SL_MalvernDayCamp_Profile_2_19_Profile 2 / 13 / 19 3 : 46 PM Page 1 D PROFILE Ultimate Summer ADVENTURE At Malvern Day Camp , kids have an unforgettable summer filled with joy , friendship , and nonstop adventure . by BILL DONAHUE Like a lot of kids his age , 5 - year - old Charlie C . already has summer on his mind . He has a par - ticularly good reason to be so excited : He’ll be heading to Malvern Day Camp , known as “ The Ultimate ™ , ” for the Summer Adventure second time . “ He’s obsessed with it , ” says Ashley C . , Charlie’s mother . “ He loves learning new things , and he learned a lot of them at camp last year . He’s been talking about it since the first day of kindergarten , asking when he gets to go back . ” Located on the sprawling 15 - acre campus of The Malvern School in Thornbury Township , Malvern Day Camp provides an enriching ex - perience to boys and girls from ages 5 to 14 . Currently celebrating its 20th season , Malvern “ We want each camper to have a unique , Waterfield says being able to offer the “ latest Day Camp offers a safe , secure , and highly su - amazing experience , and that’s what we’ve and greatest ” is important , but she views the pervised environment designed to immerse been doing for 20 years , ” she says . “ One camp’s ability to help children appreciate campers in nonstop fun of every sort . camper might have an interest in the creative the natural world , develop their interests , One of the things Ashley likes most about arts , while another might be drawn to our and forge lasting friendships as even more Malvern Day Camp is that there is no such athletic program and the specific clinics we valuable . thing as “ a typical day . ” One day campers provide to focus on special interests . We see “ I grew up in Hazelton , where I was lucky might be splashing around in the onsite wa - camp as an opportunity for every child to ex - to enjoy an idyllic childhood and be outside terpark or scaling a rock wall , and the next perience a lot of different things and discover all of the time , ” she adds . “ When we started they might be kayaking up and down a pristine what brings them the most joy . ” this camp , I used some of my own experiences creek or honing their athletic skills in sports to try to recreate that feeling by connecting such as soccer , volleyball , and flag football . children to these beautiful outdoor spaces . This level of variety enables children to Always Something New While we do have a computer lab and some stay constantly engaged . In some cases , the Many of the camp’s 11 weeks have a dis - indoor activities here , most of the kids ’ time is camp helps to ignite a child’s interest in some - tinctive theme , such as science , cooking , or p spent outdoors . If the kids are indoors , they’re thing new , according to Kristen M . Waterfield , arts and crafts , as well as the ever - popular am typically doing some sort of physical activity . ” the president and co - founder of Malvern Day Iron Kid Week . In this annual tradition , C ay Malvern Day Camp offers options for kids Camp and The Malvern School . campers get sorted into different teams . Each D n of all ages : mini - camp for kids ages 5 to 6 ; r Each of her three children started going to team then comes up with a name and a lve junior camp , for ages 7 to 9 ; and senior Malvern Day Camp at age 5 . Her two sons , team song , and then participates in a variety Ma f camp , for ages 10 to 12 . When campers now 9 , have used their time there to pursue of challenging games and obstacles , with o sy “ graduate ” from senior camp , many come their interests : for one , swimming ; the other , prizes for the winners . rte back as CITs , which helps to cultivate a team athletics . Her daughter , Alivia , now 18 , even Whether it’s a new game or event , the cou of future leaders rooted in the camp’s close - participated in the camp’s Counselor - in - Training arrival of a special guest ( the Phillie Phanatic , phy knit culture . ( CIT ) program . She now works as a full - time for example ) , or a new - and - improved part ogra Tracy Bechtel started her tenure at Malvern counselor while she prepares to earn her of the facility , campers have come to expect hot Day Camp at the age of 15 , as a junior college degree in broadcasting . some surprises from one year to the next . P Kevin and Jody Camp , co - owners of Main Line SUBURBANLIFEMAGAZINE.COM Gardens FEBRUARY 2019 82 |