Our fall campout at Camp Benson was an unforgettable weekend filled with adventure and bonding. Dads and daughters enjoyed exciting activities like ziplining through the trees, testing their aim at archery and slingshots, racing down the tub slides, and scaling the rock wall. Evenings were spent gathered around big campfires, sharing stories, laughter, and friendship. The weekend wrapped up with a special ceremony where we proudly inducted new members into our tribes—creating lasting memories and strengthening our community spirit.

The music was cranked up, the soap suds were flying, and the pressure washers were spraying at the Mountain Nation car wash. This event brings all the members of the nation together for our yearly fundraiser. Dads and daughters were very busy washing and drying all the cars that came to the event. The girls made signs to flag people down driving by, had mini dance parties and of course water fights. Thank you to all our volunteers, the Moose Lodge, and especially everyone in the community who came out to support Big Waters. We really appreciate everyone who donated!    

We are all looking forward to the nation's first campout of the year. Fall campout will be a beautiful Camp Benson in Mt. Carroll on September 19-21. Everyone is excited to zipline, shoot rifles and archery, play gaga ball, climb the ropes course and gather around the campfire. 

​Bike Rally (August 16th)

​The residents of Mt Prospect roared for the Mountain Nation and Big Waters walking through the streets for the 4th of July Parade. There was plenty of candy & popsicles for all spectators lining the parade route. The girls had a blast waving, saying hi and handing out all the treats. Our members were dressed and decorated in their best patriotic gear and looking great! The extra-large jump rope was a huge hit, inviting some spectators out of the crowd to have fun on the streets. We always enjoy celebrating with the community for this great event. See you again next year!  

​We had a blast marching in the Memorial Day Parade!  The girls loved seeing their friends along the route, passing out candy, and helping spread the word about what the Fireside Princesses and what this group is all about. Special shout out to the Mohicans Tribe for the treats and truck with some nice posters and decorations to help represent Big Waters. We hope to see everyone again at our pool party in a few weeks!

Our Spring Campout this year was another rollercoaster of feelings.  Both literally, from the giant swing, the zip lining, and the wall climbing, and figuratively from the friendships made, the nostalgic videos, and the new beginnings for our graduates. The daughters also enjoyed archery, slide races, and the most epic tournament of rock, paper, scissors that Camp Crosley has ever seen. The Dads had our usual fun of campfire, fireworks, and some really well grilled food. The Punk or Posh Party was an event that will not be forgotten anytime soon, especially for the girls who ended up in the money booth!  Thank you to all who participated in this event and throughout the program year. Take a look at the video below for some of the best moments from the weekend.

Even though we have said some goodbyes and had our last campout for a while, that doesn't mean there is not a lot happening soon. The calendar above will continue to be updated with upcoming events like the Memorial Day Parade (May 26th), our Summer Pool Party (June 29th), the Mount Prospect Parade (July 4th), the Bike Rally (August 16th), and the Fall Campout (September 19-21st).  We will be posting and sharing more about the all of these events, the Car Wash, and other activities soon.  Thank you!

The Mountain Nation had an awesome time getting back together on ice skates. Big thank you to the Nicholas Sportsplex in Mount Prospect for hosting us, as well as the Kiowa and Teton tribes for helping put this together. We had a great turnout of over 100 people joining us in the rink for skating, pizza, drinks, and music. We loved welcoming several new families to the group, as well as having some of the elder daughters get together for one of the last times before graduating.  A few pictures from the day are below.

Speaking of which, we have our final campout of the program year fast approaching. The registration deadline is April 20th for the first weekend in May, and we still have some spots remaining.  Please try and sign up before the deadline to attend this special event and avoid ending up on the waitlist. Ask your tribe leaders about the "Punk or Posh" party we will host on Saturday night that should create lasting memories for all involved.  It should be a great first overnight experience for some, an amazing final moment for those that are finishing their time with us, and an absolute blast for all the Dads and Daughters involved.

Last month we had the return of the Mountain Nation Regatta.  Daughters in different age groups competed for the fastest and best-looking ships in the land.  It was a little wet, loud, and full of friendly competition.  Pizza and drinks were aplenty while Dads and Daughters cheered on friends for this tournament-style event.  Big thank you to the Osage Tribe for helping organize, as well as our partners at the Moose Lodge for the time and space.  Check out the pictures below to see a few highlights.

