Winter Storms Knock Out Power, Topple Trees

Define Irony: On the calendar day marked “First Day of Spring” Camp Wawona receives the heaviest snow of the year, about three feet in 24 hours. Throughout the night, trees could be heard crashing to the ground under the weight of fast falling and heavy “Sierra Cement.” Two trees adjacent to the cafeteria succumbed to the snow but fell away from the building, only damaging a historic wagon.

Staff pulled together to clear the waist-deep white stuff form porches and roads in preparation for a weekend group of an estimated 100 people. Although power is out across the region, Director of Operations Anthony Handal is fighting to keep CW’s two historic generators in operation and supplying the facilities with enough power to continue functioning. Early PG&E estimates put power restoration nearly a week away.

With another large storm scheduled to hit before the weekend, staff are preparing for another set of long days to make sure camp stays open and safe.

Derek & Kristina Tie Knot in Costa Rica

CW Staff joined friends and family of Derek Wright, Outdoor Education Director, and Kristina Malarek, Marketing Director, for their March 14, 2011 wedding on a Costa Rican beach. This added two more names to the long list of people whose marriages trace their roots to Camp Wawona.

Wright and Malarek met during Summer Camp 2009, but the sparks didn’t begin to fly until the following winter. The months flew by and immediately following summer camp 2010, the couple traveled to Europe for a Malarek family reunion. Just five days into the trip they were robbed of all their belongings - including the surprise engagement ring. In spite of their misfortune, Wright proposed in a creative fashion in front of St Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, Austria.

The newlyweds will return to Camp Wawona from their honeymoon at the end of March, 2011.