YMCA Camp Ockanickon, Inc

The carrot, the egg, and the coffee bean

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling.

It seemed that, as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans.

She let them sit and boil, without saying a word. In about twenty minutes, she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me, what do you see?”

“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” the young woman replied. The mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, “What does it mean, mother?” Read the rest of this entry »

It’s cold, rainy and there’s even a little bit of snow on the ground right now at Camp Ockanickon…but we are already thinking about SUMMER! Lake Stockwell Day Camp has some pretty awesome things going on right now – even in the middle of January…..
We’re working on a new schedule for the summer, getting ready for our first Open House of the season (which is March 18th…come visit!), deciding where to put our BRAND NEW water park inflatable, picking out an awesome new playground and watching a sprinkler system go in at the Stockwell Landsports Field! Please stop by to see some of the amazing things we have going on at Camp
Be sure to bring your family and tell your friends about our Open Houses that are coming up on the following Sunday afternoons from 1 – 4 pm – We can wait to see you at Camp!

Open Houses – March 18th, April 15th, May 20th and June 3rd

I found this document in the Camp Archives many years ago.  I’d like to think I work pretty hard, but I don’t think I can hold a candle to some of the folks who came before me.  The brick monument at the top of the Ockanickon Bowl is dedicated to the gentleman described below.  I think we could all learn a thing or two from him.  Enjoy.

Raymond E. Bunning

Accomplishments Over the 40 Years of Service to Camp Ockanickon

1937-1978

Rebuilt and recanvassed approximately 30 canoes.

Designed and built 60 wooden rowboats.

Designed and Constructed:

                Cherokee Swimming Piers – Ockanickon

                Main Area Swimming Piers – Ockanickon

                Arched Bridge known as Rainbow Bridge – Ockanickon

                Chapel Island Bridge – Ockanickon

                Covered Bridge – Ockanickon

                Warehouse – Ockanickon

                Store – Ockanickon

                Shower House – Ockanickon

                “Bob Armando Memorial Shelter” – Ockanickon

                Swimming Piers – Matolly

                Senior Area Bridge – Matolly

                Kitchen – Matolly

                Store & Craft Shop – Matolly

                Nature Shelter – Matolly

                Paddle House – Matolly

                Entrance Signs for both camps

                All Directional Signs for both camps

                Boat Dumper for both camps

                30 Picnic Tables

                Put Roofs on 95 Buildings.

                Installed Inter-Camp Telephones, Poles, Lines, etc.

                Installed Many Septic Systems.

Designed and Supervised Construction of:

                Eleven (11) new 14’x18’ Tent Houses

                Eleven (11) all-masonry constructed Toilet Houses and Wash Houses

                Hockey Field at Matolly

                Tennis Courts at Matolly

                Basketball Court at Ockanickon

Supervised Construction of :

                Douglass Lodge

                Five (5) Dams

                Horse Stables

                Three 351’ Wells, Pumps, Tanks, Water Lines

                Fences at each Swimming Area

                All Rustic Fences in both camps

Supervised the Renovation of:

                Pomona Cabin

                Cherokee Lodge

                Ockanickon Dining Hall

                Ockanickon Headquarters

                Craft Shop, Ockanickon

                Robbin’s Roost Cabin, Ockanickon

                Dining Hall at Matolly

Moved All Cabins in Ockanickon Junior Area into Village Arrangement

Put Concrete Floor at Nature Cabin Porch

Built Seats at Matolly Bowl

Built Seats at Frank Ramsey Council Ring

Built Seats at Ockanickon Bowl

Built Stages at both camps

Rebuilt Benches in Chapels at both camps

Converted two clay Tennis Courts into Parking Area, Ockanickon

Converted two clay Tennis Courts into Baseball Field, Ockanickon

Constructed Road to Matolly Senior Area

Refinished Dining Hall Tables three (3) times

Reconstructed all Park Benches

Started Replacing Canvas Bunks with Herculite

Started Replacing Cotton Mattresses with Polyfoam

Comments from Ruth:

                Ray has been a fixer-upper of just about anything that got broken.  If a part was needed and could not be obtained, he’d do his darndest to make a replacement part from bits and pieces lurking in the crannies of the warehouse.  If a job needed to be done, no matter what “department” the responsibility lay, he would try to help and/or do it himself.  He has not shirked in any task.  “Clock-watching” is a word unknown to him excepting only when he is working against a deadline on getting a job done for Camp.  I am proud to be Ray’s wife.

Shared by Brent Birchler

Boys Camp Director

Camp friends come in all different sizes, colors and… species!

Meet Maggie (left) & Ruca (right)! Two lab neighbors & friends who live right here on camp!

Let’s get one thing straight.

You are not your hair – Frizzy, Smooth or Limp.  You are not your feet – Colossal, Average or Tiny.  You are not your thighs – Scrawny, Muscular, or Dimpled.  You are not your looks.

What you are is far more than the eye can see.  You are your culture.  You are your history.  You are your quirks.  You are your talents.  You are your goals and accomplishments.  You are your relationships.  You are your spirit.

And absolutely none of these things can be judged by a photograph.

                                                                                                                          ”DOVE”

The children at IME are keeping track of the kind things they’re doing for each other Can you go out of your way to do something nice for someone today?

How much fun was Colonial Cooking? We had a blast! The recipes turned out great. The groups I worked with last week made Pine Tree Schillings for my family and everyone enjoyed them so much. I’m surprised we had any left to take home as the kids ate a lot while they were here. It’s interesting that we are able to replicate the same recipes used by settlers hundreds of years ago, and find that people still use them today. Most of the students were already familiar with the recipes and the ingredients. I learned a great deal about the food and culture of the colonial time period and walked away with a greater appreciation for the people who lived and cooked as they settled this area years ago. Thanks goes out to all of the children from the Chairville Outdoor Club for making the experience AWESOME!

Rich

If you happen to find yourself at Camp this winter, you might notice something unusual about both of our lakes…..less water. I can assure you that there Read the rest of this entry »

If you happen to be in the north Jersey area tomorrow, please stop by an see Gab and me at the Grand Summit Hotel, in Summit, NJ from 1-3pm.  We’ll be there with many other camp directors talking to prospective campers and their families who are trying to choose a summer camp.  We’ll also be the only camp there roasting s’mores (stop by and see how)!  If you know of anyone in the area who may be interested in Camp, please tell them about tomorrow’s camp fair.  The Grand Summit is located at 570 Springfield Avenue, Summit, NJ, 07901?  Hope to see you there!

Brent Birchler

Boys Camp Director