The Sari Diaries- Monday 6/20/22

Dear Chippies, Parents, Family and Friends,

WE ARE BACK! Yes, it is true- we are back at CRC and it feels so good. #TheRanch2022 is in full force and I couldn’t stop smiling today as I witnessed old friends reuniting, campers walking freely around CRC and counselors so naturally leading their cabins in first day festivities. That said, I don’t want to get ahead of myself, I will start at the very beginning of our day on Dam Lake…

This morning began with the staff putting the final touches on cabins, and running around camp to ensure everything was just right for camper arrival. The 2022 Staff Team is truly outstanding, and we are so very lucky to have each and every one of them. Their clear commitment to the Chippewa campers and our camp community has been evident throughout all of pre-camp, and we are so excited to watch them shine over the course of the next eight weeks!

Getting back to business- after lunch, the moment we have been waiting for since August 12, 2021 arrived…the first bus pulled through the Chippewa gate and around the Circle Drive. “We Welcome You to Chippewa” was sung loudly and enthusiastically as campers poured off the buses with ginormous smiles on their faces. That first bus included Rafter^X, our youngest campers, and it was everything- cute, sweet, heartwarming, and all the feels that go along with watching the very first moments of campers’ Chippewa journeys. I know that they are going to have the summer of their lives, and that they are in the process of forming a foundation for a friendship with each other, and a connection to CRC that will undoubtedly last their lifetime. And knowing that, as I witnessed campers new to Chippewa, second generation Chippies, siblings of Chippies and some campers who I have known since they were born, is so very special.

Okay, enough sap for now…

Throughout the afternoon, the buses trickled in- each round of campers were greeted with more and more Chippy faces to welcome them to their home away from home. Campers spent the afternoon getting settled in their spaces, touring camp and getting to know their summer sisters. Dinner was incredible- the food was delicious (traditional first night Spaghetti & Meatballs), but equally as good (if not better) was the view of the entire camp enjoying a meal together…the Adler Lodge was buzzing with happiness and excitement. Lakeview, the oldest cabin in camp, went around from table to table singing each cabin’s song with them- it was awesome!

After dinner, our Opening Friendship Fire began- cabins sat together around the Center Fire Circle, and enjoyed an evening of fun. Introductions to some important camp characters were made, songs were sung, speeches were read and games were played.

Specifically, we started with the First Year JCs around the fire leading the camp in “Walking.” They were so excited to finally have their moment after years of watching First Year JCs ahead of them enthusiastically walking, slapping, clapping and popping around the campfire. We had our annual Piccolomini contest, which had a TON of participants. A crew from LV ’22 tried their best to win, and they had some serious competition- from first year campers to fifteen year staff members, and many in between, this year’s contest was full of talented and courageous Chippies. In the end, Sara Moss and Sydney Goldman tied in the championship round! Tyler Borstein and Sara Margolis each prepared speeches reflecting on their time at camp thus far, and sharing what CRC has meant to them. And then we had some impromptu camper speeches from Blair S, Avery O, Emmie D & Jillian W about the magic of our summer home. There was then a Rock-Paper-Scissors competition between Avery R and Ellie C to see whose cabin would go to Cathy’s for their participation in the Chippy Trivia Quizzes throughout the year…congrats to Avery on that one! And we ended the campfire with a fantastic Keylog Ceremony which highlighted all of the cities represented at Chippewa this summer. But don’t worry- no first night at CRC ends without brownies, so yes, we had brownies to conclude the campfire! A perfect way to end a spectacular first day at #TheRanch2022.

We have so much to look forward to in the coming days and weeks, but for now, I am glad to report that campers and staff are back in their cabins getting some rest. As I walked around before bed to check-in, it was clear that we are off to an epic start. Photos are loading, so be sure to check them out HERE. That’s all for now, but stay tuned for another edition of The Sari Diaries tomorrow. We will get into podcasts later this week, and as always, Soph-Aloaf will be the weekly guest writer on Thursdays.

Thanks for reading- have a wonderful evening!

Happy Camping and Love,
Sari