Weave me the sunshine!

Hello readers!

Last night, I was standing backstage in the Ballibay theater, watching the lights shine on the animated faces of the 16 performers -- my wonderful cast -- as they walked onto the stage to begin a script-in-hand production of "where the sidewalk...begins" (a compilation of Shel Silverstein poetry and stories).  Before the show began, we fought the battle of ripped costumes, lost hairbrushes, missing scripts, and (totally justifiable) stage fright.  However, 25 minutes later, as the beaming children took their bows, I found myself backstage, tears streaming down my face.  I've done a lot of wonderful things 

in my life so far: visited foreign countries, gotten into the college of my choice with a full scholarship, and learned how to play musical instruments, but in my opinion there is no one thing that has ever brought me more pride than watching children perform at Camp Ballibay.

  When the youngest member of my cast (6 years old!) ran off stage and said, "I'm so proud of myself!  I did it!" the tears really started flowing.  Readers, you have amazing children who do amazing things on and off the stage.  Words cannot describe what a pleasure they are to work with.  The cast of "where the sidewalk...begins," the first campers to appear on the stage of the Ballibay Theater this summer, wowed us all last night!

More soon!

Elizabeth C.

Camp Blogger

Welcome back, readers!

Greetings from Camp Ballibay, where the four-week session of 2009 is now officially underway!  My name is Elizabeth, commonly referred to by campers and fellow counselors as "EC," and I will be blogging about Ballibay happenings this summer.  As a former camper (I attended Ballibay for six summers -- all of which were the best of my life) and a second-year staff member, I've spent eight years of my life examining and experiencing Ballibay from different angles.  I can't wait to share my observations with parents, friends, and former or prospective camp families. 

Campers have already experienced their first Ballibay production, the Staff Cabaret.  During first session, I will be house managing shows and it was incredible to stand backstage during the performance and witness the kind of cooperative magic that happens every day at Ballibay: while staff members sang and danced and played instruments (including quite the rock-star solo from our drum instructor), Ballibay campers ran the lighting board, acted as sound operator, and stage managed the entire production.  It was a beautiful collaboration by the staff and set the tone for four more weeks of performances.  

As of Tuesday morning, rehearsals, activities, and lessons began, kicking off the start of what looks like it's going to be an incredible summer.  Although we've been rained on countless times already (as I typed that sentence, the heavens literally just opened up...yet again!) nobody seems to be suffering from dampened spirits.  Hopefully, the next time you hear from me, campers will be playing in the pool, taking trail rides, and rehearsing on the Outdoor Platform!

Elizabeth C.

Camp Blogger

www.ballibay.com

so long, farewell...

Hello and farewell to everyone here at the wonderful world of Ballibay! We all had a fantastic summer here and will have memories to keep us laughing forever. We will cherish our new friends we have all made for a lifetime. Make sure to keep in touch with everyone (via e-mail, facebook, telephone, etc.) Come back next year and relive the amazing journey again and again.

your blogging duo,
Molly and Justin
Camp Counselors

Camp Ballibay

ps. Day by Day...

Friends, Cats, and good old Rock-N-Roll

So, it happened!! The rock concert of the year! We had 9 bands that did 2 or 3 songs each. The genres spanned from good to great to wonderful... according to Justin. To name a few, we had "Come Together" by the Beatles, "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath, and an original written by our own Claudia Allen called "Race the Clock." All bands did an absolutely fantastic job. It was a successful and rock-filled evening that campers and parents could enjoy together.

In other news, we are quickly approaching our last and final week of camp...:( Our rock intensive campers are already gone and the rest only have a short but eventful week filled with shows, lessons, and memorable times with friends. Camp is now thirty campers fewer, but we all still find a way to pack our schedules filled with fun. Enjoy the little time we have to together.

Peace
Molly and Justin (bff)

Camp Counselors

Camp Ballibay

ps. we have 3 new kittens named, Chauncy, Jesse and Elvis. They are cute.

