Where in the World is Pete Pioneer?

 

Pete Pioneer is missing! So we sent the Camp Harmony staff across the world to find him! Follow their travels as they try to answer the question: Where in the World is Pete Pioneer?!?

Season 1

Click here to see Pete's trip to the Superbowl!

Click here to see Pete running with the bulls!

Click here to see Pete compete on American Idol!

Click here to see Pete at the Iditarod!

Click here to see Pete on safari in Africa!

Season 2

Click here to see Pete at the Olympics!

Click here to see Pete meet (Pioneer) Hawks, Ravens, and Eagles!

Click here to see Pete take to the waves!

Click here to see Pete sync or swim!

Click here to see Pete at Mt. Rushmore!

Click here to see Pete join the Circus!

Click here to see Pete in Hawaii!

Click here to see Pete climb a glacier!

Click here to see Pete ride off into the sunset!

Season 3

Loren Shadyside searches the Galapagos Islands!

Kara Pool visits China!

Drama Schach goes to Washington, DC!

Glad Shangri-La carries the Olympic Torch!

Sally Munchkin dances the night away!

Jack Archery takes flight!

Margie Arts & Crafts cruises the canals of Venice!

The 2005 DUHs search the Amazon!

Lifers look for Pete at the North Pole!

Season 4

Carol Gymnastics sails over the White Cliffs of Dover!

Jeff Program and Ryan Busiman burn rubber at NASCAR!

Michele Pool goes fishing!

Pete Pioneer Celebrates the Holidays in the South Pacific!

Pam Willowbrook Joins the Polar Bear Club!

Kristen Pool Patrols London!

Josh Ranger skips around the world!

Todd Ranger takes a swing at finding Pete!

Alex Sports, Bonnie Willowbrook, Karen Arts & Crafts, and Carol Director find Pete!

Season 5

Pete Joins the Circus...again!

Pete Jumps Out of a Plane!

Pete Climbs the Empire State Building!

Pete Becomes an Engineer!

Mr. Pioneer Goes to Washington!

Pete Goes to the Superbowl!

Pete Goes Hollywood!

Pete Meets a Shark!

Pete Rocks Out with Hanna Montana

  

 

 

Pete's Visit to the Super Bowl

Hiya, Campers!

In February, I went to Houston, Texas, home of Super Bowl XXXVIII. Did you know that Texas is the 2nd largest state in the USA? Houston is famous for its oil wells, and is the home of NASA. While I was there, my friend John asked me if I’d like to play with the panthers. I love animals, so of course I said yes!

Boy, was I surprised to find out he was talking about a football game! I even got to kick a field goal, while one of my Panther friends held the ball! (If they would have let me kick extra points, we probably would have won the game!) The game was shown around the world, and was watched by more than 140 million people! It was super!

See you next time!

 - Pete

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Pete Runs with the Bulls

Hi again, campers!

Last month, I went to Spain! Did you know that Spain is part of the largest peninsula in Europe? I visited a city called Pamplona, and thought that I’d take a nice, quiet walk through its streets. I didn’t know it was the holiday of San Fermin! On that holiday, they let bulls run through the streets It’s a good thing I’m in such good shape; otherwise, I may have gotten hurt! Luckily, I was fast enough to get away (they don’t call me “Speedy Petey” for nothing!) I’m exhausted!

Next time, I’m going someplace quiet!

See you next time!

 - Pete

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Pete Competes on American Idol

Hey, campers!

Last month, I went to Hollywood, California, to participate on American Idol! Anyone who has heard me sing will agree that I’m good enough to become America’s next great superstar. I’ve been traveling so much that I missed the try-outs, so I went straight to Hollywood for the competition. I sang “The Camp Harmony Blues”, and I was AMAZING! Unfortunately, they didn’t show my performance on TV, because it was during a commercial break. But everyone was impressed. Simon told me “I wish I could tell you that I liked your performance, but I can’t.” I think he likes me!!! Unfortunately, I was told not to come back the next week. They said it was because I didn’t audition, but I think it is because I was making everyone else look (and sound) bad! Oh, well. I don’t have time to sing on TV every week…I have traveling to do!

See you next time!

 - Pete

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I Did the Iditarod!

Hiya Campers! Last month, I journeyed to Alaska, where I did the Iditarod! The Iditarod is the longest dog sled race in the world, extending over 1,200 miles through the Alaskan wilderness. Each sled is pulled by about 15 dogs. Those dogs were smart! One day, they tricked me into pulling them while they rode on the sled behind me! We were halfway to Nome before I realized my mistake! Even though the dogs did most of the work, it was hard for me, too. The temperature was minus 15 degrees at times...and let me tell you, it felt even colder wearing just my Ugga Bugga T-shirt! Next month, I'm going someplace warm!!!

