Especially for

New Campers
Guide 2010
Welcome to Camp Chi!
We are happy that you have decided to spend your sum-
mer at JCC Camp Chi. Like generations of campers before
you, we know that Camp Chi will feel like your second
home. You are about to experience an incredible summer.
As it gets closer to camp, it is normal to feel both a little
nervous and really excited. Over the years, new campers
have asked us a lot of questions about what camp is going
to be like. We began to realize that everyone is curious
about the same things. We decided to put the questions
and answers into this booklet so that we can help you make
a smooth transition into the Camp Chi family.
Of course, if you have questions that aren’t answered here,
you can contact any of us by phone or email.
We can’t wait to meet you this summer!
Sincerely,
Ron, Brad & Jamie

Directors’ Contact Information

Before June 1, 2010: 847.763.3551
After June 1, 2010: 608.253.1681
Ron’s email: rlevin@gojcc.org
Brad’s email: bfinkel@gojcc.org
Jamie’s email: jlake@gojcc.org
 What’s Inside

Getting to Camp 3
Arrival 3
Typical Day 4
Cabins 5
Meals & Snacks 5
Counselors 6
Sleeping 6
Bathrooms 7
Problem Solving 7
Missing Home 8
Fun, Fun, Fun 8
What to Bring 9
iPODS & Electronics 9
Shabbat 10
Rainy Days 11
Birthdays 11
Mail 11
Chi Lingo 12

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How do I get to camp?
Most campers take buses to get to camp.
They are really nice and comfortable buses
with bathrooms! Sometimes you even
watch a movie on the bus. There will be
counselors on each bus. If you let the
counselors know that this is your first
summer, they will help you find other new campers to sit
with on the bus.
Campers coming from far away places like Arizona,
Florida, New Jersey, and Israel will take a plane to camp.
At the airport, staff wearing Camp Chi t-shirts will meet
you. They will help you with your luggage and finding the
Camp Chi bus or van that will take you to camp.
Some parents drive their campers to Camp Chi.
Regardless of how you get to camp, you’ll know that you
are getting close when you start to see “Wisconsin Dells”
signs along the highway.

What happens when I arrive at camp?

Arriving at camp is very exciting! We do our best to order
up sunny, hot weather for your arrival. When you get to
camp, Ron, Brad, Jamie, and a bunch of excited
counselors will be there to greet you. You’ll see staff
holding up big signs with different school grades painted
on them. If you are starting 6th grade in the fall, you will
look for a sign that says “6th grade” on it. The staff member
holding the sign will then take you to meet your
counselors and have a snack. Everyone wears name tags
on the first day and we play a games that will help you get
to know the other campers in your cabin. You’ll also have
plenty of time to take a tour of camp and unpack your
things.
Staff will bring your luggage to your village and your
counselors will help you get the bags inside the cabin.

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Once unpacking is finished, you’ll get to go swimming in
one of Camp Chi’s pools. Make sure to pack a bathing suit
near the top of your bags so you can easily find it and be
ready to hit the water.
That evening there will be a fabulous first dinner, a fun
evening activity, a chance to take a shower, have a snack,
and then hang out in your cabin. Counselors will have
something special planned for you to do on your first
night; you might spend some time deciding on cabin
rules, playing games, or having a party.

What’s a typical day at camp like?

Campers who have been at Camp Chi for a
long time often joke that there is no such
thing as a typical day at camp because
every day brings something new. Other
than Shabbat or special event days, the
daily schedule looks like this:

7:45am Wake Up* 3:45pm Swim

8:15am Breakfast 5:30pm Dinner
9:00am Cabin Clean Up 6:30pm Specialty Activity
9:45am Cabin Activity 7:45pm Evening Program
11:00am Specialty Activity 8:45pm Snack
12:15pm Lunch 9:00pm Shower
1:15pm Rest Hour 9:30pm Lights Out**
2:30pm Cabin Activity
* 7th-11th graders sleep until 8:30am **7th-11th graders stay up later

This is just a sample schedule. Each village has their own

daily schedule at camp.

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What’s my cabin like?
All of the cabins at Camp Chi are similar
wooden buildings with bunk beds. There
is one large room where all the campers
sleep and keep their things in cubbies.
The counselors live in the cabins too, but
they have their own room separated from
the campers’ space by a curtain. The cabins have
electricity, but no outlets so don’t bring things that need to
be plugged in.
You might be wondering - where are the bathrooms?
Everyone living in a village shares a large washhouse that
is located near the cabins, but not inside of them. The
washhouses have sinks, private toilet stalls, and individual
showers. Once you get used to not having a bathroom
down the hall, it is actually really nice to have them located
outside of the cabins because then the campers don’t have
to clean them. Our janitorial staff clean the bathrooms
twice each day.

How is the food?

