Volunteering in the Community

It was great to see some Diamond Ridge and Sesame/Rockwood campers and staff yesterday volunteering their time at the JRA Food Distribution. Everyone helped pack and deliver over 800 boxes of food that went to needy families throughout the Delaware Valley. If you are doing something special in your community, let us know by posting it on this Fan Page or send us an email at campernews@diamondridgecamps.com.

Uncle Steven

We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the Camp Reunion on Sunday. Call the Camp Office right away if you still need to RSVP.

Join our Staff in 2010

Join the premier summer camp in Bucks County at Diamond Ridge Camps. We are now accepting applications for the following positions

1. Athletic Coaches - Basketball, Football, Tennis, Baseball, Street Hockey and Soccer

2. Pool Staff - Certified Lifeguards and WSIs

3. Outdoors Staff - ropes course facilitators and boating specialists

4. Arts Teachers - Sculpture, Woodworking, Digital Photography, Culinary Arts and Theater

Go to our website for a staff application

Rock Ridge Cup Games

Thursday was start of the 2009 Rock Ridge Cup Games with competitions in Co-ed Soccer and Boys Softball. The Rock Ridge Cup Games are a best-of-five series against our sister camp, Sesame/Rockwood in Blue Bell. Camp Rockwood was victorious in Co-ed Soccer with a 4-0 shutout. Seth Silverman (LIT B) played great in goal making an unbelievable save on a Camp Rockwood penalty kick. Michael Lehrich (LIT B) and Collin Ochs (Freshman A) both had great scoring opportunities.

It was a dramatic ending in Boys Softball. Diamond Ridge trailed 5-2 going into the bottom of the 6th inning for their last at bats. With the bases loaded, Ronnie Laub (LIT B) delivered a clutch three run triple to tie the score, 5-5. Camp Rockwood then intentionally loaded the bases with no outs. That brought Martin Kempisky (Senior A) to the plate, who singled up the middle for the game winning RBI as Diamond Ridge won 6 - 5. Matt Simkus (Grad A) was the winning pitcher. The Rock Ridge Cup Games will conclude on July 29th with events in Co-ed Swimming, Girls Newcomb and Boys Basketball.

Best of Bucks County

Our camp families may have noticed that The Intelligencer and The Courier Times are currently conducting a "Best of Bucks County" contest. Readers of either newspaper can vote for their favorite restaurant, hair salon, dry cleaners, fitness center ....and summer camp! So, be sure to vote for Diamond Ridge Camps. Ballots can be found in either newspaper. We also have extra copies in the camp office if you need one.

76ers Summer Hoops Tour

The Philadelphia 76ers Summer Hoops Tour made a special visit to Diamond Ridge on Tuesday morning. All campers participated in the basketball demonstration and skills clinics. The 76ers Ambassador of Good Will and former player World B. Free led the program. Hip Hop, the 76ers mascot, was also there to help entertain the campers. All of the campers went home that day with the official 76ers Yearbook and a Basketball Skills & Drills guide.

Gold Rush

At the end of Week 2 all our campers were prospecting for Gold and Silver at our Gold Rush Theme Day Event. Campers searched throughout camp looking for rocks that were painted different colors. Each color was worth a different amount of weight. The most precious rocks were the gold ones that counted five times their weight. Campers were given 30 minutes to search for gold and then each sack of stones were weighed and counted. The Wild Coyotes team won Lower Camp while the Buzzards team won in Upper Camp.

Disco Dance Party

We kicked off the summer with "Pump Up the Volume Week". Country, Hip Hop, Rock 'n' Roll and Motown Music was heard throughout camp. On Country Music Day, there were camper performances at Line-up and Lunch of Hannah Montana's HoeDown Throwdown. The week was capped off by our Disco Dance Party. DJ Fresh from Philly Event Group Live had all the campers and staff grooving to the beat of some camper favorites like "Cotton Eye Joe" and "The Cha Cha Slide". Cedar Hall was transformed into a Disco Club. There were plasma TVs so the campers and staff could see themselves dancing to the tunes. All of the campers won different give-away items like t-shirts, sunglasses and bandannas.

Storytime and Music

Lower Camp at Diamond Ridge had the pleasure of welcoming "Miss Darcy" from the Bucks County Public Library System. Miss Darcy brought her guitar, "Lucky" the duck and a number of books about music to help celebrate this week's theme, Pump Up the Volume Week. The visit was part of the summer outreach program from the Bucks County Public Library System called "Get Creative at the Library".

Miss Darcy performed first for our 4 and 5 year old campers and then for our 6 and 7 year olds. Some of the books she read were Berlioz The Bear, Jazz Baby Jazz and Big Green Monster. Miss Darcy used songs and music to tell these stories and all of the campers joined in to help sing. And every camper was given the chance to help Miss Darcy play her guitar.

For more information about the summer reading programs offered by the Bucks County Public Library System call 215-348-9082.

Uncle Steven

Camp Begins!

It is a great start to the Summer of 2009 at Diamond Ridge. The weather is ideal. The campers are full of smiles and enthusiasm. And as always, our staff of counselors and specialists are going above and beyond to make sure that each and every camper has a positive and rewarding summer experience.