See you next month!

 - Pete

 

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Safari So Good!
Hey, campers! After my trip to Alaska last month, I promised myself that I'd 
go someplace warm on my next adventure. Well, it doesn't get much warmer
than the continent of Africa! I rented a hot air balloon, and toured the
entire continent. During my travels, I saw many of its beautiful natural
wonders and wildlife. Unfortunately, I also caught a case of Zebritis! This is 
my last trip before the summer begins, so the next time you see me will be 
at camp!
There's just one problem: hot air balloons are hard to steer...they just go
wherever the wind blows. So I'm hoping that the winds will send me back to
Camp Harmony in time for the start of camp!

See you at camp! (I hope!)

- Pete

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 Pete Goes for the Gold!

As some of you may know, I missed a few days of Camp towards the end of the summer. That's because I caught a fever...Olympic Fever! I traveled to Athens, Greece, to participate in the Olympic games. It was such an honor to represent Camp Harmony at the Olympics. Because I'm such a naturally gifted athlete, I had my choice of events to try to win a gold medal; but I decided to challenge myself and try something new. Here I am participating in the Pole Vault. After the event, I didn't have time to stick-around for the medal ceremony...I had to get back to Camp for some real competition: Color War! Once Camp ended, I started packing for my world travels.

Have a great school year!
- Pete

 

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Pete Pioneer's Hawks, Falcons, and Eagles!
Hey there, campers! Last month, I decided to get closer to nature and 
see some wildlife. On a walk through the wilderness, I came upon three 
of my favorite birds...all of them named after the three Pioneer 
groups! (Or is it the other way around?) Here I am with my friends the 
Hawk (on my shoulder), the Falcon (on my head), and the Eagle (about to 
land on my finger). 

Did you know that there are 270 species of hawks in the world? Hawks 
are fast; they can fly over 150 miles per hour when diving for their 
food! And hawks’ eyesight is the best in the entire animal world! 

Falcons live in mountains, deserts, forests, on sea cliffs, and in 
cities; in fact, they live on every continent except for Antarctica. 
Falcons are the fastest birds in the world: when they dive, they reach 
speeds over 300 miles per hour! 

Did you know that bald eagles are not really bald? Their heads are 
actually covered with white feathers. And those birds are huge...their 
wing span is over 8 feet! Eagles like to live in trees 75 feet or 
higher. And, of course, the bald eagle is the national bird of our 
great country, the United States of America!

Well, I'm off to continue my adventures. See you next month!

- Pete

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Pete Takes to the Waves!

Cowabunga, campers! This month, I traveled to Canada, to participate in the International Water Skiing festival! I don’t want to brag, but no one can stick a grab gainer like me!

I dazzled the judges with a combination of combo rolls and huge front flips. Then I finished by nailing the helicopter (both wrapped and handle passed), and an FS Combo Roll to claim victory! Maybe I’ll show you some of my moves in the pool this summer!

Hang loose!

- Pete

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Sync or Swim!

Hiya Campers! I was planning on taking a well-deserved break from all of my adventures this month, but when I got an emergency call for help, I had to dive into action! As you may know, my wife, Sally Munchkin, is one of the world's best synchronized swimmers. She's been preparing for the world championships since Camp ended; unfortunately, just before the final event, she got a call to help rescue a cat from a tree! (Did I mention that Sally is also our town's best cat rescuer?) Fortunately, Sally taught me some of her moves, and I took her place for the event. I effortlessly performed some boosts, rockets, thrusts and twirls! But synchronized swimming is not easy...it requires demanding strength, endurance, flexibility, grace, artistry, and exceptional breath control. Now I really need a break! Maybe I'll go find a beach and relax someplace warm. I hope you're all enjoying the winter!

See you next month!

- Pete

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Pete Visits Mt. Rushmore

Hey, Campers! I was feeling very patriotic last month, so I decided to visit one of my favorite landmarks, Mount Rushmore, located in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The faces on Mount Rushmore were carved right into the side of a granite mountain, and took about 400 workers almost 14 years to complete! The people honored by Mount Rushmore include some of the greatest leaders in the history of our country: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. I also noticed the head of some other guy carved up there, but I can’t quite place his face…oh, well. It will come to me! Did you know that each face is almost 60 feet tall, and each eye is about 11 feet wide? Well, you know now!

See you next month!

- Pete

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Pete Joins the Circus

Hiya, Campers!

