Celebrating Earth Day — Tawonga Style!

This week at Camp has been bursting with energy and adventure! From cheering each other on at the Challenge Course to splashing into free swim, campers have been fully soaking up summer fun. Units dove into Jewish programming, sang their hearts out at song session, and explored their passions through Livnot — a beloved elective block where campers choose from a wide array of interest-based activities. Whether building bunk bonds or stretching into new experiences, the spirit of exploration has been alive in every corner of Camp.

On Tuesday, that spirit reached new heights as we celebrated one of our favorite traditions: Earth Day at Tawonga! While Earth Day is typically marked in April, here at Camp we choose a special day during the session to honor our planet — surrounded by the towering trees, mountain air, and joy-filled magic of Camp.

After dinner, our site transformed into an outdoor festival of sustainability, creativity, and gratitude for the world around us. Campers rotated through immersive Earth Day stations, each highlighting a different way we can connect with and care for our planet.

In the Garden, bunks made stuffed grape leaf dolmas, learning about farm-to-fork food systems and harvesting herbs fresh from the soil. Nearby, they dipped mint leaves in chocolate, using ingredients found right here at Camp to craft a delicious, earth-friendly treat.

“Chocolate mint leaves! I love mint flavor and have never tried pure mint leaves before,” said Eliza V. “It was so cool to pick them from the garden then dip them in chocolate.”

At another station, campers concocted natural bug spray and face paint, exploring how common plants and oils can replace store-bought products.

“Natural bug spray! It felt so nice on my skin and was a fun alternative!” said Charlotte G.

They sipped pine needle tea while listening to Miwok stories, reflecting on the healing power of the land and indigenous wisdom around herbal medicine. DIY tea bags were also on offer — a quiet, grounding moment in a busy, joyful day.

In a spirited twist, one group raced to complete a water conservation relay, learning about the impact of every drop. Another constructed tiny structures out of watermelon rinds, a fun and wacky challenge in sustainable design. Campers also crafted a collaborative Earth Day sign using reused materials — a vibrant reminder of the power of recycling and repurposing.

Three visiting llamas were absolute stars of the show (and yes, there were llama selfies!).

“The llamas! They were soooo fluffy,” said Mia L. “I thought they were tiny, and was so surprised by their size! I expected a giraffe type of fluff, but they were so much softer.”
Sloane L. agreed: “Llamas! The big brown one was my favorite. He was so fuzzy and sweet. I fed him a carrot.”

In Gratitude Grove, campers paused to express appreciation — for the Earth, for Camp, for each other. Some smeared on natural face paint, some posed in the Garden Photo Booth (expertly run by Toby, our photographer in training!), and many gathered to jam out in “Earth Tones,” a musical space where the beats were powered by natural instruments and pure ruach.

And in true Tawonga style, we ended with something unforgettable — Yelling at the Sky Until it Rains, a joyful nod to Hoshanah Rabbah, blending Jewish tradition with playful reverence for the natural world.

Earth Day at Camp isn’t just a celebration — it’s a living expression of the values we carry with us every day: gratitude, stewardship of our planet, curiosity, and joy. And seeing campers experience the wonder of our world in such hands-on, heart-centered ways? That’s the kind of magic that happens here daily.

Stay tuned for photos of Tuesday’s Earth Day festivities, plus more snapshots from this incredible week at Camp!