Many of our staff have told me that it seems as if last summer never ended. From the pool, to the athletic fields, to the art studios, to the nature trails to the Dining Hall, I have seen campers making new friends, showing respect towards each other, displaying great sportsmanship and most importantly having a great time.

All of our activities are in full swing. The campers have been tested for their swim level. Lower Camp competed in their first Game Show of the summer, What in the World is this? Athletic Majors have given a big "thumbs up" to our new activities - Camp Games, Competitive Swimming and Lakefront. Art Majors also gave rave reviews to their new activities - Painting the Masters, Sculpture and Jewelcraft.

We kicked off the summer with Pump Up the Volume Week. Hip Hop Tunes could be heard throughout camp on Monday. Today, the play list was full of Rock 'n' Roll favorites. Tomorrow, we will be listening to some Motown tunes.

The campers are looking forward to Friday's Theme Day Event, the Disco Dance Party. MC Fresh from Philly Event Group Live will be spinning the tunes in Cedar Hall. We already have lots of requests. I know that Lower Camp is ready to dance to Hannah Montana's HoeDown ThrowDown!

I am looking forward to seeing everyone's best dance moves on Friday afternoon.

Uncle Steven

Philly Celebrity Waiters Dinner & Auction

Last night Diamond Ridge Camps was a proud sponsor at the Philly Celebrity Waiters Dinner & Auction held at the Hall of Fame Club at Citizens Bank Park. The event raises money to help fund Camp Erin Philadelphia which is held at Diamond Ridge Camps.

Over 400 people were in attendance including myself, Howard and Dale Batterman, Chad Batterman and Rebecca Batterman. Each table was served by celebrity waiters including Jamie Moyer, Chase Utley, Cole Hamels, Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, Scott Eyre, Eric Bruntlett and David Akers.

The event was covered by most of the Philadelphia TV news stations. NBC10 did a great feature on Camp Erin Philadelphia that aired last night on their 11 o'clock newscast.

The 4th annual Camp Erin Philadelphia will be held at Diamond Ridge Camps in May 2010. For more information go to Camp Erin's website.

Uncle Steven

Meet The Counselor Day

The countdown continues to the first day of camp on June 21st for overnight camp and June 22nd for day camp. However, don't forget about Meet The Counselor Day on June 20th.

Meet The Counselor Day is a chance for all campers and their families to meet their counselors and see their cabin location before the first day of camp. You can also pick up your Uniform Camp T-Shirts if you ordered any and your Camp Bag. Our nurses will also be on hand if you need to drop off any medication.

Lower Camp (ages 4 to 7) is scheduled from
1:00 - 1:30 pm and Upper Camp (ages 8 to 15) from 1:45 - 2:15 pm. Don't forget to bring your Bundle Bags with you!

I look forward to seeing everyone in about two and a half weeks!

Camp Erin Philadelphia

Camp Erin Philadelphia was a huge success. Nearly one hundred campers from throughout the Delaware Valley attended the weekend camp.

Camp Erin is a bereavement camp for children 6 to 17 years of age. The camp offers children and teenagers a place to go for a weekend to develop coping skills due to the loss of a loved one while meeting other children who have experienced a similar loss. Diamond Ridge Camps donates the use of the camp, including food service, for the entire weekend.

Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher Jamie Moyer's foundation, The Moyer Foundation provides funding for the program. Unfortunately, Jamie could not visit camp because the Phillies were in Washington DC playing the Nationals. (The Phillies swept the Nationals that weekend, winning all four games!)

Jamie's wife, Karen, was able to visit and spend time with the campers. There were also a few local TV stations that came by Diamond Ridge to do a story on Camp Erin Philadelphia. Here is the story that aired on WPHL Channel 17.

For more information visit Camp Erin Philadelphia's website or call their office at 610.617.2474.

Weekend Encampment

Are you enrolled yet for this summer's Weekend Encampment? The dates are August 7 - 9, 2009. The weekend will be filled with sports, arts, swimming, a campfire and plenty of fun. For campers who attend day camp, the Encampment is a great "taste" of what overnight camp is like. Many of our overnight campers at Diamond Ridge first attended the Weekend Encampment before enrolling in our overnight camp, Camp Diamond Ridge, the following summer.

Click here to print out a brochure and enrollment form. If the last three summers' Encampments are any indication, spaces will be at a premium so please sign up early. The encampment if open to both registered and non-registered campers, ages 8 through 15.

Please feel free to call the Camp Office at 215.343.8840 if you have any questions about the Weekend Encampment.

Uncle Steven

Camp Erin Philadelphia

We are once again happy to announce that Diamond Ridge will be hosting, for the 3rd year, Penn Wissahickon Hospice's Camp Erin Philadelphia on May 15 - 17.

Camp Erin is a bereavement camp for children 6 to 17 years of age. The camp offers children and teenagers a place to go for a weekend to develop coping skills due to the loss of a loved one while meeting other children who have experienced a similar loss. Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher Jamie Moyer's foundation, The Moyer Foundation provides funding for the program while Diamond Ridge donates the entire facility and food service to the camp. One hundred campers plus fifty staff are scheduled to attend.

