Directions for Moon Sand/Dust (Experiment #1)
Head here to watch the episode. 

1. Measure out 1 cup flour and 1/8 cup oil mix in bowl using a fork. This will take effort and patience.
TIPS: Use food coloring to make a different colored sand!

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Directions for Ice Cream (Experiment #2)
Head here to watch the episode. 

1. Fill gallon bag half way with ice, then mix in 6 tablespoons salt.
2. In bowl, mix up 1/2 cup of cream, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of sugar.
3. Dump mix into a smaller-sized bag. Make sure the bag is zipped tight!
4. Place the smaller bag inside ice bag and ensure it is fully submerged. Shake for 5 minutes. Use a towel to shake because it's cold!
5. Remove smaller bag (which will be your ice cream), rip open bag in bowl, spooning out mixture.
6. Enjoy!

Thanks for watching!

Directions for Making Popsicle Stick Catapults
Pre-work: You can paint the sticks but, you can also buy craft sticks that are already colored or just use plain craft sticks. 

Head here to watch the episode. 

1.  Make a stack of popsicle sticks and rubber band them together on each end.
2. Take two additional popsicle sticks and stack them together. Rubberband them together on just one end.
3. Pull the two popsicle sticks slightly apart and place the larger stack of popsicle sticks in between them.
4. Rubber band the stack of popsicle sticks to just the upper popsicle stick.
5. Rubber band a spoon to the upper popsicle stick.
6. Place a pom pom (or other small launch-able items) onto the spoon.
7. Hold the catapult with one hand, and use the other hand to pull the spoon down. Release the spoon to launch your pom pom!

TIPS: You can set up a tower of plastic cups to aim at, you can built a target, or even launch grapes into the air and into your mouth!

Thanks for watching!

Hello, PAL Followers - 

The Armada PAL Family always has the safety of our campers and their families at the forefront of what we do. Given the current environment and the temporary closing of the schools, we have decided to delay Camp Registration until May. Thank you for understanding and we thank you for your flexibility during this time. 
​
To combat the spread of COVID-19 in Michigan, Governor Whitmer signed the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive order. For at least the next three weeks, all Michigan businesses and operations must temporarily suspend in-person operations that are not necessary to sustain or protect life, and all Michiganders must stay in their homes unless they’re a part of that critical infrastructure workforce, engaged in an outdoor activity, or performing tasks necessary to the health and safety of themselves or their family, like going to the hospital or grocery store.

YOU CAN:
✅ Go to the grocery store or pick up take-out food.
✅ Go to the pharmacy to pick up a needed prescription.
✅ Engage in outdoor activities like walking, hiking, running, biking.
✅ Go to the hospital or secure any care necessary to address a medical emergency or to preserve your health or the health of a loved one.
✅ Fill your car with gas.
✅ Return to Michigan to a home or place of residence from outside the State.
✅ Leave the State for a home or residence elsewhere.
✅ Walk your pets and take them to the veterinarian for needed medical care.


YOU MAY NOT:
❌ Leave the home to work unless your employer designates you as a critical infrastructure worker.
❌ Participate in any public gatherings.
❌ Visit someone in the hospital, nursing home, or other residential care facilities (with limited exceptions).
❌ Go to the mall or to restaurants.

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
For those who have questions about the state’s actions to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, please call the COVID-19 Hotline at 1-888-535-6136 between 8AM - 5PM daily.

Remember, stay home, stay safe. Find creative ways to bring your loved ones closers, even though we have to be far away.

Sincerely,
Your PAL Family

Dear PAL Families,

Less than a week from today your child will be headed off to camp. As a result, you will receive an email from me each day with some reminders and tips. Be sure to check Facebook as well as our website under the Parent's Portal.

Several parents have emailed me regarding a change in their camper's medical needs. If your camper is on a new medication or no longer is taking medication that was written down on the Health History form, please be sure to stop at the Nurse's table and make any necessary adjustments on your campers medical form.

Remember, all medications must be in the original prescription bottle including over the counter medications. I recommend that all the medications go into a a Ziploc bag with your camper's first and last name, as well as their cabin. Campers may NOT keep their medications with them. 

