Tips from Tori ~ "Closing Ceremony, Lost & Found, and Camper Photos!"

As session 5 is quickly coming to an end...don't forget to get an early start on Saturday morning for some Yummy Coffee Cake and a  good seat for Closing Ceremony, check the Lost and Found for any items left behind, (oh and pick up and medicine your camper took throughout the week) and you must go by the Corner Store and  purchase photos of your camper for LASTING MEMORIES :)!!! 

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 Closing Ceremony!

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The Summer Camp Closing Ceremony is especially designed for you and your family. The counselors will honor your camper and speak of the character qualities they saw in your camper during the week. A video of your child’s week at camp will also be shown. We hope you will attend! Gates will open at 8:30am.  
Closing Ceremony will begin at 9:30am for Sky 1&2.
Closing Ceremony will begin at 10:30am for Sky 3&4.

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 Lost and Found!

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Please check the Lost and Found table before leaving on Saturday. If you realize your camper did not make it home with an item, please call the Lost and Found Hotline at 877-215-7713 and leave a message describing the missing item(s). Claimed items will be returned C.O.D. Items will be held for one week. Unclaimed items will be donated to charity. Please label all items and make sure that you have all of your camper’s belongings before you leave. Please note that Sky Ranch cannot be responsible for lost or broken articles.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Photos of Your Camper! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Camper Parent, My name is Kristen Love, and I'm thrilled to be working at Sky Ranch this summer inthe Audio/Visual Department.  I am originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina, and I have an Associate's Degree in Applied Science/Photography from Trident Technical College in Charleston, South Carolina.  This is my third summer to serve at Sky Ranch, and this year it's my job to take photos of each and every one of your amazing kids.  I've been able to capture some awesome shots of your camper, and hope you'll take the time to stop by the Corner Store to check them out!  Each camper will have an individual photo, as well as a group shot with their entire cabin...just one more way to make the memories of Sky Ranch 2011 last forever!  All photos will be available for you to view when you head out here on Saturday to pick up your camper!

Sky Ranch Welcomes the White Family!!!

Sky Ranch Welcomes the White Family!!! 

What a joy it was to watch the Whites unload and go through the entire process of seeing their girls Sofie and Steffa enter Morph and Quest for the first time!  

Their SMILES were PRICELESS!!!  

The parents that have come to Sky Ranch before know the routine and walk in with a little different swagger, a swifter walk than others, yet they have the same smiles and excitement as 

FIRST TIME parents! 

I love how First Time Sky Ranch Parents will take a little more time with their camper, 

and as seen here in the picture where Mr. White got involved making the top bunk! 

The Whites also wanted a full tour of the camp to feel comfortable leaving girls for the first time...

and that they got!  

Please let us know how we can accommodate you if you would like to tour Sky Ranch too!

You Still Have Time To Sign Up Your Child For Camp This Summer...

Sky Ranch is more than a week of excessive fun. It's one activity this summer that may have an eternal impact on your child's life. Our program is designed to help campers realize their value in Christ. They are built up by camp counselors who continuously affirm them with their words and actions. They learn confidence with activities that are not only fun but also teach solid values. They discover Jesus through a Biblical curriculum and staff members who are called to ministry. For campers, the effects of summer camp are a better picture of how much God loves them, a real depiction of Christianity, and life-lessons of true servant leadership!

Sky Ranch Family Camp ~ Apple Cinnamon Muffins!

Sky Ranch Family Camp ~ Apple Cinnamon Muffins!

UnFortunately for my waistline, Family Camp makes incredible baked goods! We were in apple-cinnamon heaven. Big chunks of fresh apple rested inside the muffin, surrounded by warm, fluffy cinnamon-sugar dough! 

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 1/2 cups chopped, peeled tart apples

TOPPING:

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons cold butter or margarine

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, beat the eggs, sour cream and butter. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in apples.

Spray paper muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray and fill cups to the top.

