Salvation Army Camp Willi ends summer with a party!

This past week, campers said goodbye to The Salvation Army’s Camp Willi in Willimantic, CT for the summer. Although summer is coming to an end, that did not stop Camp Willi from having one last hurrah before getting ready for the up and coming school year. Camp Willi went all out this summer. Over the past few months, children participated in activities such as gardening, sports, creating solar ovens and even organizing a carnival on the last day to say goodbye to the campers in a special way.

Camp Willi is not only about having some much needed fun, but also about teaching campers true values, and skills that campers can utilize. Campers had the opportunity to take music lessons throughout the duration of camp, learning how to play the guitar, piano and other instruments. The campers showed off their new found talent by putting on a concert for parents on the last week of camp. Learning the virtuosity of music is an art within itself. Mastering camping techniques and learning how to make food without electricity is a form of artistry as well, which campers learned during their stay at Camp Willi.

If there were ever a power outage and you needed an oven, just ask one of the campers at Camp Willi to teach you how to make a solar oven. Campers learned how to make solar ovens with just cardboard boxes, aluminum foil and plastic wrap and even got to test their ovens out making themselves their own s’mores. Not only did campers learn how to make delicious treats without fire or electricity, they also learned how to build tents. Now campers at Camp Willi are prepared for the outdoors!

On the final day of camp, campers didn’t go home with a frown on their face, but a taste of cotton candy in their mouths. Camp Willi celebrated the final day of camp with a fun outdoor carnival. If you guessed it, Camp Willi’s carnival had it. The carnival included some summer fun treats such as snow cones and cotton candy. And what would a carnival be without face painting, tattoos and balloon animals? To take it one step further, Camp Willi gave out prizes and toys, and even had a bouncy house! To prepare for the up and coming school year, campers picked out bookbags of their choice. Although summer is over, campers at The Salvation Army’s Camp Willi are now ready to jump right back into the school year, as well as being prepared to do the most good!