On May 31st, Diamond Ridge Camps will be one of the MVP Sponsors for Penn Wissahickon Hospice's Popcorn Day at the Phillies. The event includes lunch, fun activities for children and adults and tickets to see the World Champion Phillies host the Washington Nationals. Proceeds from this family-friendly event benefit the David Bradley Children's Bereavement Program, which offers free support for children and their families who have lost loved ones.

For more information about these events, please contact Wissahickon Hospice at 610.617.2474 or click here.

Open House

Thanks to all the prospective families (and some current families) who attended our Open House on Sunday. I was appreciative that so many people came from near and far...from Penn Valley to Huntingdon Valley...Dresher to Doylestown and everywhere else in between. We even had one family stop by to learn about our Overnight Camp for the summer of 2010. It is never too soon to starting thinking about summer camp.

For those of you were not able to attend the Open House, there is still time to enroll. If you would like to schedule a personal tour, feel free to contact me directly in the Camp Office at 215-343-8840 or e-mail me.

I look forward to seeing everyone 2 months from today, for the first day of camp!

Uncle Steven

Rock Ridge Cup 2009

Many campers have been calling and e-mailing wanting to know when the competition for the Rock Ridge Cup 2009 will take place. I am very happy to learn that so many campers are looking forward to defending the Cup against Sesame/Rockwood Camps. The best-of-five series will take place during Sessions 2 and 3.

For our new campers and camp families, the Rock Ridge Cup is the annual rivalry with our sister camp, Sesame/Rockwood, located in Blue Bell, Montgomery County. Last summer the camps competed in Boys Basketball, Boys Softball, Girls Newcomb, Co-ed Soccer and Co-ed Swimming. The camp that wins the best-of-series keeps the Rock Ridge Cup Trophy until the next summer. All Upper Camp campers enrolled during the sessions that the games take place are encouraged to tryout for a team.

Parents, please remember that we have an Open Visitation Policy and are thus welcome to watch the Rock Ridge Cup games or visit any other day. We'd love to see you at camp.

Uncle Steven

Going Greener

Last summer at Diamond Ridge Camps we began our initiative to Go Green and everyone pitched in...Campers, Counselors, Support Staff and Leadership Team. Thanks to everyone's hard work we made an impact by leaving less of a "footprint" on the Earth. This summer we are continuing that initiative to Go Greener by...
• Continuing to separate organic waste from trash at our meals. Our Compost Site continues to generate mulch that is being used in the flower beds throughout camp.
• Recycling all commingled plastics and paper throughout camp.
• Using less disposable plastic cups at meals
• Eliminating styrofoam cups for hot beverages for overnight staff. Instead, we'll be using ceramic mugs.

There are many things that you can do in your own home if you are interested in Going Green.
• Switch to energy efficient light bulbs. CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) last ten times longer than incandescent bulbs and use two-thirds less energy.
• Use Eco-Friendly Shopping Bags instead of plastic bags. Plastic bags take from 400 or 1,000 years to photodegrade and contaminate the soil and water.
• Unplug any electronic equipment when they are not in use. Battery chargers use 40% of their regular running energy when left plugged in or on standby.

If you are interested in learning more information about Going Green, visit these Eco-Friendly websites:
Earth911 - Making every day Earth Day
Eartheasy - Ideas for sustainable living
Ecological Footprint - Find out just how big or small your ecological footprint is
The Daily Green - A consumer's guide to the green revolution
World Watch Institute - A vision for a sustainable world

This summer at Diamond Ridge Camps, one of our Theme Weeks will focus on Going Green. Campers and Staff will participate in a variety of fun and exciting activities including creating eco-friendly nature and art projects, recyclable bunk competitions and planting trees.

Camp will be here before we all know it. The first day is just 68 days away!

Uncle Steven

Spring Sports League

Can you believe that Spring sports are already here? I started coaching my daughter's 6-year old Soccer Team this past weekend.

Diamond Ridge is once again sponsoring Little League teams in the Doylestown Athletic Association and the Council Rock Newtown Athletic Association. Regardless of what league or sport you are participating in, please e-mail us to let us know how you and your team are doing so we can include it in our next newsletter.

I read a great article today about the health and welfare of children who participate in youth sports. I thought it would be insightful to many of our camp families. The article appeared in this week's Sports Illustrated. It was written by Mark Hyman who is also the author of Until It Hurts: America's Obsession with Youth Sports and How It Harms Our Kids. For more information on that book, click here.

Good luck to everyone in their Spring Sports Season!

Uncle Steven

Spring Open House - April 19th

Our Spring Open House is on Sunday, April 19, from 1 - 3 pm. This is great opportunity to invite your friends and family to learn more information about Diamond Ridge and take a tour of our 33-acre campus. Our Leadership of Directors will be on hand to answer any questions you a have about Arts, Athletic, Swim and Outdoors Programs.

Everyone is welcome for an afternoon of fun, friends and food.

Uncle Steven