For topping, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle a rounded teaspoonful over each muffin.

Bake for 20-23 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Serve warm.

Tips from Tori ~ "Show Your Sky Spirit and Decorate Your Car!"

Do you like homemade cookies (and who doesn't?)  Well, if you'll take some time and decorate your car for the trip to Sky Ranch we'll reward you with some of the most delicious Sky Ranch Ranger Dan cookies you'll ever taste.

Show your Sky Pride and tell everyone on the road how excited you are to be coming to Sky Ranch for an incredible week of fun and faith.  Your decorations can simply be the words "Sky Ranch" on your windows, or you can use your creativity and go wild!  You can find window markers and the new window "crayons" at your local arts and crafts store, such as Michael's, Hobby Lobby, JoAnn's, or the craft section of some Targets and WalMarts.  This year's theme is "Panorama...Can You See It".  Balloons, streamers, window decals...add your camper's cabin name and years at Sky Ranch...have fun together getting ready to hit the road!

What to Expect When Your Arrive!

Our goal is to make check-in smooth and hassle free for campers and parents. 

• When you arrive at Sky Ranch  you will be directed to parking.  From there, a shuttle will take you and your luggage to your cabin.
• At the cabin, please take time to meet your child's counselors, ask any questions, help your child get settled in and say "bye" for the week.
• When you are ready, please take the shuttle to the Legacy Center.  There you can turn in medications and speak with the nurses, make any last minute additions (paint ball, horses, etc.) to your child's schedule and check your account balances.
• First time camper parents can watch the Parent Orientation Video while in Legacy, to help answer any questions or concerns you may have. There will also be members of the Summer Camp team on hand.
• When you are ready, one of our shuttles will take you back to your car.  Have a safe drive home - we'll look forward to seeing you the following Saturday.

We're just thrilled that in just a few days you'll be entering the gates of Sky Ranch - and a week later your child will leave with a lifetime of memories.

If you have any last minute questions, please see the information articles atwww.skyranchinfo.com, or stop by the Legacy Center building when you arrive at camp.

Looking forward to Sunday with great anticipation!

The Entire Sky Ranch Family

Tori Miller

SkyMoms Ministry Director

Sky Ranch Family Camp ~ Cowboy Pie!

Guess where my family has been all week?...Yep, you are right!  Sky Ranch Family Camp, in Ute Trail, Colorado. Sky Ranch at Ute Trail is a Christian non-denominational camp located in The San Juan Range of the Rocky Mountains in Southwestern Colorado. The camp is 43 miles south of Gunnison, Colorado on State Highway 149. 


It is A life-changing, family-building experience made so that your family will have TONS of INTENTIONAL MOMENTS together from devotions, to activities, to 3 meals a day around a table (who does that anymore :), it is a vacation that will compare to no other family experience!

And of course the food is exceptional so I just had to share this recipe with you today...

Sky Ranch Family Camp ~ Cowboy Pie!

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

0.25 pound butter melted

2 eggs beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 pinch salt

1 unbaked pie shell

Mix sugar, four, and salt with fork.  And melted butter, eggs, vanilla and blend well. Fold in   chocolate chips. Pour into pie shell and bake at 325 for 40- 45 minutes.  Very rich!  Yummy!  Sure is good next day warmed back up... I should know :)!

Let me know how your family likes the Cowboy Pie!

Tori Miller~Sky Ranch SkyMoms Ministry Director

Tips from Tori ~ "Don't forget to Pick up Medications At Closing Ceremony Saturday Morning!!"

Of course you remembered to bring your camper his or her medications...but many Parents sometimes FORGET to pick back up the medications.

So, we have conveniently stationed the tables right outside Pouge at 

Closing Ceremonies on Saturdays for easy pick-up!

Medications

All medications are required to be in their original packaging and must be checked into the Site Manager upon arrival to camp.  If your child is taking medication and is not travelling to camp with you, you must complete a Medication Instruction Sheet and send with your child's medication.  Medical instruction forms are available at www.SkyRanch.org/healthforms.