Laaaaadies and gentlemen! And campers of all ages! This month I joined the circus, just like I wanted to when I was a kid! But before I could do that, I had to decide what kind of circus job I wanted. First I tried to be a strong man, but their other strong men were jealous of all my muscles! Then I thought I might like to be a human cannonball and get shot out of a cannon, but that sounded too dangerous. Finally, I decided to be a lion tamer. I was great at it (after all, animals love me!) but I forgot that I'm allergic to cats (especially big ones)! My allergies were so bad that my nose turned red! When the ringmaster saw my nose, he decided that I should be a clown! Being a clown is hard work, but it came natural to me...after all, making people laugh is one of my specialties!

Well, we're packing up our tents and hitting the road. Time for me to continue my travels! See you next month!

- Pete

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Pete Goes to Hawaii

Aloha, Campers!

After over a year of traveling, I decided it was time for a break. And
when Pete Pioneer needs a break, there's only one thing that will
satisfy me: S'mores! To make a S'more, you need a perfectly toasted
marshmallow. So I decided to go to the one place in the world where I
can get them: Mount Kilauea, in Hawaii! Mount Kilauea (pronounced 'kil-
oo-way-ah') is the world's most active volcano. In fact, it puts out
several hundred thousand cubic yards of lava every day! I had to be
careful during my visit to make sure I didn't get caught in a lava
flow, and one of my sneakers almost burned off, but it sure was worth
it! Deee-licious!

Well, I'm refreshed and ready to go again. See you next month!

- Pete

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Pete Climbs a Glacier

Hiya, Campers!

This month, I traveled to Alaska, to climb some
glaciers! Glaciers are like giant rivers of ice that move verrrry
slowly (kind of like the Camp Harmony Video Production crew! ...just
kidding, guys! I LOVED the video!!!). Most glaciers only move a few
feet per year. Glaciers cover about 10% of the land on earth, and store
about 75% of the world’s fresh water! But most important, all that ice
makes them cold! Brrrrrrrrrrrr! I guess I shouldn’t have dressed in
shorts and a t-shirt! Well, once I get to the top, I’m going to
continue my travels.

See you next month!

- Pete

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Pete Rides of Into the Sunset

Yeeee-haaaa and howdy, Pardners! (That's cowboy-speak for "Hey, 
Campers"!) This month, I visited the great state of Texas to join a 
rodeo! Now, most people who have never ridden a horse before may be 
scared to ride one of these wild bucking broncos, but not me! 

This is a picture of me riding "Thunder", the wildest horse in the 
West! No one before me was ever brave enough to ride Thunder because he 
has a reputation for being too crazy...but not me! My first time out of 
the gate, I rode him free hand for a perfect score! The rodeo folks 
were so impressed that they gave me a new name: "Pete Pioneer, the Man 
Without Fear!" 

Old Thunder and I made it all the way to the Texas Circuit Finals, but 
then I realized something...I don’t have time to ride horses all day! 
I’ve got to get ready for the summer! So now it’s time for me to get 
back in the saddle and ride off into the sunset...I mean back to Camp! 
It’s been another great year of traveling, and I can’t wait to share my 
stories with you.

Yippee yi yi yaaaaaayyyyyyy and see you soon!

- Pete

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Loren Shadyside Searches the Galapagos Islands!

Hi, everyone! When I was told that Pete Pioneer may be lost, I decided that the best way to find him would be to go to his favorite places! I know Pete likes turtles, so I traveled to the Galapagos Islands in South America! The Galapagos Islands are the home to many rare, special species of animals not found anywhere else in the world. In fact, while searching for Pete, I stumbled across a family of Galapagos Tortoises. Tortoises are very similar to turtles, but they live on land. The Galapagos Tortoises weigh up to 700 pounds, live to be about 150 years old, and can survive without food or water for at least a year! Most importantly, they move at a speed of about 0.2 miles an hour...so when this tortoise started chasing me, I had to run away verrrry slooooowly. Fortunately, I escaped safely, so I can continue my search. I didn't find Pete, but hopefully another staff member will have better luck!

Remember to check back next month!

- Loren
 

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Kara Pool Goes to China!

Hey, hey, hey, campers! Pete Pioneer is still missing, but I’m just the person to find him! I know how much Pete LOVES Chinese food, so I thought I would go to the place where they make it best: China! Did you know that ice cream was invented in China over 4,000 years ago? Wow! China is the fourth largest country in the world, and is home to over one-billion people. The most famous structure in China is the Great Wall, which stretches across 5,000 km. With a country so large and with so many people, I decided the best way to find Pete is on wheels! Unfortunately, I didn’t find him. But I’ll keep looking!

