Chris Bohnsack's blog

We are Camp Keystone! That means we know it takes more than amazing staff, winning programming and great facilities to create an award winning camp experience. It also requires significant infrastructure and preparation. Here are some of the things we’ve been doing to prepare for Summer 2013!

Remember the days of ridiculously expensive long stem roses and champagne and perhaps a trinket box to open?  Ahh yes, gone are the candle lit dinners and deserts of gourmet chocolates.  We’re watching the sugar these days anyway, but then when it comes right down to it, isn’t Valentine’s Day about being with the loves in our lives?  So, bring on the mac ‘n cheese and conversation hearts!  With little ones around to tell us they love us, they wrap their little arms around us and give us their smushy kisses, and it’s all over! 

To our friends who will celebrate the Festival of Lights beginning this weekend, a very Happy Hanukkah to you! We wish you a de-lightful December holiday. Because we think reading together is a wonderful way to share with our children, we thought you might enjoy some books that help teach about the traditions of Hanukkah in a fun and entertaining way. You and your children can read these wonderful books throughout the holiday season as well as through the year ahead!

Calling all pioneers, The Keystone Mining Company has arrived! Transport yourself back to the California Gold Rush days of the 1840’s as you take part in Camp Keystone’s newest adventure, Gemstone Mining. We’ve transported the American River all way to Agoura Hills with campers panning and prospecting for gold, gemstones, and other surprise treasures. 49ers will stake their claim and learn all about techniques of panning as they roll up their sleeves in hopes of striking it rich themselves!

Ever wonder how safe your sunblock is? We use it to protect our skin from UV rays, but are the chemicals in the sunblock actually damaging to our skin? Our Grand Poohbah has wondered this for some time and has done a great deal of research on the subject. Being a father of two redhead (and fair skinned) children himself, what he found out was revealing and extremely informative as a consumer and a father. Here's the most effective website the Grand Poohbah found, which gives a full "sunscreen report" on all of the brands you may be buying:

At Camp Keystone, we provide our campers with unique and traditional outdoor activities they may not come across in our technology driven world. One of our very favorites is boating and fishing. Campers boat in our natural creek which flows directly from Lake Sherwood. Individual boating excursions as well as group rowing sessions provide campers with a tremendous amount of variety. Boaters wear life vests at all times and safety in the area is consistently enforced. Campers are enticed by stories of the “Keystone Croc” who is frequently seen by the keenest of eyes.