Most campers love the food at camp.
We serve food that kids generally like to
eat – hamburgers, tacos, chicken
nuggets, spaghetti, French fries, and
pizza. There is always plenty of food so
you can get seconds, thirds, and even
fourths if you are hungry. If you don’t like what is being
served at a meal, you can always get a great salad from the
salad bar or have peanut butter and jelly.
The food served in the Dining Halls at Camp Chi is kosher.
Usually breakfast and one other meal are dairy meals and
the third meal is a meat meal. We offer vegetarian options
if you don’t eat meat. Don’t worry if you have food
allergies. We’ll work with your parents to make sure that
we have the right food for you.

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We don’t want anyone to go hungry. If you ever need to
eat, just tell your counselors and they’ll make sure to get
you something. We do have evening snacks and campers
often get to go to Canteen and Franteen, our camp stores,
for extra snacks.

What are counselors going to be like?

Imagine a combination of the best babysitter you’ve ever
had and an older brother or sister who never picks on you.
The image you get in your head is pretty much a camp
counselor. The counselors are friendly and fun. Almost all
of them have been campers at Camp Chi or, at least, went
to a camp when they were younger. Most of them are in
college and a few are finishing up high school. Their
whole job is to make sure that you are safe and having a
blast at camp. They remember what its like to be a first-
time camper, and will be there to help you in any way that
they can.

What happens at bedtime?

After evening program ends, campers go back to their
villages to take showers and get ready for bed. We
shower every day at camp. (We know that
you might not always shower every day at
home, but you also don’t go swimming
and play outside every day either.) After
showers, most campers hang out in their
cabins or visit friends in other cabins in
the village. Your cabin will agree on a
time when everyone has to be in the cabin and when lights
will be turned off.
Before the lights are turned off for the night, most cabins
have some type of activity or ritual that they do every night.
You might share your favorite moment from the past day,
talk about what you are planning for tomorrow, or listen to
meaningful music together.
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What if I have to go to the bathroom in
the middle of the night?
This is a really good question, and one that worries most
first-time campers before they get to camp. Many
campers just get up, put on shoes, and head to the
washhouse. The villages are lit really well at night, and
the lights are on in the bathrooms all night so you can
see the building from your cabin. If you are hesitant to
go it alone, you can always wake up your counselor to go
with you.

What happens if I have a problem?

Camp is really no different than life at home, and
sometimes little problems arise. The great thing about
camp is that there are so many people who care about
you and want to help you solve your problems.
If you have a problems with an activity, you can talk with
your counselor and village leader and they’ll get it
straightened out.
If you are not feeling well, then visit our Health Center.
Campers can go to the Health Center during the day or
in the evening with counselors.
If you have brothers and sisters at home, you know that
every once in a while you have disagreements with them.
At camp you will have cabinmates and you might have a
disagreement with them too. If you do, talk with your
counselor or village leader. They will be able to help you
work things out.
It’s very important that you let someone know about your
problems so that we can help you with the solution.
Counselors are the best place to start, but you can also
approach Ron, Brad, Jamie, or any of the village leaders.
We might look very busy sometimes, but don’t be afraid
to approach us with an issue or just to talk. Your
happiness at camp is extremely important to us.

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What if I get homesick?
We know that many campers are worried about getting
homesick. It is normal to miss your parents, house, and
pets when you are at camp. The good news is that we are
experts at helping campers get over homesickness. If you
are ever feeling sad, you should let your counselors know.
They will be able to help you by listening to you and giving
great advice. The best thing you can do to cure
homesickness is to keep busy doing fun activities at camp.
Sometimes campers want to call home when they are
homesick. It is a rule at Camp Chi that campers can’t talk
to their parents on the phone (unless it is the camper’s
birthday). We have found that campers who talk to their
parents actually become more homesick instead of feeling
better.

What types of fun things happen at

camp?
Camp is filled with fun from the moment you
arrive until the day you leave. You will get to
do cool activities like horseback riding,
swimming, tubing, sports, sailing, water
skiing, wake boarding, crafts, tennis, rock
climbing, biking, high ropes, and so much
more. Every night counselors plan fun
programs and games for campers. You are
likely to participate in a talent show, a
huge game of capture the flag, relay
races, carnivals, pool parties,
overnighter or slumber party, and
goofy games. All campers get to go to
Waterpark Day, and we also take other
field trips to mini-golf, bowling, and
movies. There is really something special for everyone.

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Is there anything special that I should
bring to camp?
We send you a packing list before
camp starts. This is a good outline of
what to bring with you. If you forget
something important, don’t worry about it. We have a lot
of great supplies that you can purchase at the Canteen.
There are a few things that don’t appear on the packing
list… You will definitely want to bring nicer clothes to wear
on Shabbat. Also, some campers bring t-shirts in lots of
different colors. You will often have to dress in colors for
team activities and games so it helps if you have more than
just plain white t-shirts to wear. (Don’t worry if you need to
wear a shirt in a color that you don’t have. At camp it is
very common to borrow a t-shirt from one of your
cabinmates.)

Should I bring my iPOD?

