The Sari Diaries- Friday 7/26/19

Dear Chippies, Parents, Family and Friends,

Today we celebrated eight incredible staff members and their commitment to CRC. These eight girls have been at camp for ten summers and they have demonstrated extreme dedication to this camp, and to the people who call it home. 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 what truly makes this the greatest place on earth are the people. We are incredibly lucky to have such loyal staff who make our campers and our program such a significant part of their lives. And so today, we took some time to honor this particular group for all they have done for Chippewa over the past ten summers.

Sophie Friedland, Alexa Radis, Aliza Kipnis, Ally Schulkin, Hannah Cohen, Hayley Cohen, Sammie Taxman and Sarah Stahlberger are our #TheRanch2019 Ten Year Girls, and today they received 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 going down the true blue, and from an amazing cake baked by Jen to two ceremonies showering them with love, these eight 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 an important 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- foster friendships rooted in shared experiences…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 who are a part of our fantastic staff team, 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, and about what a positive influence these eight girls have each, in their own way, had on Chippewa…and quite frankly on me. 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