Lisa Life Lesson ~"Oops, I did it again..."

"Oops, I did it again..."

Do you ever lay your head down at night and think to yourself, "Well, that was a stellar performance today, Mom!"  Do you ever need a do-over?  I do.  Many days.

Don't forget that our God is a God of second chances.  Confess, repent and move on.  And then, never miss an opportunity to look your kids eye to eye and admit you've messed up.  They know it already, as does God.  When our children see we're still a work in progress, it makes us more approachable and it proves that God is always at work and faithful.   

Start your day off right with prayer and God's word.  It will set your pace for the day.  You will benefit, as will your kiddos!

Make it a summer to remember! 

Tips from Tori ~ "Contacting Your Camper at Camp Using Mail, Email and staying Current using Twitter!"

Moms, your sons or daughters would love to receive a letter or an email delivered to them throughout the week!  I promise this is a highlight that they look forward to! 

You can also get the latest camp news by following SkyRanchSummer on Twitter!

Contacting Your Camper at Camp Using Mail, Email and staying Current using Twitter!

Contacting Your Camper


If an emergency arises you can call our office 24 hours a day and one of our staff will assist you. If your camper needs to contact you we will facilitate that as well. The after-hours emergency number is 903-266-3399.

“I know my child is doing great, it’s me that is lonely!” We understand...here’s a tip - send an e-mail or letter to your camper. The address for all regular mail correspondence is

Camper’s Name and Session Number
Camper’s Cabin Number
24657 CR 448
Van, TX 75790

Sending Emails to Your Camper
We enlist a third-party provider to process our e-mails (hundreds per day) and kids love it! Your color e-mail will be delivered directly to your camper with the daily mail call. This service is optional and will incur an additional fee from the provider. More information will be provided at Check-In or you may visit HUwww.SkyRanch.org/emailsUH for complete details.

Keeping Current with Twitter
Get the latest camp news by following SkyRanchSummer on Twitter. We’ll be “tweeting” throughout the day. If you think it would be fun to hear little bits of detail from daily camp life as a way to “follow” your child’s week, then this is for you.  We will not use camper names or personal information in our “tweets,” rather we will be trying to capture something from every cabin each day. However, for privacy purposes, we will not use individual camper names.

If your campers want to keep up with camp life after their week of camp, they may want to follow other sessions from your twitter site! However, the only non-camper information coming through twitter will be concerning Saturday pick up instructions, pre-registration instructions, or emergency information concerning camp.

Getting Started with Twitter

It’s simple to get started on twitter. You just need a personal computer connected to the internet. Follow these simple steps and you’ll be “tweeting” in no time!
1) Go to HUwww.twitter.comUH.
2) Set up your personal twitter account by clicking on “Get Started Now” button.
3) Enter your information.
4) Skip the “friends on twitter” step.
5) Skip the “Look who is here” step. Be sure to clear all checks from list of suggested twitter users to follow.
6) Click Finish. Your account is set up!
7) Now, click on the “Find People” button in top right corner.
8) Search for “SkyRanchSummer”.
9) Click on the “Follow” button.
10) Now, click on the “Home” button. This will take you to the page where your updates will appear throughout the week. You can leave it up on your computer and follow as they appear or check in periodically.
11) Explore the Twitter site for more options. You can set it up so that you receive twitter messages on your cell phones.
12) Tip: We encourage you to click on the “Settings” button. And choose to receive “no @ replies”. Otherwise if anyone else chooses to respond to SkyRanchSummer, you will receive it as well.
13) Finally, while you can reply to SkyRanchSummer through Twitter, please know that this is a one-way form of communication. There will be no response. If you need to contact camp for any reason, please call Guest Registrations at 903-266-3300.

We hope you enjoy your updates and we appreciate your patience as we work with this new technology. 