As we near the end of the Big Waters Season, we still have a few events left.  If you have not been able to attend anything this year, the ice-skating event on April 13th will be a great, free opportunity to learn more about the group.  Registration recently opened for the Spring Campout that is occurring the weekend of May 2-4th.  It is also not too early to start thinking about our participation in the Memorial Day Parade in Arlington Heights as well as the Fourth of July Parade in Mount Prospect.  Take a look at the Google calendar at the top of the blog for more details, and please reach out to your tribe leaders with any questions.

Well, our Winter Campout at Camp MacLean was not quite cold enough for sledding, tobogganing, ice skating, or broomball.  But if you know the Mountain Nation, you know that the hundreds who attended had plenty to do.  The camp hosted some great team building activities for both the daughters and dads.  Archery, Gaga Ball, Scavenger Hunts, and the Arts & Crafts area appeared to be the most popular activities by day.  During the evening the raffle, grilling, ice cream party, and campfires were going strong.  The return of the Mountain Nation Talent Show was certainly entertaining for those onstage as well as the audience.  Check out the video below to see some of the highlights that were enjoyed by all.

Coming up, the Mountain Nation is having a Regatta on Sunday, February 23rd in Mount Prospect hosted by the Osage.  Please register on the site so your daughter can compete for the fastest or best decorated (mini) ship by age group.  There will be pizza, prizes, and of course, patches!​

Earlier this month the Mohican Tribe hosted quite an event. A good-sized group enjoyed some unlimited gameplay on all sorts of retro and newer arcade games. The Main Event night also included laser tag, bowling, and a high ropes course. Add in the pizza with friends and nobody wanted to leave the building. Several pictures are below of the great time both Dads and Daughters had together. 

Our Winter Campout is almost here and has filled up to capacity!  While we are trying to squeeze in as many people from the wait-list as we can, please communicate with your tribe chiefs with any questions and final updates for the weekend. Many Dads and Daughters are getting in those final practices for the Mountain Nation Talent Show that will offer some nice prizes. Maybe a few performances will linger to the tribe songs the next morning. Our YouTube channel @BigWatersFederation now has the winning number from the last campout for your viewing pleasure. 

​Another event occurred a few weeks ago that we still have not highlighted.  Different tribes from around the Mountain Nation went into their neighborhoods to try and pass on the holiday spirit.  Local neighbors, Big Waters alumni, and friends were pleased to hear the girls (and Dads!) singing.  Everything from jingle bells to Black Sabbath's Deck the Halls brought cheer to many faces.  Check out a few pictures below as well as our @BigWatersFederation YouTube channel to see a little bit more about how we do things that time of year.  More videos will be posted soon from the past few months so consider subscribing to stay tuned.

​Happy 2025 to and from the Mountain Nation!  We are still catching up on communicating all of the activities we have done the past several weeks alone, and there are more to come. Early last month, the Osage got together to play some casino-style games. There were several different versions of BINGO where the daughters might have done better than the Dads. Everyone enjoyed the dice game that depending on the roll resulted in trying to unwrap a "ball" while wearing oven mitts. Finally there were a few rounds of left-right-center to end the night. 

Check out some of the pictures below of the Osage group having a great time. More posts and pics should be dropping over the next few weeks with other recent events. Lastly, there is a little more time to sign up for the Winter Campout coming up on January 31st-February 2nd. This is one of the closest we have had in years, just over the Wisconsin-Illinois border, so considering registering for just one night if you cannot make it the whole weekend. Either way, it will be a fun one to remember.  

​Happy Holidays to all who celebrate in the Mountain Nation!  A lot of activities have gone on over the past few weeks that we will be posting about and sharing.  One particular one we want to express at this time of year is a big thank you to Prospect Moose Lodge 660.  The Moose in Mount Prospect has been a strong partner of the Mountain Nation and we are so grateful to this organization.  Recently in November, a few members of the Mountain Nation Leadership Team met with The Moose during their board meeting to provide a gift and personally thank them for sharing their facility with us.  Thank you again Moose for your support and we look forward to continuing our work with you and helping each other in the future.

As the year ends, there are a few days left to register for the arcade night which a lot of the daughters are very excited to attend.  A lot of the tribes have been hosting their own events and will have more soon, so continue to talk with your tribe leaders so you do not miss out.  See you next year!

