The Sari Diaries- Friday 7/27/18

Dear Chippies, Parents, Family and Friends,

Today we celebrated one hundred years of camping- yes you read that correctly- we had the privilege of celebrating ten amazing staff members who collectively have 100 summers of CRC under their belts. Each summer, our Ten Year celebration is a reminder to me of what a truly special community Chippewa is. There are many facets of our program, our grounds, and the way we do things that make us unique, but the single most significant factor that makes this the greatest place on earth is the people who call it home summer after summer. We are incredibly lucky to have such a committed staff who dedicate themselves to our campers and our program for such a significant part of their lives. And so today, we took some time to honor this particular group for their loyalty to CRC.

Sydney Mehrholz, Jessica Cohn, Helen Edelson, Missy Rosenthal, Diana Jacobson, Becca Keidan, Elyssa Fishman, Rachel Rappaport, Melissa Spero and Samantha Cutler are our #TheRanch2018 Ten Year Girls, and today they enjoyed the royal treatment at CRC. From special meals to participating in archery, and from waterskiing to climbing the wall, and from riding a horse to sailing with their best friends, and from an amazing cake baked by Jen to two ceremonies showering them with love, these ten individuals fully enjoyed each moment of their day. And that is just what they deserved- to remember what it’s like to be a camper again and to be told what a significant impact they have had on so many people here- their time at camp was honored in just the right way.

What I love so much about this day, in addition to this group feeling so good, is the message it sends to our campers. Today demonstrated just how valuable the camp experience is- there are achievements in activities and goals scored on UN Day, but more important than that are the relationships formed. As our Ten Year Girls sat on stage tonight, their friends stood behind them singing songs, reading poems and sharing stories that exemplify just what we are trying to accomplish here- friendships rooted in shared experiences and little campers that become big campers that become counselors who are young adults of high moral character and who truly care about others.

I know that all of those campers sitting in the theater tonight were admiring those counselors on stage. They were envisioning themselves in those counselors shoes one day and hoping that they are on a path to having a similar camp experience that they got to hear about all night. I know they look up to all of the counselors on our fantastic staff, but tonight, I am confident that our Ten Year Girls gained a little extra admiration…they are officially the role models for two hundred campers. And truth be told, that’s what we want. Our Ten Year Girls live and breath Chippewa while also being good humans…we can’t ask for much more!

I could continue writing for ages about how impactful this celebration is for everyone at CRC but for tonight, I will just leave you with this…

I feel lucky to have spent the past ten summers with this group of Ten Year Girls. It has been an honor to watch them grow as individuals and as a group, and I am truly proud of the people they have become. Both inside and outside camp, they make this world a better place and I am appreciative that they have dedicated so much of their lives to our summer home.

So happy Ten Year, girls…thank you for brightening our camp community with your energy, your spirit and your hearts!

Happy Camping and Love,
Sari