Alumni Camp 2025
I don’t think I’ve ever driven down South Waseosa Lake Road without feeling a mix of excitement, anticipation and nostalgia. It was no different as I made the pilgrimage to Camp Huronda this June for the annual Alumni Weekend.
Alumni Camp is open to anyone who has previously walked the cabin path – campers, staff, family members and friends who wish to once again experience the magic of camp. It is a perfect mix of organized and organic, with activities available throughout the day and evening, but with the opportunity to explore,mingle, and simply enjoy the space.
The first evening, we had a campfire around the Wishing Well. This year’s staff got the party started with several songs that are current favourites but were new to many of us. Then the alumni chimed in with some oldies before the bugs got the better of us, and we headed off to snack and bed.
On Saturday, there were a plethora of choices to make; a paddle to the Beaver Dam, archery, a hike on the Ridge, tie-dyeing, knot-tying, shelter-building, axe-throwing, rock-climbing, etc. You could try any activity you wanted or just chill with a friend. I did some knot-tying and some axe-throwing, but I also took the time to take a wander through camp and ended up at the re-built Lookout (formerly known as Chapel), which can now accommodate most of the camp in one of the most beautiful settings on the property.
After snack on Saturday afternoon, we all came together to form teams and held an auction to purchase materials for an egg drop. All five teams came up with very creative ways to cradle their eggs. But sadly, not one of them survived the drop from the high ropes course…
On Saturday night, there was another campfire, this time at the big steps looking over the lake. Alumni were invited to do songs or skits, and we certainly accepted the invitation! It was a lovely fire, with rowdy songs like Boa Constrictor and Mama Don’t Allow, and more mellow tunes that included a beautiful original by Margot Stothers. We finished with Taps around the fire.
Sunday morning offered more options, including canoeing, biking, archery, cargo net, and Camp Chronicles (current version of Chapel). One of the youngest participants at alumni weekend went to bikes for the morning and was thrilled to successfully ride a bike for the first time without training wheels!
I went to Lookout for a mellow morning of music which encouraged everyone to share a special song. It was a beautiful day, and we all appreciated the new benches to sit on!
After a final lunch of homemade pizza, it was time to pack up and say our goodbyes.
A special note to the kitchen staff who created wonderful meals and snacks and were so accommodating with anything that was needed: Camp food has never been so good!!
If fact, the whole weekend could not have been this successful without the leadership of the senior staff team. To a person, they are smart, talented, flexible, accommodating, and full of enthusiasm. They were gracious listening to our “back-in-our-day” stories and seemed genuinely interested in learning some camp history. However, I do not think it can be easy when the first group of the summer is a bunch of former campers and staff who think they know more about camp than they do!
As a former staff member myself (kitchen, counsellor, crafts lady, program director and camp director), I left feeling that this summer’s camp staff are every bit as wonderful as they were in years gone by. The campers are in good hands, and an amazing summer lies before them!
I had a wonderful weekend at Huronda, and I have the mosquito and black fly bites to prove it! It satisfied my soul to immerse myself in the friendships, shared memories, musical moments, laughter and joy that happen anytime my feet touch the shores of Lake Waseosa. We were a mixture of ages and generations, but we were instantly connected as friends through our shared love of all things Camp Huronda.
Join us at next year’s alumni camp – and come see what you’ve been missing!!!