​The Mountain Nation nation has had an awesome fall that is sadly coming to a close. We had some great events, including the most recent bowling afternoon we had this month. Check out the video below to see some of the fun we had being zany.  We are very thankful to all of the Dads, Daughters, and supporters who help made this and other recent activities amazing. 

Coming up, check with your tribe chiefs about December caroling. Registration is already open for arcade night on January 8th, and of course you will hear more soon about our Winter Campout taking place January 31st-February 2nd at Camp MacLean in Wisconsin (which will include the return of the Mountain Nation talent show!).  Also, don't forget to fill out the Mountain Survey if you have not done so yet so we want to hear directly from all of you. 

​The Mohican tribe celebrated the end of a school week by spending their Friday night at the The Zone.  The girls climbed, swung and jumped all over the gym.  Even the youngest members overcame their fears on the rock wall and warped wall.  Overall, a great chance for both daughters and dads to catch up.

​The winds were blowing and the leaves were all over, so it definitely felt like fall during the annual Pumpkin Carving event this past weekend.  The group was able to reconnect after our great fall campout in September and catch up on the latest.  There were some great designs, stickers to use, and a few painted ones as well while listening to Halloween music.  Each daughter also got to bring home a little glowing pumpkin to use with their jack-o-lantern.  The temperatures were so nice that most of the girls ended up running around in the park and playground afterward.  Check out a few of the pictures below!

Also, as the Mountain Nation continues to host events large and small, we would like to get some feedback from you!  Your leaders should be sending out a survey that takes less than five minutes to complete.  Please submit a response for your family so we can take your feedback into account for future activities this year and next.  Thank you!

​It is that time of year, so happy fall season! The Navajo are hosting the annual Mountain Nation Pumpkin Carving event on Sunday, October 13th at 1:00 pm. This is a great one to bring along friends or those considering joining Big Waters so they can meet some people and understand the group a little better. It's free (just bring your own pumpkin and carving tools), it's close (Camelot Park in Arlington Heights), and it saves you from having to clean up a mess at home. Please let your tribe leaders know if you are attending or if you have any questions.

​A small group of Navajo got together during the Dryden Elementary ice cream social. Some friends were able to reconnect before the start of the new school year and Big Waters program year. A few new princesses liked what they saw and will try and join us for an upcoming event soon!

The weather was clear, hot, and perfect for the car wash. Dads and daughters from across the Mountain Nation came by in shifts to help setup, wash cars, dry vehicles, clean up the site, and engaged in a few spontaneous water fights and dance parties along the way. Thank you to all our volunteers, the Moose Lodge, and especially everyone in the community who came out to support Big Waters. The totals are still being counted and we really appreciate everyone who helped us. The funds raised will be going toward future events and helping those who need it most. Speaking of future events, don't forget to sign up for one or two nights of the Fall Campout at Camp Eberhart in Michigan (September 20-22nd). The next one after that is the Navajo hosted Pumpkin Carving in Arlington Heights (October 13th). Look at the calendar updates here or talk to your tribe chiefs for more details.

​With school just around the corner, the Mohican tribe wanted to host one more summer activity.  We rented out an entire theater at the Classic Cinemas Elk Grove for a showing of "Harold and the Purple Crayon".  It was great to see so many familiar and new faces.  The girls ate plenty of popcorn and the dads got a chance to relax in their comfy chairs.

We're looking forward to the Mountain Nation Car Wash and fall campout in the next few weeks!

There is a lot going on in the Mountain Nation over just the next several weeks!  We are less than a week away (August 17th) from the Bike Rally & Music Fix in Mount Prospect, check out the previous post here to see the details. A week later (August 24th) we are hosting our annual car wash which serves as our main fundraiser for the year. Please work with your tribe chiefs to get those car wash tickets and be ready to have some soapy fun, the flyer below has the info. Stay tuned for sign-ups for our fall campout starting soon, we will be at Camp Eberhart next month (September 20-22).  Also, registration for the 2024-2025 program year is open, so you can use the menu in the top-right of this page to register and be ready for all the Big Waters events coming up. The calendar above will continue to be updated with all the event information you need so you can view it, copy it, or automatically add it to your own calendar and not miss a thing for you and your daughter this season. ​