 - Kara

 

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Drama Schach Goes to Washington

Hey, Campers! Drama Schach here, looking for Pete in our nation's capital, Washington DC! When I heard Pete was missing, I was convinced  I would find him here. After all, Pete loves his country! I looked
EVERYWHERE for Pete, including the White House, the Capital Building, and the Lincoln Memorial. I looked left & right, up & down, and back & forth...but I could not find him anywhere! Then I realized that I should look upside-down! The Washington Monument gave me the best view of the city. The Washington Monument was built in honor of our first
President, George Washington. It is over 550 feet tall...which meant that I had to be VERY careful balancing on top. I didn't find Pete during my trip. But hopefully you are helping us look for him!

- Drama Schach

 

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Glad Shangri-La Carries the Olympic Torch

Hey, hey, hey, campers! Glad Shangri-La reporting from the country of Greece, the birthplace of the Olympic Games! The Olympics started almost ten thousand years ago in Olympia, Greece. The ancient Olympics were different from the modern Games. There were fewer events, and only men who spoke Greek could compete, instead of athletes from any country. Also, the games were always held at Olympia instead of moving around to different countries. Every Olympiad, the Olympic Torch is lit in Olympia and then carried from Greece to the location of the next games. The Winter Olympics will be held in Turino, Italy in
February 2006. I heard that Pete was supposed to carry the torch, but he never showed up. So I was honored to be selected as the official Torch Carrier for the 2006 Olympics. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to catch my breath...I've got a long way to run! But I'll keep my eyes out for Pete along the way!

See you soon!

- Glad Shangri-La

 

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Sally Munchkin Dances the Night Away

Hey hidey ho, campers! This is Sally Munchkin reporting in on the
search for Pete! Many of you know me as a hard-working, dedicated
staff member at Camp. But did you know that I’m also Pete’s wife? It’s
true! So finding him is very important to me. In fact, nothing will
stop me from finding my sweetie Petey! Well, nothing except for a
chance to dance! When the music starts to play, I just have to dance
the night away! Here I am on the TV show “Dancing With the Stars”,
dancing with the dapper Mr. George Hamilton. He’s an OK dancer, but
nothing like my handsome hubby! Well, its time to take off my dancing
shoes and resume the search for Pete! Have you seen him anywhere?

See you in the summer!

- Sally Munchkin

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Jack Archery Takes Flight!

Yo, campers! Jack Archery reporting at you from Torino, Italy, site of the 2006 Winter Olympic Games! Like many of you, I was checking out the Olympics on TV when I saw Pete in the crowd at one of the ski events. So I copped a flight on a plane and started looking. But how do you find a guy in the middle of a city full of thousands of visitors? From the air, of course! So I strapped on a pair of phat skis and took to the slopes...specifically, to the ski jump! While laying down some flights, I scanned the area in search of my homey Pete. Let me tell you, it wasn't easy peeping the scene from above, keeping my hair intact and still executing a perfect landing! But this is Jack Archery! It was NO problem for me! Unfortunately, I did not find Pete, but I'm proud to say that I placed 4th in the event! Take it easy, and see you next summer!

- Jack Archery
 

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Margie Arts & Crafts Cruises the Canals of Venice!

Ciao campeggiatori! Margie Arts & Crafts continuing the search for Pete Pioneer in the city of Venice, Italy! Venice is an amazing city and different from anything in New Jersey, because it is made of more than a hundred tiny islands, connected by canals! Venice has around 150 canals connected by 409 bridges. There are no cars in Venice (it would be hard to drive them through the water!) so the main way to get around the city is on a gondola. Gondolas are small boats piloted by “gondoliers”, who push them through the water using long poles, and singing songs as they go. It looks easy, so I decided to try it, hoping that maybe Pete would be in the area and hop aboard my gondola for a ride! Unfortunately, no luck. Maybe it was my singing voice? (After all, I’m not “Margie Music”!) Well, I’m heading back to the U.S.A. I’m going to see if I can take my gondola with me! See you this summer!

- Margie
 

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The 2005 D.U.H.s!

Greetings, Campers! Craig D.U.H., Kristen D.U.H., and Ellen D.U.H. reporting from the Amazon River in South America as we continue the search for Pete Pioneer! The Amazon River is the second largest river in the world (only the Nile in Egypt is longer), but is the biggest in terms of how much water it carries. The Amazon winds from Peru through Brazil, and empties into the Atlantic Ocean--that’s over 6,280 kilometers long--so it took three of us to cover the entire length! The Amazon is home to over 300 species of mammals, thousands of types of freshwater fish, and over a hundred thousand kinds of plants and trees. So Pete could be hiding anywhere! But we were thorough, and turned over every leaf, rock, and bug. But no luck...we still couldn’t find Pete!

