Month: April 2020

Special Late Night Takeovers: Concerts & Bedtime Stories!

Posted on by Alec Amato
We are excited to announce that this week our Instagram LIVE Takeovers have a special theme…Late Night! Cozy up in your manitou sweats after a long day and get ready for evening concerts and bedtime stories at 8:00 PM EST from camp legends both past and present. It all kicks off tomorrow with a Saturday evening concert from Manitou rockstar Mike Plume. We hope to see everyone there so we can end our days together as a Manitou family with some much needed camp spirit!

#MANITOUMEATBALLS ARE HERE!
Everyone’s been asking for years and it’s finally time to reveal…Chef Will’s top secret Manitou Meatball recipe! You can now enjoy a camp classic from home. CLICK HERE for the full instructions and don’t forget to either use the hashtag #ManitouMeatballs or send us a photo when you make the recipe.

GIVE BACK THROUGH YOUR VIRTUAL PARTY WITH ECHOAGE

We are pleased to announce that ECHOage is now including virtual birthdays and events on their platform. We are proud to be part of ECHOAge with the Manitoucamp Foundation as a charity for giving back on special occasions. Now, more than ever before people want to turn tough times into positive action and supporting an important cause is easy through virtual celebrations!

WEEK 4: Our Virtual Programming Continues!

Posted on by Alec Amato
From baking and BBQs to workouts and “water sports” – Week 3 of our Instagram takeovers was another huge success at our new time of 5:00 PM EST. We know how important it is for us to connect as a Manitou family during these complex times and we hope you and your family continue to join us! Week 4 promises more familiar faces and exciting activities – you can check out the full schedule below. For the many of you who asked, the recipe for Reese’s Week 3 Meringues can be found HERE.

Our Manitou Alumni continue to innovate and impact during the current climate. Long time Manitou camper and Guitar staff Daniel Rotsztain was recently featured on CP24 after he found a clever new way to demonstrate just how difficult it is for pedestrians to follow social distancing rules while walking on Toronto streets. Daniel created a “social distancing machine” to show exactly how much space is needed to maintain two metres of distance from other people. CLICK HERE for the full articleOur Manitou Alumni continue to innovate and impact during the current climate. Long time Manitou camper and Guitar staff Daniel Rotsztain was recently featured on CP24 after he found a clever new way to demonstrate just how difficult it is for pedestrians to follow social distancing rules while walking on Toronto streets. Daniel created a “social distancing machine” to show exactly how much space is needed to maintain two metres of distance from other people. CLICK HERE for the full article!

We also want to thank everyone from our camp community for supporting long time Program Director and another Manitou Alumni Jay Wengle’s COVID-19 relief initiative. Through The STEAM Project, Jay and his team are creating face shields and are continuing to produce equipment to benefit Canadian healthcare professionals. They have just reached 70% of their goal and are continuing to accept donations.

We loved watching the many video submissions of campers tidying up their rooms for our Super Duper Clean Up Competition! We are excited to announce that Jayson Sone won the Morton’s steak dinner and Jonah Kaplun has won the ice cream sundae party – congratulations on your very creative videos. Please check out some of the highlights from their winning videos below!

OUR TAKEOVERS CONTINUE FOR WEEK 4!
We are looking forward to Week 4, which will be continuing at our new time of 5:00 PM EST (Toronto time). Join us on Camp Manitou’s Instagram LIVE stream with a Camp Celebrity for a fun activity for you, your friends and your family.

WEEK 3: Takeovers at a New Time & Manitou Cares Continues!

Posted on by Alec Amato
Amidst these unprecedented times, being able to connect each day as a camp community is impactful for us and hopefully for you as well! Week 2 included great activities like fort building, slime making and Zumba too. We are excited to announce that we will be continuing our daily Instagram LIVE takeovers for Week 3 at a new time – 5:00 PM EST! We hope all of you can join us! Also, we have loved seeing the 100+ photos posted online from our #ManitouFirstPhoto challenge – it’s not too late to join in the fun!
Long time Director Jay Wengle, now Director of The Steam Project, has turned his workshop into a PPE production facility. Jay and his team are creating face shields and ear savers to help with the discomfort of wearing PPE for hours on end. They are continuing to innovate and create other products to benefit the healthcare professionals who are saving lives and protecting Canadians. We encourage you to support his incredible cause and show that Manitou Cares – CLICK HERE to learn more!

We also want to thank everyone who supported Bag and Bougie‘s fundraiser benefitting Trillium Health & SickKids Hospital – they successfully reached their goal and will be providing 20,000 masks to healthcare workers in need.

