July 25, 2001

Children nuts for Acorn Camp

Teens offer activities for neighborhood kids

By Lisa Perkins
Herald staff writer
       "Mom, I'm bored," isn't something you're likely to hear from the lucky kids who attended Acorn Camp for two weeks this summer.
      Acorn Camp, the creation of Traverse City teenagers Carey Eichenlaub and Claire Otwell, gave a group of four to nine-year-old kids a place to have fun and learn a lot for the second summer in a row.
      "We've been planning this for years," said 14-year-old Eichenlaub. "I first got the idea when I was about seven. This is something that I have always wanted to do."
      Eichenlaub and Otwell invite children from their local neighborhood, most of whom they baby-sit for throughout the year, to attend Acorn Camp for the weeks prior to and following the National Cherry Festival.
      The days at Acorn Camp are full of activities like making pizza and strawberry milkshakes on "cooking day", creating guitars from shoe boxes on "music day" and singing or dancing for friends on the grand finale-"talent show day."
      "We plan for our events all year long, we are always looking for new craft ideas," said 15 year old Otwell.
      Four-year-old Ricky Bastien summed up they way campers felt about their activities: "I don't like it, I love it." Katy Jenkins, age nine, added "I came here last year and I really wanted to come again, I like celebrating all the holidays on "holiday day." We turned a Halloween jack-o-lantern into a Thanksgiving pumpkin pie!"
      Parents were just as happy to have their kids attend Acorn Camp.
      "I just think Acorn Camp is wonderful. I hope these girls have a career in the education system as a teacher or an administrator some day." said Lisa Taylor, mother of four-year-old Ellie Taylor.
      "This is so much better than just having a baby-sitter. Ellie comes home having learned new songs and dances, she has learned about the seasons and holidays. It is a great enriching way to be taken care of. They are pretty great kids."
      Ellie, along with her fellow campers, will let you know just how they feel about Acorn Camp when they break into a rousing edition of their theme song:
      Acorn Camp is the coolest of all,
      And I'm so glad I'm here and not at the mall.
      I am here to make a new friend.
      We will be buddies to the end!
      ACORN CAMP IS GREAT!