back next summer and are excited for the Rainbow Lookout where they got to see the Mini Camp to continue growing! beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park. Campers Jack Maud, Director truly showed how special their age group can be Rachel Moore, Assistant Director 4 CHELEY PACK RAT 2018 Another Great Summer campers earned their Riding patch: Alexa Pratt, Amelia Milewski, Ava Scharf, Carly Lissner, Carter Lower Chipeta Mott, Claire Boyle, Heidi Reller, Lily Petitt, Madeline Reis, Niva Smith, Olivia Boncelet, and Sarah Evelev.