BUG BITES

Bug Bites
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1
Summer
2014
CAMP OZANAM’S
B UG B ITES
Letter From the Director
Dear Campers and Friends of Camp Ozanam,
This year we welcomed many new campers to our
campground. You experienced the fun of so many games,
songs, contests and adventures for the first time as you
stayed with us. As well as new faces we were excited to see
familiar faces arriving on the buses. Camp Ozanam is still
your favorite place to be during the summer and we feel the
same way. What a blessing to have you all at camp this year!
I want to thank you for all the things that you have taught me
this summer at camp. That might sound a little weird that an
adult can learn stuff from the kids at camp but it’s true. I
learned to think of others and to be there for someone who
needs help every time that I saw a camper share food at
meals or put their arm around another kids who was missing
home so much that he started to cry or rescuing someone
during Eagles’ Eggs instead of trying to capture an egg for
your team. Many of you taught me a lesson in forgiveness
when you accepted someone’s apology and then left my
office smiling and running to have more fun at camp without
any thoughts of revenge or payback. I saw kids apologize to
counselors and counselors apologize to kids or to other staff
members. It made it so much easier for me to ask for
forgiveness when I yelled at someone or lost my patience
with a person. I learned that any time is a good time to pray
when you stopped by the Mary statue to pray or prayed in
your cabins at night. You made me laugh and smile at the
smallest things: funny faces, painted fingernails for Mufasa,
jokes at Snaq Shaq, pancakes for breakfast or tacos for
dinner, Minions escaping from the Art Hut to eat all my
Oreo’s in my office, visits to the dining hall from the
Birthday Fairy, smashing whipped cream pies in my face and
all the fun games of the carnival at CYO Boys’ Camp, seeing
a deer on the canoe trip or just hanging out with friends at
the campfire.
Accept Share Develop is the motto for Camp Ozanam.
Living in cabins with other boys or girls gave you a chance
to learn to accept people as they are: talented, different from
you, excited or scared to be at camp, homesick or feeling just
at home at Ozanam. Trying new things helped you to learn to
be brave, to trust in others, to work together as a team, to
overcome your fears or worries. Being at camp gave you the
opportunity to share responsibilities (cleaning camp areas
like the chapel, St. Philip’s Hall or the Murphies), to share
delicious meals prepared by our wonderful cook Mary, to
share our gifts in arts and crafts and sports, to share our
praise of God as we sang in chapel during Mass or in the
dining hall before and after meals. And my sincere hope and
prayer is that camp helped you to develop lasting friendships
with other campers but especially with the best friend you
could ever have: Jesus Christ. He is the reason that Camp
Ozanam exists and He is the one who blessed you here at
camp and continues to bless you at home and at school. Take a
break from reading this to do The Jesus Jive or Jesus Loves
Me. Camp songs are fun even at home.
I will end with a quick story about this friendship with Jesus.
Several years ago when I lived and worked in California I
attended a funeral for my friend’s grandpa. Following the
Mass we gathered in a hall for breakfast and my eyes were
glued on the jelly doughnuts. As I was waiting in line for my
chance to take a few jelly doughnuts (I really like doughnuts!)
I noticed a boy in front of me with a large crucifix in his hand.
He turned to me and said: “Meet my best friend Jesus.” I
thought to myself, “That is cute but is he really your best
friend?” Then all of a sudden the boy began to speak but he
was not speaking to me. He was speaking to Jesus. “Jesus you
are my best friend in the whole wide world. When I get older
I’m going to take you fishing with me. When I get older I’m
going to buy you a Big Mac and a Coke.” I laughed at this
conversation because I said: “Who talks to Jesus like that?”
However, that boy taught me a lesson about friendship with
Jesus. Jesus is a real friend and we can talk to Him like we talk
to all of our friends. He loves us and wants to spend time with
us. He wants to hear about the game we just won or about
what a great time we had at camp. On your first day of camp I
asked you to do three things at camp: Be safe. Have fun.
Become friends with Jesus. I hope that you did all three. I pray
that you started a friendship with Jesus that will last your
whole life. He is the friend that never leaves and never
disappoints. Talk to Him every day. Time with Jesus every
day keeps the devil away! We would love to hear from you
about your favorite thing at camp. Just write us a postcard or
letter and send it to:
Camp Ozanam
7303 Walker Rd.
Carsonville, MI 48419
See you next summer and make sure to bring your bag of
camp stuff, your running shoes and a smile!
Your friend,
OAK
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Bug Bites
Lighting the Lamp: Trip 1
The first week at camp was eventful, as
they all are. Between amazingly fun
evening programs like Mr. and Mrs. OZ
and Eagle’s Eggs we never knew what
fun activity would come next. But the
highlight of the week was the Medieval
Faire. Between jousting, archery, giant
slaying, and visits from the king and
queen the night was full of adventure.
The first Cabin of the Week of the
summer of 2014 went to the middle
boy’s cabin, Dakota.