This is ultimately a decision that you will need to make with
your parents. However, we strongly suggest that you don’t
bring an iPOD or any other expensive electronics to camp.
iPODs are great for listening to music, but there is
nowhere to plug them in to charge at camp. (This goes for
electric fans, alarm clocks, and video games too.) Also,
you don’t want to have to worry about losing or breaking
your iPOD. In fact, anything that you would be upset
about losing probably should not come to camp. Finally,
when you have earphones in your ears, you can’t hear
what’s going on around you or talk to your friends, which
just doesn’t seem very campy. If you do choose to bring
your iPOD and it gets lost or broken, camp is not
responsible for it. Camp Chi does NOT allow video iPODs
or iTouch or anything that can connect to the Internet.
There are some electronics, like cell phones,
computers, televisions, or video cameras, that
you are absolutely not allowed to bring to camp.

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What do we do during Shabbat?
Shabbat is one of those truly special times at Camp Chi.
Campers and staff just love celebrating Shabbat even if
they never do at home. On Friday, normal activity
schedules end early to give us plenty of time to prepare
for Shabbat. First, everyone attends Shuk, an Israeli
market where you can eat yummy Israeli food and other
snacks and listen to great music. Then there is time for an
actual Shabbat Prep when you’ll shower and change into
nicer clothes. The whole camp then meets for the
Shmooze. This is a great time to see your friends,
socialize, and take pictures.
From Shmooze everyone goes to Shabbat
Services together. Services at camp are very
different than most services at home. They
are held outdoors, campers lead them with
the help of great guitar players and song
leaders. We teach you everything you need
to know. Services usually last about forty-five minutes
before the whole camp enjoys a festive, traditional
Shabbat dinner.
After dinner the fun really begins at Song Session. There is
no good way to describe Song Session, but let’s just say it
involves spirited and enthusiastic singing of all kinds of
songs and dancing. (We have some more relaxed
activities going on if you don’t like the music or dancing.)
It is just so much fun! You’ll have to wait to camp to get to
experience it all.
Saturday is the one day of the week that is different from
the rest. Campers and counselors swim, play sports and
games, and do some special activities that we only do on
Shabbat, but you will not have your normal activity
schedule. Shabbat ends with a beautiful outdoor
Havadalah service on Saturday night.

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What goes on when it rains?
Even though we like to say that it is sunny
and beautiful every day at Camp Chi, there
are the occasional rainy days. We are very
lucky at camp that we have so many great
indoor spaces. If it is just a little drizzle, we
will have a normal schedule of activities, but
most of them will move inside. For
example, if you are scheduled to go sailing and you can’t
do that because of the weather, you might practice tying
knots or design paper sailboats to sail in a mini-regatta in a
kiddie pool. Or, if you are scheduled to play basketball,
you’ll just play inside the gym instead of on an outdoor
court.
Occasionally, it will really, really rain at camp. When this
happens, you might spend a little bit of time in your cabin
or one of the lounges playing games or doing special
activities that your counselors have planned.

What happens if I have a birthday at

camp?
We make a big deal out of birthdays at camp. If you are
lucky enough to celebrate your birthday at camp, your
counselors will talk with you about how you want to
celebrate, including decorating the cabin, singing happy
birthday to you at dinner, and having a party. Your parents
can make arrangements to call you in the camp office and
also order a special birthday party for you through the
Canteen. We promise that every birthday you spend at
camp will be very memorable.

How do I send and get my mail?

Scattered around camp are blue mailboxes
where you can drop off your letters. Staff will
bring the mail into town to have it sent out

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every day. We get tons of mail delivered to camp every
day. We also receive faxes and emails for campers too.
We sort all these letters and put them in special bins for
your village. Each afternoon your village leader will pick
up your bin and deliver it to the village for mail delivery.
In general, campers are only allowed to receive two
packages from home. We’ve sent a lot of information to
your parents about the package rules. If your parents have
questions about this policy, they should contact us.

What special words are used at Chi?

There are just so many… here’s a sampling of some of the lingo:
Blass Lake The lake that camp is located on
Boker-Tov Hebrew for good morning
Cabin Time Activity period during the day where campers
and counselors participate in camp activities
together.
Canteen Store featuring snacks, CHI-GEAR, postage,
stationary, etc.
Chi Burning The closing program on the final night of camp
Chi Winkle A very old camp care taker who lives in the
woods at Chi. You’ll see him at Chi Burning.
Commons Area at camp with archery, hockey rink,
mountain biking, ga-ga, tetherball, and
basketball courts
Cove Location of waterfront and home of boating
program
Franteen Second canteen filled with snacks and drinks
located by the tennis courts
Laila Tov Hebrew for good night
Menucha Hebrew for rest time
Nikayon Cabin clean-up time
Specialty Choice activities that campers attend for 6 days
Village Age groups led by Village Leaders
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Look at all the fun you’ll have at JCC Camp Chi!