Dear Friends,
Everywhere you look, life is moving, growing, quietly preparing itself for something grand.
The preschoolers bounce and shout “We’re going outside!” as they layer their coats and mittens and hats against the wind. Our YDP campers schedule their weekend activities around the warmest hours of the day, squeezing in basketball and bike riding and soccer and seashell hunting before the sun dips and they retreat inside for one of Chef Paula’s hot meals. Facilities staff is busy clearing out the old growth to make room for new, and the Army Corps of Engineers is finishing their work replenishing Lewes shores in preparation for another busy summer.
Even in these short, dark, cold days of January, we are reminded that nothing stands still for long.
So much of life moves in rhythms, cycles, and seasons. When we respect them, we put ourselves in the flow of the universe like a skilled surfer letting the wave beneath him do the work. When we forget, the waves find a way to remind us. (Hopefully gently.)
One thing that doesn’t change is our appreciation for your support, year in and year out. May 2024 bring you seasons of rest, growth, and joy in abundance.
Sincerely,
Rich Garrett, CBH Executive Director
Salt, Sugar, Ice Experiment
While the temps outside have been falling and the winds howling, the children in the four-year-old classroom have been keeping warm with a little heated debate: Which will melt ice faster — sugar or salt? The question is part of the science curriculum our teachers in the Child Development Center follow. It’s an introduction not just to the physical world, but also to the process of learning itself: Predicting, Experimenting, Observing, Assessing, Concluding.
The children began by making predictions and staking out their positions. The class was evenly divided between the Salt and Sugar camps (with four hedging votes for equal melting power). On the day of the experiment, the sense of anticipation was high to see the result. But the students were learning other lessons at the same time: Taking turns spooning sugar or salt onto the blocks of ice. Being patient as they watched the elements do their work. Celebrating (or expressing disappointment) graciously when the results of the experiment were revealed.
Any given moment in the CDC feels like this: multiple lessons (academic, social, and personal) folded into one, facilitated by skillful teachers who know where to guide their students’ attention at just the right time. It’s knowing how to balance direct instruction with the kind of discovery that comes through freedom of choice. It’s knowing that the same activity will ignite a lifelong interest in science in one student and kindle an appreciation for friendly competition in another.
“Yes, we’re winning!” a boy shouted, hugging two of his “Salt teammates” as they witnessed the results of their experiment.
In that classroom, vibrant with curiosity, friendship, and creativity, it was obvious he was right: Every day spent growing and learning with friends is a day we are winning.
Chef Paula Baker Named to Lead Greater Good Events
Families in our Youth Development Program or our Child Development Center are no doubt familiar with Chef Paula’s friendly face and fun cooking activities that teach our kids about nutrition and culinary art. And if you’ve attended a CBH fundraiser event in recent years, you’ve probably tasted the magic that Chef Paula and her team can whip up in the kitchen!
But did you know that Children’s Beach House owns a catering company whose profits support Beach House programs and services? Greater Good Events started in 2020 under the direction of Meghan Gardner, who left the role in October 2023 to serve as Director of the Delaware Restaurant Association.
“It’s the perfect time to look at increasing the range of options we can offer as a caterer and as a venue,” says Rich Garrett. “With Chef Paula’s extensive training and deep knowledge of the industry, as well as her commitment to the community, she was a natural choice to lead Greater Good Events.”
Paula Baker graduated from Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Over the past twenty years she has worked in banqueting, catering, and independent restaurants across the eastern seaboard. She joined Children’s Beach House in 2014.
Greater Good Events has established itself as one of the premier catering services in Sussex County, and its home at Children’s Beach House makes it one of the few places in the state where clients can enjoy a beachfront location and an in-house caterer with the power to personalize almost any aspect of the event. “We excel in working with our clients to create options that are true to their vision,” Baker says. “What people can look forward to in 2024 and beyond is an expanded palette of customizable options as well as our renewed commitment to making sure every aspect of our service goes above and beyond expectations.” Additionally, clients have the joy of knowing that the proceeds of their event will flow back to the community through Children’s Beach House programs. “It’s a win-win for everyone,” Baker says.
Greater Good Events is a social enterprise of Children’s Beach House, a nonprofit working to build a world where all children thrive.
For more information, call 302-645-9184 or visit www.Greater-Good-Events.com
Our exclusive Super Bowl catering packages are now available!
Enjoy the game and make a difference with Greater Good Events!
Take the hassle out of your game-day gathering! Greater Good Events will take care of the food for your Super Bowl Sunday crowd! All proceeds benefit Children’s Beach House, making your game day gathering even more meaningful.
These January Storms Are Spiteful! But Summer Camp Hiring Is So Delightful!
Nothing takes the chill out of winter weather like imagining the gleeful shouts of campers splashing in the waves and the feel of the summer sun on your shoulders! But of course, in order to get to that point, we have to start preparing months in advance! That means finding and retaining amazing camp staff who not only know how to keep kids safe in the bay or on the challenge course, but who also know that the real magic of camp is in relationships!
"Working at Children's Beach House has become the cornerstone of my summers,” says Kolbe O’Donnell, who led the aquatics program last summer. “It’s one of the most joyful and heartening places I have ever been a part of and being there has helped me grow not only as a professional but also as a person."
Children’s Beach House has an advantage over other camp programs in that most of our camp staff work not just summers but also the weekend camps that happen throughout the course of the academic year. This means our staff is connected to our campers without interruption, which is a pillar in our philosophy of engagement: Long-term relationships of commitment that allow for transformation. It’s the reason our families trust us with their children, and it’s the reason our campers can’t wait to come back to the Beach House!
Like Mathanase, many of our best staff are referred by friends of the Beach House who know and believe in our work. If you or someone you know is interested in joining our team this summer, contact Camp Coordinator Jonathan Freeman-Coppadge at jfc@cbhinc.org!
Federal Government Employees and Military Personnel:
We wanted to let you know about the opportunity to support Children's Beach House through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). Your support helps us provide life-changing programs and services to children and families. Children's Beach House's ID is: CFC#18341