Camp Arbolado Alumni Association (CAAA) 2019 look aheadcamparboladoalumni.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Camp-Arbolado-Alumni-Association...Campership Team – Solicits and screens

CAMP ARBOLADO ALUMNI ASSOCIATION (CAAA) 2019 LOOK AHEAD

TOPICS

CAAA – Introduction CAAA – What We Do CAAA Teams Ongoing Projects Special Projects Social Events

CAAA – INTRODUCTION

Mission Statement The mission of the CAAA is to serve YMCA Camp Arbolado, its youth, families and

alumni within a framework of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility

Who Are We? The CAAA is composed of volunteers who have currently or at one time been

involved with Camp Arbolado as a camper, counselor in training, camp session directing staff, YMCA of Greater Whittier employee, Camp Committee member, or visitor. Our passion is camp and the youth and adults it serves.

CAAA – WHAT WE DO

Provide a support network for Camp Arbolado campers, staff and alumni Foster unity, camaraderie, identity, and continuity among Camp Arbolado

campers, staff and alumni Perpetuate and preserve the customs and history of Camp Arbolado Enable families of reduced financial circumstances to send their children to

camp Sustain and improve camp facilities and programs Provide a volunteer human capital resource

CAAA TEAMS

Campership Team – Solicits and screens eligible children to receive campership financial support and helps determine disbursement of campership funds

Camp Historical Team – Preserves Camp Arbolado history

Communications Team – The Association’s communication hub and newsletter publisher

Program Team – Proposes, plans and implements events and service projects and serves as a camp program resource

ONGOING PROJECTS – PLAQUE PRESERVATION

Began in 1932, groups paint wooden plaques with designs that reflect the theme of the camp session, the group identity, or their favorite memories. Thus, they are a precious living record of Camp Arbolado’s history. Alumni preserve this history by sealing each plaque with a

clear coating, photographing them, recording information such as camper names, cabin number, theme, etc., and publishing a camp plaque history book and data base

In addition, alumni designed a mounting system that provides proper mechanical support so that the plaques do not crack and can be taken down and assembled quickly when camp has to be evacuated

ONGOING PROJECTS – RALPH’S CORNER

Dedicated to Ralph Botti, the back wall of Lions Lodge contains various artifacts and descriptions of camp history

Alumni preserve, mount and develop displays to exhibit these mementoes

ONGOING PROJECTS – INTERVIEWING ALUMNI

To capture and preserve living memories of camp experiences, alumni are interviewed and recorded Alumni interviewed to date: Conley Davies, Ralph Botti,

Don Jenkins, Alice Rosenberger, and Bill Rosenberger

Additional alumni planned for 2019: Ed Saunders, Vicki Schramm, Suman Rana

ONGOING PROJECTS – WHITE RAGGER SOCIETY

A special plaque has been made in which the name of each Ragger who has received his/her White Rag at Camp Arbolado is permanently recorded

The plaque is displayed at Ralph’s Corner New names are added as a Ragger accepts the

challenge of the White Rag and receives it at Camp Arbolado

Alumni maintain and upkeep the plaque The White Raggers listed on the plaque are members of the

White Raggers Society

ONGOING PROJECTS – ALUMNI RAG

Alumni developed a special camp Rag for those who are Raggers

Alumni purchase the blank rags and silk screen the CAAA logo onto them

ONGOING PROJECTS – LAPEL PINS

In 2016, alumni began a new camp tradition that has become very popular Lapel pins are designed for each Whittier

camp session, reflecting the theme of the session whenever possible

The produced pins are given to the camp directing staff and counselors (for Winter sessions, pins are also given to campers)

Only a certain number of pins are produced for each session, thus making them a collector’s item

ONGOING PROJECTS – SESSION PROGRAMS

Alumni directly support various camp programs through financial and material donations, labor and subject matter expertise, and conducting activities as part of the camp session directing staff

Programs include: Science

Mountain bikes

Swimming

Facility improvements

ONGOING PROJECTS – WORK WEEKENDS

Alumni participate in work weekends throughout the year to prepare camp for upcoming sessions and repair and upkeep facilities

