The Sari Diaries- Friday 6/28/19

Dear Chippies, Parents, Family and Friends,

We had quite the day #TheRanch2019 today and as I sit down to write this blog post, I am in awe of what a truly special place we get to spend our summer. Today was one of those days when it was even more obvious than normal that camp is where campers and staff alike are the best versions of themselves. This place allows us all feel a certain level of comfort that almost always translates into being kinder and stronger people. Hopefully my description of our day below will give you some insight into all that plays into making that happen!

Today was definitely the warmest day of the summer so far- campers were thrilled to get in Dam Lake be it at swimming, skiing, sailing or SUP. And all over the lake, fun and impressive things were happening. During fourth period, campers were practicing their capsizing…an important sailing skill to know! At skiing, the achievements were seemingly endless- Ava Z, Sam S and Lily G crossed the wakes on two skis while Emery S lifted for ten seconds! At fishing, the pontoon boat took a ride across the lake and although no fish were caught, campers were excited to be on the water!

The excitement wasn’t only on the waterfront today- we also had a fantastic day on land. Reese S informed me that she is taking archery with her cousin, Simone C. Reese has gotten 35 golds this summer and Simone, who was at archery for the first time today, hit 10 golds! It must be in their blood :). Delicious cinnamon rolls were made at outdoor cooking and amazing scones were made in the CRC Cooking Academy. During free and rest periods, lots of gaga was played and the playground area was happening…campers of all ages were enjoying their time in the fresh air!

In addition to the wonderful activity hoopla, we had some really nice “between the bricks” moments. We talk about these all throughout the summer- it is often the unplanned interactions and experiences that become the most impactful. My guess is that we have hundreds of these moments each day and today was no exception. Before lunch, Lisa had Danielle K, Emma E, Emma H, Reese S, Alex G, Sam S and Maddie L in her office going on and on about a younger camper who they felt deserved a coin. Their passion towards ensuring that another camper got recognized for her kindness is just the perfect demonstration of how our campers think while at camp…they are selfless, thoughtful and incredibly loving!

This evening’s campfire was led by Grace F who was incredibly poised and eloquent. The theme was “Advice From A Tree” and many campers and staff participated throughout the evening. At the flag pole, Ava S led us in the pledge, Eden S & Samantha G lowered the flag, Dylan B and Mia W assisted with the flag folding and Zoey J & Mia G sang The National Anthem. And then at the Center Fire Circle, Samantha G, Rosie R, Olivia S, Julia H, Sophie B, Skylar C, Chloe B, Mia W, Jenna W and Bryce S read quotes, poems and stories. The CR-Singers led us in a number of songs and Lauren Hill has another incredible performance. Ella R & Audry L shared their camper sermonette while Sophie Friedland read her beautifully written staff sermonette (see below for an excerpt).The Keylog Ceremony was so sweet and we ended the night with the Chippewa Creed led by Sarah Stahlberger.

And that’s the rundown of our stupendous day at CRC. As I tend to mention each Friday night, our Friday Night Campfire program is such an important part of what we do. For all of the wild and crazy, costume and cheering nights we have and love here, it is so important to have a night that is a little bit more laid back. A night that gives our community a time to reflect on all that occurs throughout the week. And tonight, we got just that! It was a nice ending to a fabulous day :). Thanks for reading tonight!

Happy Camping and Love,
Sari

Excerpt From Sophie Friedland’s Sermonette
“The trees surrounding us all tonight have been here since the first day of the first summer of Chippewa, and they have seen countless generations of our community learn and grow. They have seen the excitement of each U.N. and Kahuna Day, they have seen us cheer at the top of our lungs for Tan and White; they have seen us drop trash on the ground, they have seen us pick trash up. They have seen us at our most excited and they have seen us on nights like tonight, at our most peaceful. If these trees could give each one of us advice, I think they would encourage us to take a step back from our everyday lives and really appreciate our surroundings. They would ask us to look up at them and recognize all that they have overseen. The trees know just how important it is for us to treat our surroundings with love. We have to show this camp, this place that each of us are lucky enough to call home each summer, that we care for it as much as it has cared for us throughout our time here. Chippewa belongs to each of us, and we all belong to it. I hope that each one of us can show camp just how much we love and care for it. We can do this each day by using our reusable water bottles, by picking up garbage when we see it around camp, by turning off our lights each time we leave our cabins, by taking shorter showers… I could go on. Appreciating camp means taking care of it; cleaning it up when it is dirty, watering it when it is thirsty, and feeding it with all of the love and energy we have when it is hungry. I know that I would be a completely different person without camp and the environment here. It was at this center fire circle 11 years ago that I first realized my love for nature. Getting to live in it and embrace it for all that it is, and having it give that same love right back to me, is part of what has kept me coming back to camp all these years. Camp has inspired me to study the different environments of our world, and it has shown me first hand just how important it is to take care of our surroundings.”