Have you seen him anywhere???

- Craig, Ellen, & Kristen

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Lifers at the North Pole

Nobody has seen Pete since the end of last summer; and with just a few weeks to go until the start of Camp, we decided to search in full force! We sent Eric Program, JoAnn Pool, Tiddy Ranger, Scott Ropes, Elyse Willowbrook, Nicole Assistant Director, and Cathy Willowbrook around the globe to different points on the Earth. Each started moving north in their search, and kept looking until they eventually all met at the North Pole! They arrived just in time for the annual North Pole Marathon! In  a marathon, runners have t o travel a distance of 26.2 miles. That’s not easy to do at the North Pole, where the temperature averages 22 degrees below zero, and the ground is made of ice! And it’s even harder in shorts and flip-flops! *Bbbbrrrrrrr!!!* In fact, there is no land at the North Pole...it is actually a giant sheet of floating ice that’s only 6-12 feet thick! If you fall through the ice, you’d be stuck in the Arctic Ocean, which is 12,000 feet deep! Fortunately, everyone was very careful and none of the Lifers fell through the ice. But they still did not find Pete! So now everyone is headed back to Camp Harmony for the summer (and to warm up!). We sure hope somebody found Pete, and that he turns-up for the first day of Camp! Have YOU seen him anywhere???

- Eric Program
- JoAnn Pool
- Tiddy Ranger
- Scott Ropes
- Elyse Willowbrook
- Nicole Assistant Director
- Cathy Willowbrook

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Carol Gymnastics at the White Cliffs of Dover

Hey there, Campers! This is Carol Gymnastics reporting in on the hunt for Pete! When I heard that Pete is missing again, I decided that I would be the one to find him! Finding Pete shouldn't be that hard. After I gave it some thought, I realized where to start. After all, Pete is a TEACHER....teachers use CHALK...and Pete speaks ENGLISH. Put those things together and it only makes sense that he would be hiding in England, the location of the White Cliffs of Dover! The cliffs are made of chalk, and are on the edge of the English Channel...a body of water between Britain and the rest of Europe. I thought the best way to get a birds-eye view of Pete would be from the air, so I took out my hang glider and began the search! Unfortunately, I didn't spot him, but I did catch some good winds! I'm just hoping that I can make it back to land, and don't end up in the water!

Enjoy the school year!

- Carol Gymnastics

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Jeff Program & Ryan Busiman at NASCAR

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines! Jeff Program and Ryan Busiman are on the scene and racing to find Pete Pioneer! Pete loves fast cars (they don’t call him “Speedy Petey” for nothing!), so we thought the best place to find him would be at a NASCAR race! These racecars travel the track at speeds reaching 200 miles per hour! (That’s faster than Tiddy drives his van!) Ryan thought that he saw Pete driving one of the race cars, so we hopped on our Segways and chased after him. We took the low groove around the track, but we lost him in the crowd of traffic. But when the race was over, we were taken to Victory Lane for being the fastest drivers out there. We couldn’t stay to celebrate, though, because we had to find Pete! Time to burn rubber and get out of here!

- Jeff Program & Ryan Busiman

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Michele Pool goes Fishing!

Hi, campers! This is Michele Pool writing in as I joined the search for Pete! At first, I didn't know where to look for Pete, until I remembered that he is a sportsman, and LOVES to fish. So I headed to Mexico, where some of the world's best fishing can be found. During my journey, I caught a blue marlin! A blue marlin can grow up to 11 feet long, and weigh up to 2,000 pounds! It was not easy reeling in such a big fish, but all of my years of swimming have given me very strong muscles! Once we caught the fish, we attached an electronic tag to its fin and then let it go back into the sea. That way, scientists will be able to follow the fish as it continues to swim through the ocean, and we will be alerted if Pete catches it! Now I'm going to take my head, shoulders, knees, and toes back to camp and wait to hear if anyone else found Pete!

See you soon!

- Michele Pool

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Pete Pioneer Celebrates the Holidays in the South Pacific!

Hiya Campers! Pete Pioneer here, taking a break from my travels and checking in with my friends from Camp Harmony! A lot of people have been wondering where I've been. I even heard that there are staff members searching for me! I don't understand why there's such a fuss...I'm not lost! After all...wherever I go, there I am! This month I spent the Holidays on an island in the South Pacific. Instead of a traditional Pete Pioneer family dinner of turkey and the fixings, we celebrated with native cuisine. Here I am carving the holiday coconut. Coconuts have a hard shell, so the only way to cut them is with a big, sharp knife. Don't try this at home! We feasted on raw coconut, baked coconut, fried coconut (cooked in coconut oil, of course), and coconut pudding for dessert. And, of course, we washed it all down with coconut milk! Well, I've got to run (coconuts will do that to you)! I'll try to report in occasionally during the year. If you see any of the staff members looking for me, tell them I'm OK and to relax.