Trip 2: Feeding the Fire
The second week of camp was no less exciting than the
first. We played another super intense game of Eagle’s
Eggs and OZ hosted its first ever World Cup. The
winners of that event were the boys of Dakota
representing the Vatican City. Another new event that
took place this week was the first ever GUY STUFF/
GIRL STUFF evening program. Here the guys and girls
split off into separate groups and spent the night playing
a number of different games. This week’s Cabin of the
Week went to the extremely enthusiastic girls of
Adventure Camp.
Bug Bites
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Burning Brighter: Trip 3
Our third week of camp was another week full of fun and
adventures. Just like every other week at camp we played
Eagle’s Eggs, and just like every other week this was one
of the most enjoyed activities of the week. Another
exciting event this week was a joint activity with the CYO
camp next door. Kids from all three camps came together
and spent a night at the carnival. There were all kinds of
games and activities, there was even a chance to hit Oak,
Juice Box, and Spud in the face with pies! One of the last
activities of the week was an Evening Program planned by
our Leadership Campers, a Christmas in July themed
edition of Counselor Hunt. The campers ran around trying
to find Santa, Mrs. Claus, the reindeer, and the toys while
avoiding getting caught by the evil witch and wizard. Our
third cabin of the week of 2014 went to the girls of
Potawatomi.
Trip 4: Let There Be Light
Trip 4: Raising the Roof
With the end of Trip 3, the camp season was officially
more than half over. As sad as this was, it did not bring
down the energy during Trip 4. Storms during the week
drove us inside one night for a drive in movie. We
played another game of Eagle’s Eggs, and another night
enjoyed a series of mini games and brain challenges.
The counselors defeated the AC boys in an intense game
of Rock, Paper, Scissors and the boys of Ottawa were
the champions of the night overall. However the
highlight of the week had to be when, for the first time
in history, two OZ counselors faced off against each
other in an intense one on one basketball game. Juice
Box and Mufasa left it all on the court, but in the end
Juice Box walked away the winner 4 to 1. Cabin of the
Week for Trip 4 went to the awesome youngest boys in
Chippewa.
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Bug Bites
Daring to Shine: Trip 5
Although Trip 5 was our last week of campers, there was no less
energy than the first. We had all camp swim, we played Eagle’s
Eggs, and we had an all-around fun week. On Thursday we held
the always exciting Kangaroo Court, where the counselors were
accused of various crimes and bad habits and were put on trial.
Although the trial was fair, it always seemed to result in a
decision of GUILTY! We closed camp on Friday with our
traditional bonfire; full of singing, s’mores, and memories that
will last a lifetime. Our final Cabin of the Week went to the
youngest girls in the Chippewa cabin.
Christianity at Camp Ozanam
Camp Ozanam’s heritage as a Catholic camp is still
something taken very seriously today. Between daily
chapels and Mass at least once a week, we spent the
summer building stronger relationships with God. What
was especially helpful was whenever camp friend Father
Patrick would come to say Mass. Father Patrick always
made sure to explain everything that was happening during
the Mass as it happened. This really helped all of us grow in
our faith and knowledge of Jesus. Praying the Angelus and
singing different graces before every meal also helped all of
us grow in our faith.
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Bug Bites
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Why Do Our Campers Love Camp?
At camp we had so much fun while we
were doing crafts and when we were
swimming in the lake. During camp we
got a chance to wake up early and go
swimming in the lake which was called
“Polar bear swimming.” I had so much
fun at camp.
-Gabrielle
There are a lot of fun things
here at Ozanam. There are
lots of things to do. Like
Sports, Arts and Crafts,
Nature Survival, swimming,
Jesus by the Seaside, etc. It is
fun learning new things
about God. I hope that
everyone is able to learn
something when they come
to camp.
There are a lot of fun things at camp Ozanam. From the
food to all the really great games. It is fun learning
about God and getting closer to God too.
-Cherish
Camp Ozanam is the best. You can
swim in Lake Huron. That’s
awesome. You meet new friends too
and go to a carnival.
-Tiaira
-Key’Aira
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Bug Bites
The Staff of Bug Bites would like to dedicate this year’s edition to the memory of
Jakari Pearson. Jakari was a camper during Trip 2 this year, and tragically passed
away just a few short weeks after returning home from camp. Please keep Jakari
and his family in your prayers.
Letter From the Editor
Once again, it was another amazing year here at Camp
Ozanam. Some people wonder why I keep coming
back, but for me it’s always an easy decision. Coming
back to OZ is coming home. A huge thanks goes out
to all of the kids that contributed artwork or writing to
Bug Bites this year, without you guys this would be a
pretty boring newsletter. I also want to thank all of the
staff, both for being great to work with and also for
helping motivate the kids to make some of the lovely
art that is contained in these pages. So thanks to
everyone for an amazing summer, and I hope that I’ll
get to see all of you campers and staff next year!
-Sasquatch