Building Community, Together

Tawonga follows a group-centered philosophy, where campers spend most of their time together as a bunk unit. This philosophy is aligned with the second rung of our Mission, Creating a Cooperative Community. Campers live, eat, sleep and play together as a bunk, and in so doing, learn to work and live cooperatively as a group.

Tawonga’s primary goal for our campers is not to master an activity or sport but rather to build a cohesive bunk and lasting bonds of friendship. For instance, on the paddle boats, campers must pedal at the same pace in order to propel the boat. During Gaga (Israeli handball), it’s not about which team wins, as it’s usually a “Tawonga Tie,” but about how campers treat each other and how much fun everyone has. Our efforts to build cooperative community help campers recognize their value as a part of the collective whole.

Below check out a small photo gallery from this morning’s activities at the lake, pool, field and basketball court. We’ll have many more photos tonight for our evening post – stay tuned!