Happy New Year, everybody!

- Pete

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Pam Willowbrook Joins the Polar Bear Club!

Greetings, campers! Pam Willowbrook here in the Arctic circle, joining the hunt for Pete! I know that last month, Pete checked-in and said we should stop looking for him, but we're still worried that he's going to get lost in the world, and we want to make sure he makes it back to Camp for the summer! Knowing how much Pete loves the cold weather, and that he loves to swim, I naturally went to northern Alaska in search of our friend! I didn't find Pete, but I made another friend: a polar bear! Polar bears live in the arctic circle, which is at the top of the world! They love to swim and eat fish, and most of them are not friendly. But we got along
great! My friend is a pretty small bear...he only weighs 700 pounds! Big polar bears can weigh over 1,300 pounds! Wow! My friend the bear told me he hasn't seen Pete, but he will keep looking for him and let me know. In the meantime, I'm going to get my feet out of the water before they freeze!

See you this summer at Camp!

- Pam Willowbrook

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 Kristen Pool Patrols London

What’s up, campers? This is Kristen Pool checking in from London, England in the search for Pete Pioneer! The River Thames cuts right through the center of London, and was an important way for people to travel back in the days before minivans! I expected to find Pete taking a swim or riding a boat through the river. In the background is the Tower Bridge. The Tower Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in London…many people call it “London Bridge”, but that is a different one further up the river. I didn’t find Pete on this trip, but I got lots of exercise and it helped me get ready for Camp. I can’t wait for the summer!

- Kristen Pool
 

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Josh Ranger Skips Around the World

“Attention, campers! Skip around the world! Skip around the world! I won’t stop ‘til I skip around the world!” Josh Ranger skipping my way around the globe in search of my buddy Pete Pioneer! I’ve been looking everywhere forPete, and my journey took me as far as Easter Island, in the South Pacific. The island is called “Easter” because it was discovered on Easter day in 1722. Easter Island is famous for its numerous ‘moai’, the stone statues located along the coastlines. No one is sure where the statues came from...there are even people who believe that aliens built them and put them there! But it really was probably just hard work by the island’s natives who carved them and positioned them around the island. I don’t know about you, but I think the statue on the right looks a lot like Pete! But it’s not him. Oh, well. I’m off to my next destination. Here we go! “Skip around the world! Skip around the world! I won’t stop….”

- Josh Ranger
 

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Todd Ranger Hits the Links

Hey hey hey campers! Todd Ranger checking in on the search for Pete. Well, okay, I'm not really searching too hard. Instead I'm using this an excuse to play one of my favorite games: Golf! During the summer you can catch me on the mini-golf course on the top field; but during the school year I'm forced to play on real courses. Did you know that golf was invented in Scotland around 1457? It's true! I didn't go all the way to Scotland to play, though; instead, I traveled to Augusta, Georgia, and visited my friends Paul Casey and Tiger Woods during the Masters golf tournament. Tiger Woods is one of the best golfers in the world, and has won four times! Tiger was having a bad day, so I offered to teach him a few things. For starters, I find the best way to play golf is barefoot...that way you feel the grass between your toes! I also like wearing shorts (are my legs really that skinny?!?). Here I am teeing off--on this shot I hit a hole in one! Of course, the hole was only about two feet away, but who's counting? Well, I'm off to my next round!

Fore!!!

- Todd Ranger

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 Alex Sports, Bonnie Willowbrook, Karen Arts & Crafts, and Carol Director find Pete!

Greeting, Campers! Pete Pioneer checking in with you before the summer begins! I know all the Lifers have been looking for me over the past few months, and I'm here to tell you where they finally found me: At the New York Stock Exchange, located on Wall Street in New York City! The NYSE (as it is known) was created in 1792, and is one of the largest stock exchanges in the world! Every weekday (Monday through Friday) from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., traders buy and sell stocks for some of the biggest businesses in the world.  People have always wondered how I can afford my world travels on a teacher's salary. Well, I'll tell you my secret: I invest my money in stocks and bonds! I buy low and sell high...and I've been lucky to do so well that it pays for all of my trips. In fact, I've had so much success that I was invited to ring the Opening Bell, which is the ceremonial announcement to start trading! I invited Alex Sports, Bonnie Willowbrook, Karen Arts & Crafts, and Carol Director to join me in ringing the bell. We even did an Ugga Bugga! Well, after my most recent year of travels, I'm ready to head home, do some laundry, and get ready for Camp! I'll see you all there!