Update: Check out Ballibay's Facebook page to watch Claudia and the band rehearse "Race the Clock."

Dancing in the rain....

We had a rain day here at Camp Ballibay yesterday, which should have been a terrible thing. However, everyone "saw the light, and saw it BRIGHT." We had the Bonfire last night and just as we finally got the fire going, the rain started and we had to run to the theatre and have the "bonfire" inside, set up by our talented staff. The acts were enjoyable, funny and entertaining, including songs, poems, and puppet shows.

So to make this a bit more sappy, we would love to talk about how the kids here always find the happiness in life. They have a way of making the most out of the smallest and simplest things, even if it is just finding a flower or learning how to say "flower" in sign language. Maybe it's just the confidence of singing a song or the joy of having it rain so you don't have to sleep outside for a camp out. All of these things can make at least one person smile.

All we can say is keep smiling and making others smile....because we are smiling here!!

Peace.

Molly and Justin

Camp Counselors

Camp Ballibay

New Session, New faces, New Sounds

Hello! This is Justin and Molly, your new Bloggers. Justin is our amazing piano player, and a very funny guy. Molly is a theatre director, and also designs all the costumes for the shows here at camp.

New Session...BOYS. For the first time at Ballibay, this session we have an equal amount of boys and girls, something that hasn't happened since the camp opened in the 1600's... *wink. The reason is mostly because of the amazing Rock Intensive program for these first 2 weeks. We, as staff members, are now craving the old musical theatre standards because of the abundance of "Rock-n-Roll" songs being heard 24 hours a day, coming from our very own Rock studios. Sometimes you can't tell if you're listening to our bands or the original recordings. In other areas, campers are signing up for Cabarets and open mic nights like crazy! These shows have been longer than they have ever been in the past because the kids are so enthusiastic about showing off their mad skills yo!! (Justin made a face at me!) Overall, the first week of this amazing session has been balli-rocktastic, (compliments from our very own John Jannone.)

On another note, we have to say goodbye to the amazing and very photorific Sasha Phyars-Burgess. She has been an amazing counselor and beloved friend. We will all miss her witty personality and snazzy dance moves here at camp. We wish you a fond farewell.

Peace!
Molly Miller and Justin Nellis

Camp Counselors

Camp Ballibay

Her Majesty's a Pretty Nice Girl But She Doesn't Have a Lot to Say...

You probably figured I'd title my final blog with a Beatles song (this is Ballibay after all) and "The End" just seemed too pedestrian. Any similarities between Her Majesty and Dottie are purely coincidental.

Burnt out colleagues back home ask why I would want to share any portion of my summer off with kids. I describe how last year the final Harry Potter book was released, and the Fed Ex truck arrived on the hill and about a hundred Amazon boxes were unloaded for a group of kids who looked like they'd just gotten front row tickets to the Stones. "How can you NOT want to be a part of something like that?" I countered. Ballibay is my reward for a year in the trenches...my dessert.

It would be self-indulgent to list everyone and everything I'll miss, like those Oscar acceptances speeches that everyone tunes out. And eventually I'd inventory the entire joint. What I'll miss is name-able but then again not. Other people throughout the year will high-five me but it won't be the same as when Sam or Aviva does it. Students at school will shoot me the devil horns rock salute but without Moose's sly grin I won't enjoy it as much. I'll see crazy hair but none of it will say "Stay Cool, American Girl" the way Jackie's does. No one, I mean, NO ONE will make me crazy while simultaneously inspiring me and making me miss my late mother the way Dottie does.

It has been my absolute pleasure and privilege to blog for you these past five weeks. The real world is calling and sometimes you can't let it go to voice mail. I will very nearly count the days until I'm inside the red barns again.

(As overheard at the end of the Let It Be album) "Thank you on behalf of the group and myself and I hope we passed the audition!"

Robert N., aka Fergie Ferg, soon to be once again just Mr. Naugle,
(Ex)Camp Nurse
funbobbymucha@hotmail.com