WOW! What a great trip! The Senior cabins were fortunate to have been able to go on a two day (one night) canoe trip in the Algonquin Highlands accompanied by Kinark staff. Campers experienced portaging (and for some this was their very first time!), living out of a dry sack, cooking over a fire, sleeping under the stars, cliff jumping, and spending quality time with their friends. We spent the first day paddling to our first portage (which was approximately 850 m), enjoyed a delicious pita lunch, and continued to paddle to our campsites. We enjoyed sharing meals together at the communal campsite and spent the evening swimming, talking, laughing, and most of all enjoying our surroundings and company. The next morning, we packed up our campsite and had breakfast all together before setting off. We continued on route to our final portage, which was about half the distance as the first, and continued to our pick up point. The campers really had an amazing time and, for many, it was the very first canoe trip for them! I am SO proud of each and every camper for working together collaboratively as a team to paddle, carry canoes and packs, help with cleaning dishes, and for successfully participating in such an amazing trip! I was so fortunate to have had the opportunity to share this experience with such great campers and volunteers. I hope that this is something that the Senior campers can continue to do and make it a Senior tradition. It truly provides a different kind of experience outside of the camp facility, provides campers with a meaningful experience that they may not have the opportunity to do at home, and above all creates even MORE great memories for them in their final years as a camper! Well done Seniors, we had a blast! Sonia Sugar Shack Volunteer (Senior girls) Winner of the Basketball Tickets I would like to say thanks for the tickets to the Raptors game on March 22 - it was a wonderful experience. Thanks again. Danneica
A TRIP TO THE IAFF BURN CAMP It was a sunny autumn day when Jackson and I boarded an airplane here in Toronto! Our next stop was the American city of Baltimore, as we were lucky enough to be asked to represent Camp BUCKO at the IAFF International Burn Camp in Washington DC! We were excited to meet campers and camp volunteers from all across Canada and the USA and see all the cool sights in and around Washington! We were treated like rock stars from the time we stepped off the plane in DC until the time we stepped on the plane back to Canada. Some of our highlights from our week long adventures are running the bases after the Washington Nationals beat the Milwaukee Brewers at Nationals Park, walking through the White House, touring many monuments and a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We toured the US naval academy, had a boat ride, ate piles of fresh crabs by the ocean and toured and visited many fire stations in the DC area. Our sleeping cabin had people from camps in Alabama, New Brunswick, Arizona, New York, Ohio and Texas. Jackson and I made lots of new friends and a lot of great memories of our week in the DC area. Jackson and I would like to thank Camp BUCKO for the amazing opportunity to be part of this special burn camp. We can t wait to see everyone at the amazing new Camp BUCKO site this August!! Stay well, Pat and Jackson Camper Exchange with Camp O-Ou-La Hello everyone! Ashley and I had a fantastic opportunity this past June to go Camp Oo-u-la in Atlanta Georgia with Wendy Miller our Camp BUCKO Admin Co-ordinator. We met a lot of new people who welcomed us into the Oo-U-la family. The food at Camp Oo-u-la was AMAZING! (Sorry Kinark ). We all had a terrific time at the prom where we made Banana boats and ate marshmallows when the prom ended I camped out under the Stars in a tent. Earlier in the week we went on limo rides through the town which was really cool, and also my first time in a limo! I had an amazing week with some amazing people and hope to save enough money to go back next year. Thank you Wendy and the Camp BUCKO family for the wonderful experience. Julia
Get Ready for Camp 2013 with the BUCKO Song!! You might get a few bites A rainy day too But here at B-U-C-K-O we ve got a plan for you A 1, 2! A 1,2,3,4! This is the camp The camp of your dreams We laugh and we play With our BUCKO family So just grab a friend And sing along This is the BUCKO song! This is the place we all belong! Its loads of fun No matter where you re from Stars shine bright and you can play in the sun Oh and swimming too Or you can try a canoe Beezer s corners always got a spot for you A 1,2,3,4! This is the camp The camp of your dreams We laugh and we play With our BUCKO family So just grab a friend And sing along This is the BUCKO song! This is the place we all belong!!! (Whistle or..) Da da da da da da da da da da da Da da da da da da da da da da 2,3,4! This is the camp The camp of your dreams We laugh and we play With our BUCKO family So just grab a friend And sing along This is the BUCKO song! This is the place we all belong!
