Hey, Camp Fans!
Lots of kids have been hitchin’ a ride to summer camp since the mid-1800s. Many adults nowadays are former summer campers themselves and a bunch of them have gone on to become famous icons. It’s my pleasure today to tell you a little about a guy named Tré Cool—drummer for the insanely popular alternative punk band, Green Day. 
Tré was given a warm welcome to paradise among the beautiful, rolling foothills of Camp Winnarainbow in Mendocino County, California. There, Tré and his camp buddies learned the tricks of the circus trade, specializing in the performing arts of the circus. From circus etiquette to balance training—and don’t forget the ticket to perfect timing—is all taught by the well-trained staff of Winnarainbow.
Back then, he wasn’t known as Tré, but Frankie—as in Frank Edwin Wright III. He was born in Frankfurt, Germany to American parents and he grew up in Willits, California. But it didn’t take long for him to go by the moniker Tré Cool.
At just 12 years old, Tré’s next-door neighbor, Larry Livermore, asked him to join as the drummer in his new band, ‘The Lookouts’. Once he was in the band, Larry gave him the nickname which combined French (trés—for ‘very’) and English so as to say that he was ‘very cool’.
Tré opted to earn is GED instead of finishing high school and got an early start on classes at his local community college. Around this time, Green Day’s original drummer, John Kiffmeyer, left the band and they called Tré for his drumming skills. It took a long while for the band and Tré to fall in sync. So long, that the band discussed breaking up. “It took me a while to get it,” Tré has been quoted. “Play the song, don’t play the instrument.”
Luckily, the band stuck with it and they ended up a huge success! Tré’s dad played a big role of support for the band. He even turned a bookmobile into a means of transport that the band could use. “I watched them go from a bunch of kids to a group of musicians with work ethic,” Tré’s father once said.
Among many other awards and sources of recognition, Tré is thought of as one of the world’s top drummers, right up there with Ringo Starr and Dave Grohl. In fact, he was recently inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. Tré followed a bumpy road that led to super success. What road will you follow? As always, thanks for reading.
- John
if I could try another step. So I did, taking slow, calm, breaths, one foot after the other. And miraculously, before I knew it, I made it across the obstacle course, thanks to the encouraging cheers of the people down on the ground. I couldn’t thank them enough. From then on, leaving the ground and pursuing the sky wasn’t so hard anymore. I started taking on new challenges on my own, such as taking more difficult routes up the rock walls than I may have been accustomed to. Chimney Corners taught me that safe steps out of my comfort zone may actually allow me to grow. For any person with acrophobia (and especially the people with acrophobia who like to climb), CCC would be a great place to learn how to overcome that fear and start taking safe risks, like I did. Maybe next year at Chimney Corners, I’ll get over my cynophobia (fear of dogs) and malushygroviscosiphobia (fear of applesauce). Don’t ask.”
ctivities board for the day, I felt my stomach drop in anticipation. My cabin was scheduled for canyoneering, the activity in which one rappelled down a waterfall. I was terrified of heights, and was dreading this activity. After packing lunches for the day, we hiked around 2 miles to the great waterfall. My butterflies returned after seeing the colossal waterfall for the first time! After strapping on our harnesses and helmets, my cabin climbed boulder after boulder to reach the summit of the waterfall. A few of my friends rappelled down the waterfall all too quickly, and I realized with dread that it was my turn. I felt feverish, and realized that I was slightly shaking. I peered down over the cliff, and noticed how far up I was. Should I take this risk to conquer my fear? After much deliberation I decided that I would. With all of my friends cheering me on, I slowly walked to the edge of the cliff dragging my feet in the dust behind me. I then closed my eyes, and jumped. When I finally managed to open my eyes during the descent, I realized how incredibly beautiful the waterfall was. I let the spray of the water brush my fingertips, and felt completely, utterly happy. Now, looking back on this experience, I was so glad that I had my friends and counselors to help support me because without them, I might never had conquered my fear. I felt so immensely proud of myself for not letting my fears control my experience at camp, and now am so excited to return to camp next year so that I can try this activity again!”
“My daughter’s first experience with overnight camp was when we picked up her big brother from camp when she was 8. She immediately decided that camp was not for her after seeing the cabins—especially the showers! Unfortunately, camp wasn’t all that amazing for my son either as during his second year, there was a tragic accident and when he then switched to a new camp for his third year they were quarantined with whooping cough! That was understandably the end of camp for him and my daughter was now fully convinced that camp was no good. But, some friends talked to her about how much they loved their camps so she said she would possibly be interested in Chippewa Ranch Camp. Cliff and Sari came to talk to her about it and, although still unsure, agreed to give it a try. Her first summer was excellent and she couldn’t wait to go back the next summer. By her third summer, she wanted to go 8 weeks. That’s when I regretted my decision to send her to Chippewa. Did camp have to be that amazing that she wanted to be away from us for 8 long weeks? We grudgingly let her go, and came to visit Chippewa for the first time over parents weekend. Then it all became clear. I certainly would also want to stay as long as possible at this summer paradise—friendship, fun, independence, learning new skills and the freedom to just be a kid. I was a camper and I liked it fine, but as a parent I have definitely drank the Chippy Kool-Aid! It’s a magical place!”