Good news: We extended the deadline and you still have time to submit your video for our virtual super duper clean up competition! You have the chance to win a Morton’s steak dinner or an ice cream sundae party prize for your family! Make sure to submit your clean up videos by Sunday night by WeTransfer to Alec at alec@manitoucamp.com. If your file is bigger than 2GB, please get in touch with Alec and he can assist in the video transfer. Tune in to Mark and Jeff’s Instagram LIVE Takeover this Monday at 5:00 PM EST where the winners will be announced! Thank you for all the amazing submissions so far.

OUR TAKEOVERS CONTINUE AND MOVE TO A NEW TIME!
We are looking forward to Week 3 – every day at our new time of 5:00 PM EST (Toronto time). Join us on Camp Manitou’s Instagram LIVE stream with a Camp Celebrity for a fun activity for you, your friends and your family. Don’t forget to tune in on Monday for the announcement of our virtual clean up winners!

Virtual Programming Continues: Instagram LIVE Takeover, Super Duper Clean-Up & More!

Posted on by Sydney Wilson

Week 1 of our Instagram Takeovers has been a resounding success so far! Thank you to everyone who has tuned in at 4:00 PM EST – being able to have a way to connect with the camp community every day is so important during this time.

Please know if you are not able to join us at 4:00 PM, the Instagram livestreams are always available on the Camp Manitou account for 24 hours afterwards. We hope you’ve been enjoying our daily morning announcements from Head Counsellor Chris McKibbin on our Instagram Story too. If you haven’t seem them yet, you can check out our Instagram Takeover story highlights to catch up. Also, if you need a copy of the ‘Baking with Shelley’ recipe from yesterday’s takeover, click HERE – they’re delicious!

Due to the popularity and success of our Instagram Takeovers, we are keeping things going with Week 2 of fun activities and exciting guests for everyone!

INSTAGRAM LIVE TAKEOVER WITH CAMP CELEBRITIES

We are looking forward to Week 2 – every day at 4:00 PM EST (Toronto time). Join us on Camp Manitou’s Instagram LIVE stream with a Camp Celebrity for a fun activity for you, your friends and your family.

 

SUPER DUPER CLEAN-UP COMPETITION

Craving a Morton’s steak dinner or a fancy ice cream sundae party?! Well get ready for Camp Manitou’s Super Duper Clean-Up Competition! Just like any Thursday at camp, it’s time to start tidying up your bedroom and getting creative to show Mark and Jeff you know what it takes to win the ultimate prize. Grab your camera and take us on a virtual tour to capture all the most important details to be judged. In addition to the cleanliness, we all know there are bonus points for the presentation.

Once your video is ready, send it by WeTransfer to Alec at alec@manitoucamp.com. If your file is bigger than 2GB, please get in touch with Alec and he can assist in the video transfer. DEADLINE to submit is Wednesday, April 8th. Tune into Mark and Jeff’s Instagram LIVE Takeover this Thursday at 4:00 PM EST where the winners will be announced!

 

HOW TO TALK TO KIDS ABOUT COVID-19

While at home, we know you are juggling a lot as parents. These are stressful times with lots of big feelings – especially for kids. We know that children and youth cope better with stress when they have accurate information and the right tools. Below are a couple resources we have found that we hope are helpful during these times.

 

PODCAST

New York Times: The Daily

“A Kids’ Guide to Coronavirus“.

 

UPCOMING WEBINAR

Monday, April 6 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM: How to Talk with Kids About COVID-19 

Join grief therapists Nicola Elbro, Lisa Robinson and family physician Susan Woolhouse who will provide practical tips about self awareness when having difficult conversations, common roadblocks to communication, approaching the science of COVID-19 in a fun and kid-friendly way and how to stay connected when practicing physical distancing.

Join on ZOOM with information below: 

https://zoom.us/j/658004158

 

RESOURCE FROM MINISTRY OF HEALTH

Click HERE COVID-19 Fact Sheet: Talking to Children About the Pandemic

 

UPDATE FROM EVANGEL HALL MISSION

Last week we shared ways to help our community and organizations we partner with through our Manitou Cares Year-Round Initiatives. Our monthly sandwich making program has been put on hold due to public health precautions, meaning 200 less sandwiches for clients in need.

We received an update today from Evangel Hall that your support has made a difference. “Donors like you have stood with EHM throughout the decades, extending a helping hand to people in need. And, during this crisis, you are finding ways to help. You have sent financial gifts, Loblaw gift cards, beautiful pictures drawn by your children, and messages of encouragement. Each gesture of kindness is a spark of hope. Together, you are shining such a strong, gracious light that is reaching everyone EHM assists. Thank you for your support. Thank you for your care.” If you wish to continue to support this organization, please click HERE to find ways to give.