The Sari Diaries- Saturday 8/22/15

Dear Chippies, Parents, Family and Friends,

I hope you have enjoyed this past week. For all of those parents out there, I am sure it was nice to have your campers home. And for the campers, I hope you have adjusted back into home life…not always an easy task ;). I can tell you that up here, we have been missing you all like crazy! Today was our final day of Family Camp and it was a fantastic way to close out the summer. Below are some of the highlights from our week at #ChippyFamilyCamp…

1. This is our third annual Family Camp and each year, it gets better. Almost all of the original Family Camp crew still comes but we have had some wonderful additions over the past couple of years. We have alumni families, current camper families, potential camper families and other families who just want a good old fashioned week at camp together. We have campers who are babies and some who are grandparents, but no matter the age, they are here to take in the Chippewa experience. This combination of people along with our incredible staff made the week one filled with lots of fun, laughter and camp spirit. We loved having current campers Lola S, Dani G, Violet S, Juliette S and Chloe C back at camp for a little extra Chippy fun. They showed many of the younger campers the ropes and helped us bring the magic from this summer to Family Camp.

2. Family Camp is run slightly different than a typical day at Chippewa. We try to keep some of the structure the same by having different activity periods throughout the day in addition to an evening program every night. It was pretty cute to see the tiniest of family campers running from the pirates on Pirate Night and going down the zipline. It was also awesome to see families roasting marshmallows together each night and tubing on Dam Lake. We had a talent show which was full of dances and magic that were very well rehearsed. The highlight for me programming-wise was Tom Pease. It was so cool to see the campers (both young and old) so into all of the songs. Alumni remembered them from when they were at camp, current campers loved that they recognized songs from his summer performance and everyone else loved dancing and singing along. It was a fabulous night for all!

3. Last night we had a Friday Night Campfire that consisted of singing a number of favorite campfire songs, a keylog ceremony, The Creed and s’mores. It got dark fairly early but as our staff and the Family Camp community sat around the Center Fire Circle, I had the chills. There are a number of amazing components of family camp but I think the best part is the friendships that are cultivated and maintained through this one special week each summer. For some, those friendships have been longstanding…friendships that formed at CRC in the 1980s and 1990s. Camp friends travel from all over the country to relive their camp days each summer. The bonds are everlasting and upon their return to Chippyland, it is as if no time has passed at all. This is a foreshadowing of what is to come for the current campers and staff at Chippewa. The relationships formed on this property are strong, they are resilient and they are full of love. At this time each summer, I am so grateful that I get to watch and be a part of the reunions that occur and it quite frankly refills my heart after the 8-week session has ended. In addition to the already formed friendships that get to shine at Family Camp, it is so cool to see the next generation of Chippies forming those same bonds. Whether their moms went to Chippewa or not, the young Family Campers are creating camp friendships throughout the week that emulate those of our alumni. They run around these grounds creating memories…sometimes during structured programming and sometimes as they search for rocks & sticks. I love seeing this happen and I cannot help but be excited to see these kids grow up together at camp!

4. For me, this week was the perfect decompression after what has been the most outstanding summer. It helped ease the pain after so many very sad goodbyes last Friday. I was fortunate enough to spend time with four of my counselors (and their families) during Family Camp. They are the people that I have to thank for each and every summer that I have been privileged enough to spend at CRC. After a very homesick first summer, I returned in 1994 and never looked back. I constantly felt loved, supported, safe and comfortable. I was lucky enough to form everlasting friendships with my age group and those outside my age group…people who are my best friends today and I am confident will be for ever and ever. These friendships, along with the countless Chippewa memories from my childhood were made possible by my counselors…the ones who fostered an environment to allow us to confidently grow even if we didn’t know it was happening. I am so happy that I was able to hang out with them and reminisce throughout the week. It was so special and I loved every second of it!

I guess that’s all for now…I will definitely be checking in with TSD every so often throughout the year. I plan to post one more time before I leave next week…that will be sad…my official farewell to #TheRanch2015. Even as I am writing this now, an entire week after camp ended, it is hard to believe just how quiet Chippyland is. I think I am still hoping that everyone is just on a camping trip or in town and that in a few hours, this place will come back to life and be filled with the best campers and staff ever. I obviously though need to start coming to terms with the fact that the summer of 2015 has come and it has gone…it was one for the history books but now it is time to start thinking about 2016!

Happy Camping and Love,
Sari