- Pete

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Pete Joins the Circus...again!

~I fly through the air with the greatest of ease,
I’m Pete Pioneer on the flying trapeze!~

 
 
Yo ho, Campers! This is Pete Pioneer returning for another year of travels and adventures. When camp ended this year, I decided it was time for a new hobby. I searched for something that would remind me of Camp…so I joined the circus. After all, at Camp we have crazy acts, people wearing silly outfits and hats, and an endless supply of clowns! When it came time to decide what circus act I wanted to try, it was an easy choice: I wanted to swing through the sky and perform acrobatic acts that would make Carol Gymnastics jealous! Here I am performing on a Swinging Trapeze with a quartet of acrobats high above England’s Newcastle Arena. The reason it looks like my eyes are closed and I’m screaming is because I suddenly remembered that I’m scared of heights! It took two giraffes, a clown on stilts, and a man shot out of a cannon to get me down…but that’s a story for another time!

See you next month!

- Pete

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Pete Becomes an Engineer!

All aboarrrrrrd!!!

Salutations, campers! This is Pete Pioneer, the Train Engineer! Ever since I was a little boy, I have always loved trains. Trains are used to transport people, food, and other things across great distances. The person who drives a train is called the Engineer. I used to play with my toy train set every day, and dreamed that someday I would be the engineer of a real train of my own! My dream came true recently when I was visiting my friend who is an engineer; unfortunately, he got sick, but he didn’t want his train to miss its schedule, so I volunteered to help him. I never learned how to drive a train, but after being on the Train team in Color War this summer, I thought I knew enough to be successful! Here I am catching some fresh air while the train was making its deliveries. Some trains go hundreds of miles per hour…this train didn’t go that fast, which is a good thing. Otherwise, my hat would have blown off!

We’re about to pull into the station. I’ve got to get going so I can be ready for my next adventure!

- Pete

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Pete Climbs the Empire State Building!

One of my favorite movies is King Kong. I always loved the scene where the big ape climbs the Empire State Building…what a view! The Empire State Building is the tallest building in New York, at 1,453 feet high! Almost all of the TV and radio stations located in New York City use the Empire State Building’s antenna to broadcast their signal. The building is open for visitors every day, but I decided that I wanted to see it from a different view: from the very tip-top of the tower! I contacted my friend, who is a tower worker, and asked if I could join him the next time he made a climb. A tower worker is responsible for climbing to the highest points on buildings and antennas to fix problems or add new attachments. Working on towers is very dangerous, so I was sure to take all necessary precautions, including a safety harness, gloves, emergency rope, and a warm jacket. I wanted to take a parachute, but there was no room for it! Tower workers also never climb without a partner. Heights never bothered me (I love going down the big slide at the lower pool!), so I climbed up with no problem. But when we got to the top, I made the mistake of looking down…and BOY did I start to scream! And I didn’t stop the whole time I was up there! From now on, I’ll stick to the slide!

And I hope that YOU don’t ever do anything dangerous…leave that to the professionals!

- Pete

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Pete Jumps Out of a Plane!

Happy New Year, campers! This is Pete Pioneer checking in with my first adventure of 2008! After a busy year of traveling to remote parts of the world, I needed to get some fresh air. And the air doesn’t come any fresher than from 13,000 feet up!

The art of parachuting dates back to the 12th century (about 900 years ago). The Chinese used parachutes to perform jumping stunts off of special towers. (The Chinese also invented the umbrella which probably was a model for the development of the parachute. Three centuries later, the great artist, Leonardo DaVinci, (the Mona Lisa), sketched a parachute. His idea was to design a device to help people escape from high burning buildings but he never developed his idea. It wasn’t until 1797, in Paris, that the first actual parachute jump took place. Parachutists need special training in order to steer in the air and to land. After my training, I got a pilot to fly me into the skies of New Jersey. When my plane flew over Camp, it was time to jump! After falling for a few thousand feet, I opened my parachute and landed safely on the top field!

See you next month!