This Year s Dance Theme is Dress to Impress Hello all Campers and Volunteers.. Looking to turn heads at the dance this year? Want to get the attention that you so deserve? Wondering how to have the best time ever at the dance? Well here's how you do it... DRESS TO IMPRESS!!!!!!! Justin Bieber has his hoodies and high top kicks,.. Lady Gaga, her signature shoes and outlandish dresses...katy Perry, studded gowns and knit jackets... James Bond, a classic black tuxedo and Taylor Swift, cute country dresses or chic glamorous gowns...whoever it is, they all like to DRESS TO IMPRESS...and now you can too!!!!! So whatever YOU think looks good, it's up to you!!! Whether you are in flip flops and shorts or in a tuxedo/suit/gown, they will all look amazing and because beauty is in the name of the beholder, whatever you think looks good...does look good!!!!! Dress how you feel, dress how you like, from casual to formal, it's up to you This year s dance promises to be amazing...with great music, a fabulous new venue, unbelievable dance moves and extra security to keep out unwanted paparazzi and TMZ reporters. Come on out in your "DRESS TO IMPRESS" outfits and show everybody the outfit that you like to wear!!!!! We know everybody will look spectacular in whatever outfit they choose. See you all soon!!! Special Thanks At the beginning of September, Branden, Bill and I had the privilege of traveling with some of the Camp BUCKO members to Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the annual World Burn Conference. We were involved with the young adult program specifically with the start of that being on a sailboat, drifting across Lake Tahoe, with about 40 more of our peers. We met a lot of other people our age from around the world with similar experiences to our own. We got to listen to some really inspirational people and hear their remarkable stories about both recovery and achievement. We made a ton of new friendships, had a wonderful experience and have a week full of memories that will last us a life time. Monica
As a new volunteer at camp BUCKO my immediate impression walking into the camp was what a unique environment this organization has created. I ve worked in camps before but I have never really experience the family environment Camp BUCKO promotes, it s hard to feel out of place. As we go through the volunteer training and prepare for the campers to arrive the excitement is palatable. I think the only think that matches the BUCKO staff s excitement is that of the campers as they run off the bus. A word of warning for the new volunteers, there are a few, actually a lot, of crazy traditions that will throw you off. The camp just forces you to go outside of your comfort zone but you have to in order to get the full BUCKO experience. It s funny what can become your new normal. I found myself waking up at 6 am for morning dip almost every day and tramping to breakfast freezing and smelling of lake water but loving every minute of it. The events and activities were amazing and you wish you could just stop time or at least slow it in order to not have the week end. As I got to know the campers I could really see how much this camp meant to them. This was a safe space where whatever issues they were currently dealing with could be forgotten at least for a week. As a burn survivor myself I never really had the opportunity to connect with kids who had undergone a similar experience. It was really interesting volunteering as an adult because I felt I could empathize with what many of our campers had gone through and was able to describe share my own experience. This is such a good experience for any burn survivor as it creates a supportive environment where you learn a lot about yourself. Katie What a Ball!!
BUCKO Family Camp, Fall 2012 In September Camp BUCKO once again held a Family Camp weekend for our Campers and Families. This year was our largest Family Camp we have ever had with approximately 90 participants!!!!! We were very happy and excited to see so many returning families, new families and families who are considering sending their "campers" to BUCKO for the first time. Everybody participated in and enjoyed the longest game of soccer baseball ever, as well as enjoying fishing, archery, rock climbing, high ropes, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, paddle boats and for a few brave souls...swimming!!!!!! As always there was plenty of laughter, fun, discovery, excitement and sharing of information amongst friends. On Sunday afternoon with a final salute to Kinark, our families and friends began to anticipate the new memories and stories that will begin this year with all of our friends from BUCKO at our new facility. Smiles and excitement were on every ones faces as thoughts of water skiing, horseback riding, sailing, go karting, zip lining and all the other regular BUCKO activities were already being anticipated and looked forward too!! Thank you to everybody who attended, we loved seeing everybody, returning families and new families alike!!! We look forward to seeing everybody once again at next year s Family Camp at our brand new home at Camp Kodiak. BUCKO Family Camp, Fall 2013 Family Camp this Year will be September 13 th, 14 th and 15th, 2013.
Camp Kodiak - 2013 The countdown is on Camp BUCKO 2013 is fast approaching. Planning is well underway, with many new and exciting activities, most of all our new camp location at Camp Kodiak. For one week Camp Kodiak will be transformed by the BUCKO magic. We will all get to experience new activities such as horseback riding, mountain boarding, water skiing and sailing just to name a few. Of course many of our old favorites will still be there, Beezer s Corner, Arts & Crafts, high ropes and canoeing. The very BEST part of changing locations is..all of YOU will be there! We will make new memories with old friends and new. Hurry up August! ON WATER Recreational Swimming Snorkeling Diving Water Polo Sailing Windsurfing Waterskiing Kneeboarding Wakeboarding Aquaplaning Canoeing Canoe Tripping Kayaking Paddle Boat Fishing
ON LAND! Horseback Riding Rock Climbing High Ropes Basketball Softball Soccer Football Volleyball Newcomb Floor Hockey Tennis Badminton Golf Archery Tetherball Hiking Table Tennis Frisbee Cross-Country Running Tree Identification Bird Identification Environmental Studies Outdoor Survival Skills Mini-golf