Do you live on Hillside?

YES: 47
 NO: 66

PACKING DAY

     OWL'S NEST - Today is Pack Day at Gwynn Valley. As you begin to pack up, please be sure and check all over camp for your belongings.
     Check in your bath house, under your bed, in your cubbie, in your bathroom, on your porch and everywhere!
     And please remember to thank your counselors!

FRIENDS IN MY CABIN

     UNDER THE HEMLOCKS - by Meg Millure, Age 7, Peter Pan - Some of the girls in my cabin helped me. Maybe not some, but all of the girls are nice!
     My cabin has 2 rooms. I'm in Peter Pan.
     I made 4 friends this summer. I'm not going to tell you who they are because I might hurt other feelings, so bye!

DRUMMING

     THE LODGE - article and artwork by Robert Wilkins, Age 8, Chipmunk Hut  - On Monday I went to drumming with Tambo and a few other people.
     We used oatmeal jar and sticks for drums. There still was some wheat pieces from the oatmeal we ate on Sunday.
     Even though we didn't make drums, I had a GREAT time. I would go there if I were you!

CLOSING DAY

     UNDER THE HEMLOCKS - by Robert Hart, Age 8, Chipmunk Hut - I bet you are going to be sad when we leave camp. We hope you come back next year.
     We will miss you very much. Remember Gwynn Valley!

A TAJAR BALL THANK YOU

     THE LODGE - Thanks to everyone who made the Tajar Ball such a fun time! Thanks to the Kitchen for the great cookout. Thanks to the friends of the Tajar who decorated the Green and the Dining Room.
     Many thanks to Frank for the dancing. And thanks to Megan, RB, Philipia and Cat for helping with the magic show. By the way, who was that Great Shazam, anyway?

THE LAKE

     THE LAKE - by Vanessa Wilkins, Age 9, Running River - If you've already been to the Lake then you know how cool it is.
     But if you haven't then you must be wanting to go real bad because its so cool!
     First of all, you can swim in the Lake and if you think that the fish in the Lake are scary, forget that thought. Everyone knows that you won't have fun until you get into the water!
     Then there is kayaking, yep, kayaking. Just think: you're paddling in a beautiful lake on a sunny day. And its NOT a dream!
     If you go to the Lake and have fun, then you're one of the coolest people on earth!

A WORD OF THANKS

     THE FRONT PORCH - by Vanessa Wilkins, Age 9, Running River - We need to thank the SIT's, the birds (even though it is crazy), but mostly we all need to thank the counselors!
     Thanks you, counselors and SITS's!

THE TAJAR CAN BE NICE

     THE FRONT PORCH - by Rebecca Brenner, Age 9, Meadowbrook - Do you know about what one girl got from the Tajar? She got a bag filled with goodies, a Gwynn Valley bag and more.
     She also got a note saying, "Have a nice summer and enjoy, Tajar." Her uncle knows the Tajar. That is so cool! The Tajar is not all tricks!

My Interview With The Bell
by Vanessa Wilkins, Age 9, Running River

ME: Hi, Mr. Bell, I'm Vanessa and I'm in such a happy mood. Are you in a happy mood, Mr. Bell?
MR. BELL: Ding.
ME: You are? Well, I'm happy because the sun is shining. Is that why your happy?
MR. BELL: Dong.
ME: No, it's not? Well, then why are you so happy?
MR. BELL: Ding, dong.
ME: You're happy because no one's ringing you? Don't you like it when people ring you?
MR. BELL: Dong!
ME: Ok, you don't. Well, at least you're in a cheerful mood now.
MR. BELL: Ding, dong.
ME: Yeah, I know, the Bell is too loud. I have to go now Mr. Bell. Thanks for the interview.
MR. BELL: Ding
ME: Good-bye to you, too!

Can't Stop
by Allison McAdams, Age 8, Connestee Cove

     You know the story about Duke and Conneste Cove. But if you thought it was finished, you were wrong.
     Because 2 nights ago he saw the ear muffs! So he chewed some of Park's hair! Park put Duke in her hands and them handed him to Jean.
     Jean caught him and said, "Why don't you go live in Raccoon Ridge's cabin?"
     "Fine," yelled Duke as he walked out the door.
     But when Raccoon Ridge started to wear ear muffs, Duke got angry so he kissed Cole Dulin's nose!
     Cole said, "Duke was kicked out so he went back to Connestee Cove!"
     No one wanted Duke to stay. Hannah talked us into it. But now we go to sleep before Duke so we at least can sleep.

Packing Up
by Flynn Bolick, Age 9, Possum Manor

Today, today,
   is the last day.

We've had a great time,
   It's been mighty fine!

We hope to see
   each other some time,
Bye, bye for now,
   We've had a great time.

Gwynn Valley
by Sally Swiatek, Age 8, Island Ford

Gwynn Valley is fun to stay at,
Hope you come again!
Rock climbing is fun,
go in the Lake to swim,
Hope you come again!

The 'Miss You' Poem
by Robert Hart, Age 8, Chipmunk Hut

We will miss you very much,
   your counselors will be in tears.
The people at your table will be sad,
   and Grant will be saying they'll be mad.

He will be in tears,
But your parents will take you home!

     Things are a little different here at Gwynn Valley. We don't have time to watch television and there is so much good food we don't have snacks. Except for Duke.
     Oh, in case you don't know, Duke is my pet mouse. He eats in the Dining Room, just like everybody else, so there is plenty of food for him.
     Well, the other day I heard he got in some trouble. It seems that Duke got some gum. Now, he knew he wasn't suppose to chew gum because gum is not safe for a mouse.
     Yep, Duke had too much gum in his mouth and he couldn't chew it. Really. The more he tried to chew the gum, the worse it got until he had a piece of gum as big as his head.
     That's when he got stuck in his own gum. Yuck. All that mouse hair was covered in gum and Duke was stuck to one of the chairs in the Living Room.
     Now the way I got this story, and I may have it wrong, is that Kath, the Head Lifeguard from the Swimming Pool, sat on Duke and my pet mouse was stuck to her back. Of course when she got up, Duke got up because the gum was so sticky. When she went swimming, Duke went swimming, too. And when Kath finally went to Lunch, Jason from Raine's Cove noticed my little buddy stuck to Kath's back.
     Oh, they had quite a time getting him off and Kath was not too please with Duke. She told him to have no more gum and that was the final word.
     Chocolate, on the other hand, was a different matter. Maybe if he shared, it would be all right.
     And that's the way it is with Duke.