- Pete

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Mr. Pioneer Goes to Washington

Hail, Campers! This is Pete Pioneer, checking in from Washington, DC, where I participated in the President's 2008 State of the Union Address. The State of the Union is a speech which the President of the United States gives to a joint session of Congress (the House of Representatives and the Senate). In his speech, the President talks about goals for the coming year. The President is introduced by the Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives, who calls out, "Madame Speaker, the President of the United States!", and then the President enters the room to thunderous applause from everyone there. The President makes his way to the front of the room, and greets the Vice President of the United States, (on the left), and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, (on the right), both of whom sit behind and above him for the duration of the speech. Unfortunately, the Seargeant at Arms was suffering from a sore throat, and could not make it that night, so they called me up and asked if I would substitute for him. I am very patriotic, so of course I accepted the offer. I jumped behind the podium and announced "Ladieeees and Gentlemen! Introducing the Big Cheese... Head Honcho of the greatest country in the world...your Commander-in-Chief and mine: the President of the United States!!!!!" And then I was quickly escorted out by the Secret Service, who thanked me for my time, and promised that they would call me again if there was ever another emergency. I made sure to give them my cell phone number, because I'm always on the go!

See you next month!

- Pete

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Pete Goes to the Superbowl

43...21...17...Hike! Hiya Campers! Pete Pioneer reporting in from sunny Arizona, where I had the honor of watching my favorite team, the New York Giants win the Superbowl this month! Anyone who knows me understands that I am one of the world's biggest football fans, so I'm always excited for the Superbowl. But when my Giants made it to the 'big dance', I had no choice but to call my friend Eli and hitch a ride with the team! If you watched the game, you probably saw me on the sidelines, helping the coaches with their strategy and designing plays to baffle the Patriots. In fact, when the team finally won the game, the entire team carried me on their shoulders to the middle of the field and let me celebrate on the stage as Eli was given the Lomardi Trophy! There is no greater feeling in sports than to stand in front of thousands of people cheering "Where's Pete! Where's Pete! Where's Pete!"; unfortunately, the TV stations cut away to commercial during those cheers, so you had to be there to hear them. After the game, the team asked me to join them as a coach next year. The offer was tempting, but then I remembered that they begin practice in the summer; so I told them that I already have the world's best job: working at Camp, and that I couldn't take the coaching job! It was the first time I ever saw such big, grown men cry. That's all for this month. I'm off to Hollywood, where I'll be standing on the red carpet waiting for the debut of the Camp Harmony Video!

See you next month!

- Pete

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Pete Goes Hollywood!

Hooray for Hollywood! Pete Pioneer checking in from the place known as “Tinseltown”…Hollywood, California! Hollywood is actually a part of Los Angeles, one of the largest cities in California. But it is most famous for being the movie capital of the world. Almost all American movies are made in Hollywood, and it is also the place where movies are premiered. So it made sense for me to come to Hollywood for the premier of the Camp Harmony 2007 Video on DVD! I arrived at Grauman’s Chinese Theater, which has been the site of so many big movie events! Every time a blockbuster movie comes out, movie stars line up along the red carpet and watch it at Grauman’s. I figure that the Camp Video is such big news that a crowd of actors, actresses, and stars will be there! So I’m getting in line early to make sure I don’t miss it!

See you on the big screen!

 

 
Pete Meets a Shark!

Yo ho, Campers! With summer just around the corner, I decided to practice my swimming skills at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia! The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system, composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms! This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. Around 125 species of shark live in the barrier reef, so it can be very dangerous! I took a dive below water and had a close encoutner with a finny friend! I don't recommend this...if you want to get up-close to a shark, I recommend that you visit the Adventure Aquarium in New Jersey. (New Jersey? Yaaaaay!!!) They have a large tank where these fish swim around you, and you don't have to worry about being their dinner. Time for me to dry-off and make one last stop before Camp starts!

See ya soon!

 



This month's Where's Pete was created
by camper Daniel Evan!
Pete Rocks Out with Hanna Montana!

 
Hey, y'all campers! This is Pete Pioneer--our maybe I should start calling myself "Pete Pennsylvania"! As I wind-down my travels for the year, I decided to take a break and catch some of my favorite tunes. Nobody--and I do mean nobody!--is a bigger Hannah Montana fan than me, so I scored front-row tickets to her concert! When she saw me in the crowd, she invited me up on-stage! I joined her in a duet of "Life's What You Make It" and then she let me sing the lead in "G.N.O."! At the end of the concert, she begged me to stay, but I had to politely decline because I have to start a new summer at Camp. Hannah dedicated "Start All Over" to me, and told the crowd that I am her favorite singing partner (she came up with the name "Pete Pennyslvania"). After the concert, Hannah revealed a BIG secret to me. Did you know her name really ISN'T "Hannah Montana"?!? Well, now I know her 'secret identity', but I promised not to tell, so I can't share it with you. But I AM looking forward to seeing everyone at Camp in just a few weeks!