Tori Miller
~Sky Ranch SkyMom Ministry Director

Tips from Tori ~ "Mail from Home to your Camper... Top Question's"

• What do I send to my camper at camp?
  (See suggested List of many ideas, listed below)
  
  
  Do I actually mail (using stamps) my care packages?
  You can but I suggest, NOOOO!!!! and let us deliver for you!
  Bring all your care packages to camp marked with your campers name, cabin and date you want delivered and we will deliver for you!!
  
  Does Sky Ranch have Care Packages already made up and I do not have to go shopping myself?
  YES!!!
  Let us do the work for you.....
  
  
  
  
  
  

   SkyPacks provide a great way for parents to send a mid-week "Care Package" to their camper. Filled with fun toys and memorable items, these packs will be a big hit when they are delivered right to your camper's cabin.

  

  
  

  
  
  • Mail from Home/“Care packages” are boxes or envelopes of goodies (toys, clothes, magazines, etc.) that families send/or bring to camp that we "mail" for you to campers.  Kids feel really special when they get mail! 
  
  
  • Size.  The package should be reasonable in size.  Sending or bringing a refrigerator-sized crate of treats is going to be expensive for you and embarrassing for your child.  Keep the size reasonable, about the size of a shoe box.  Kids should not expect to receive large, costly items at camp.  The point is not to spoil them, it’s simply to say “I love you and I’m thinking about you.” :).
  
  
  • Food/Perishables  Be careful that it will not melt, or spill.  Power bars, Granola bars, Gatorade Instant Mix Packs to add to water bottles. Also, make sure items are in resealable containers.  Snack sized portions seem to work the best!
     
  • Games/Books/Toys.  Games, toys, and reading material are excellent additions to any care package.  Include some things that your child can share with his fellow campers.  For example, you might send:
    
    • miniature board games, like checkers or chess
    • Frisbees® and other sorts of flying disks
    • magazines
    • bean bag balls, such as Hackey Sacks®
    • playing cards
    • Uno® and other sorts of card games
    • Nerf® balls and other sorts of sponge balls
    • MadLibs® and other sorts of word games
    • "stocking stuffers"!!!!
    • a small stuffed animal
    • markers and paper for drawing
    • a disposable camera
    • a novel
    • origami paper and instructions
    • a T-shirt
    • a puzzle
    • a baseball cap
    • a blank scrapbook or journal to start at camp
    • photos of the family and photos of the family pets
    • Glitter/gel
    • bubbles/side walk chalk
    • streamers
    • 
      
    
    
    
  • Sky Ranch Care Packages.  Let us do the work for you, 
    
    
    SkyPacks
    SkyPacks provide a great way for parents to send a mid-week "Care Package" to their camper. Filled with fun toys and memorable items, these packs will be a big hit when they are delivered right to your camper's cabin.
    
    

  • Select SkyPacks (check as many as desired)$29 - Coed SkyPack for girls and boys in Sky 1-2 $29 - Older Girls SkyPack for girls in Sky 3-4 $29 - Older Boys SkyPack for boys in Sky 3-4 $29 - Mission Impossible for boys and girls in Sky 3-4 $45 - Camp Rocks Deluxe Pack for all camper
    SnackPacks SnackPacks are stuffed with fun and filling snacks for your camp. Each pack will last a couple of days or provide snacks for your camper and friends. Select SnackPacks (check as many as desired)$17 - Monday SnackPack - Sweet, Salty 'n' Sour Snack Pack $17 - Tuesday SnackPack - Healthy Option $17 - Wednesday SnackPack - Sweet, Salty 'n' Sour Snack Pack $17 - Thursday SnackPack - Healthy Option $17 - Friday SnackPack - Sweet, Salty 'n' Sour Snack Pack

    I hope I answered all your questions....do not hesitate to call or email me...if you have anymore questions :)!
    Tori Miller
    Sky Ranch SkyMom Ministry Director