As you prepare your child for camp, there are a couple of helpful suggestions:

1. Pack with your camper, not for them. It is important that your camper knows exactly what is in their suitcase. It also helps them when it is time to pack up for home.
2. Even though the mattresses are disinfected between camps, I recommend sending a twin sized fitted sheet for the mattress.
3. Make sure your camper's name is written large and dark with tape on their garbage bag holding their sleeping bag and pillow. Add something to the bag to make it stand out. Everyone packs their sleeping bags and pillows in black plastic garbage bags. That means there are 300 garbage bags on the lawn. 
4. Send an extra garbage bag for going home. (See above!) The original bag will most likely be pretty beat up. 
5. Definitely send bug repellent for mosquitoes and ticks. 
6. If you have a son and he uses AXE body products, remind him "less is more."
7. Keep expensive clothing and shoes at home. 
8. Our dress code is similar to that of school. Shorts do not have to be longer than a camper's finger tips, but they should not be too short either. Tank tops are allowed, but bra straps must not be shown. 
9. Campers may not go barefoot at camp. Flip flops for the beach area is recommended.
10. Pack more than one pillow case in the event one gets dirty.
11. For girls, pack more than one bra. If they get caught in the rain, it is nice to have a back up. 
12. A baseball hat comes in handy on really sunny days and sunblock is a must! 
13. If your camper enjoys swimming and you think they will spend a lot of time at the waterfront, send more than one swimsuit. This does not mean you need to buy an extra one. If your camper only has one swimsuit, that is fine. 
    
    

For more information, don't forget to check the Parent Portal on our website.

That's all for now. 

Shirley Frederick
Assistant Camp Director

Megan Weidner, Senior Counselor

Last week, 6 of our senior staff members chaperoned our 3rd annual leadership retreat. The leadership retreat is designed for our PAL Leadership Team (PLT). PLT is made up of high-school aged students who wish to continue to be involved with the PAL organization, however not yet old enough to be a camp counselor. 
This year, there were 15 PLT members that participated in the retreat weekend. 

During this 4-day retreat, they were tasked activities to help develop leadership:
​

• Create, organize and run a new camp game that can be played with 15-20 kids
• ​Counselor scenario game: the senior staff give PLT members scenarios of hardship as a counselor, and together they discuss possible resolutions
• An overnight camping trip in which they had to pitch their own tents and prepare their own food. 
  
  

Although the weekend was focused on growing leadership skills, the retreat also included many outdoor adventures and unique opportunities for this group:

• Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore Sand Dunes
• 2 mile tubing/float trip
• Zip-lining 

You can’t always take 15 high-school aged individuals of separate social groups and expect them to work as one cohesive group, but they did! It was rewarding to watch them use their imaginations and create brand new camp games and run them with only minor hiccups. Additionally, these kids love camp and it showed in their efforts to participate and willingness to reach outside their comfort zone to grow this weekend.

Hello, Camp Followers!

As we near camp, we've had some questions regarding waterfront activity and safety. We wanted to take an opportunity to run through it with you.

Swim Evaluation:

When kids arrive at camp, we review all of the waterfront information with each grade, including the activities available during free time as well as all safety information.  We then do a swim test, in groups of 5 campers, that include the following:

• Belly-Swimming - No Underwater Swimming
  • An evaluation if they can do a front crawl swim, a doggie paddle swim, and a breaststroke - for the distance of estimated 30 yards - without stopping or touching the bottom for assistance.
• Treading water for 90 seconds on their swim back to the shore

 
Lifeguards are in the water with each group as well as on the dock to assist if anyone needs to stop.
 
Outcomes: 

If a camper passes the test, they are a “blue” swimmer. 
If a camper either chooses to not take the swim test or does not make it through the swim test, they are a “red” swimmer. 
We are very upbeat, encouraging, and positive about the swim test, including anyone who does not make it through.
 
“Red” swimmers have use of the shallow area of the waterfront (with floats that kids love to use together for games and water toys), the water slide, and boats (with a blue swimmer).
“Blue” swimmers have use of above as well as a deeper swim area and the Blob (large inflatable that launches campers when another camper jumps onto it from an elevated platform).
 
As mentioned above, we make all campers feel positive about the waterfront regardless of swim ability and be sure to have activities available for everyone.

For any questions, please reach out!

Wendy Hahn
Waterfront Director

The Armada PAL Camp staff is excited that camp is just around the corner! So excited in fact, that a few staff members and their families headed up to camp a little early to get their hands dirty working on the Cody Lodge.

Last weekend, 5 of our volunteers (including Cody's family!) hung drywall, sanded window panes, and faced their fears of ladders! They also took some time to take a walk around the grounds to experience the beauty that nature has to offer. We are so proud of the work that all of our volunteers have done, building this lodge from the ground up,  and we cannot thank our volunteers enough for the countless hours of work they have put into this project. Cody will always hold a special place in our hearts, and this lodge is the essence of Cody.

We are so excited to share this Lodge with our 8th grade campers. Cody would be so proud! 

If you are interested in supporting The Cody Lodge through monetary donation or time - please reach out to myself or Vince DiGiorgio, digiorg8@gmail.com - as we lead the organization's philanthropic efforts. 

​Neva Kirksey
neva@armadapalcamp.org