ONGOING PROJECTS – CAMPERSHIPS

Alumni participate in and support the Whittier YMCA yearly capital campaign to help generate funds for Camp Arbolado, including camperships to be able to send children to camp from families of reduced financial means

ONGOING PROJECTS – SOCIAL MEDIA

Camp alumni encouraged the Whittier YMCA to establish a web site Alumni working with YMCA staff to incorporate needed tools,

resources, and content for campers, volunteer staff and alumni

www.camparboladoalumni.com website created to augment Whittier YMCA website until information transition completed

Alumni develop and maintain various Camp Arboladorelated social media sites: A private and public Camp Arbolodo Google Drive folder

Various Camp Arbolodo alumni Facebook sites

SPECIAL PROJECTS – CAMP HISTORY BOOK

Whittier YMCA resident camping actually began before Camp Arbolado came into existence First residence camp was at Big Tujunga Canyon in the San Gabriel Mountains, which ran

from the early to the mid 1920’s

A severe drought in 1925 force the YMCA to find another resident camp location

A site at the current Highway 38 Barton Flats Ranger station was chosen and the camp was renamed Arbolado, a Spanish word for “wooded area”

In 1932, Camp Arbolado moved to its current location

Alumni are developing and producing a detailed book capturing the rich history of Whittier YMCA resident camping, including the Camp Tujunga years

SPECIAL PROJECTS – SANTA ANA RIVER RAGGERS’ POINT RESTORATION

In 2016, a new Camp Arbolado Ragger tradition was born and has become very popular with the campers The Santa Ana River overnight hiking trip culminates at a old,

abandoned YMCA camp next to the Santa Ana River

A Ragger’s Point is at the camp and campers who are eligible to receive their Blue Rag do so during an evening ceremony held at this site

Work is needed to restore the Santa Ana River camp Raggers’ Point to its proper condition and maintain it

SPECIAL PROJECTS – CAMP STORE

Plans are underway to develop an online Whittier YMCA store which will offer Camp Arbolado related objects for sale Alumni have special resources, skills, and equipment to make unique

camp themed items, such as etched glassware, jewelry, custom silk screened items, and various “crafty” objects which the store can in turn sell

SPECIAL PROJECTS – THE RAG PROGRAM AT CAMP ARBOLADO

Ongoing work Alumni enhanced all Ragger study guides and ceremony books

several years ago and print a supply for each camp session Alumni developed the Arrowhead Leather, which bridges the

Leather and Ragger program and is intended for campers who are not yet 12 years of age but have achieved the Triangle, Square and Circle Leathers. It is unique to Camp Arbolado.

Solar lights have been added to the trail entering Raggers’ Point at Camp Arbolado

Alumni maintain Raggers’ Point physical grounds at Camp Arbolado

Additional improvements being planned include: Solar powered mini lights to outline the stone emblem for night

ceremonies at Camp Arbolado Installing a box protected from the outdoor elements where visitors

can share Ragger memories via written media at Camp Arbolado

SPECIAL PROJECTS – CAMP MULTIMEDIA

Whittier YMCA resident camp history, including Camp Tujunga and Camp Arbolado spans almost a century (98 years to be exact)

The amount of multimedia (printed documents, photos, videos, etc.) generated from this long history is enormous

Much of the early historical records and knowledge is in danger of being lost forever No single depository or group established to preserve and protect this history Growing size of each multimedia file presents special challenges Data needs to be accessible by alumni, campers, and Whittier YMCA camp

volunteers and paid staff

Alumni working with Whittier YMCA staff to establish a system and methodology to preserve this history in a centrally controllable location incorporating “need to know” accessibility

SOCIAL EVENTS

In order to plan meaningful activities and provide sufficient lead time for alumni to be able to schedule these activities in their busy lives, the alumni association governing body meets at the end of each year to gather alumni inputs and plan the next calendar year The alumni association governing body is

composed of alumni from across multiple generations, camp staff and Whittier YMCA camp executives

Additional governing body members are being sought outside of Camp Committee, camp directors, YMCA Board, and Whittier YMCA employee personnel

POCS

For additional info about the CAAA, including projects, events, and opportunities to participate, contact: Tim Tenopir, (805)760-2771, [email protected]

Suman Rana, (909)645-9187, [email protected]