The Sari Diaries- Friday 7/22/22

Dear Chippies, Parents, Family and Friends,

First of all, Happy Friday! I hope you are all enjoying the start to your weekend . For us, the day has been amazing! From wake-up through the end of campfire, we have been busy with fun and exciting programming! Here’s how it all went down…

We had a very typical and happy morning…regular activities ran, and campers loved playing in the lake on this hot day! At skiing, Lexi S crossed the wakes on two skis, Maddie B dropped a ski, Anabelle L dropped and crossed the wakes on one ski, Taylor G crossed the wakes on one ski and Ellie A & Regina L got up on two skis for ten seconds! At cooking, campers made chocolate chip cookies from scratch and Brooke R got her very first bullseye in archery!

While the morning was very routine, things took a turn at lunch because our celebration of our 15-Year Girls, Smoss and Ruth, began! As the two of them walked into the lodge, the entire camp began singing, “We Love You 15 Year Girls!” Staff were decked in 15-year gear (hats for Smoss and Life is Good shirts for Ruth). The two of them were elated, and possibly surprised (though I think maybe they knew)! After a delicious lunch, we had cake to celebrate this special occasion, and then we all headed to the Center Fire Circle for a special ceremony.

Various Chippies got up to read poems, speeches and talk from the heart about Smoss and Ruth. The two of them have committed so much of their lives to Chippewa, and they deserved each and every accolade and thank-you they received this afternoon. I know that I speak for many when I say that I am incredibly appreciative to have both Ruth and Smoss at camp each summer. They are not only people who make this place go, but they are my friends, and I am beyond grateful to have the opportunity to work with people I feel so close to each and every summer. Throughout the afternoon, both Ruth and Smoss participated in some activities- Smoss got up and around the lake on skis after going sailing with her age group, and Ruth went for a family ski boat ride! I hope and believe that both of them felt celebrated today, and they definitely deserved just that…they are two very special people and we want them to know it!

As for everybody else, this afternoon brought something we all love…All Camp Cathy’s! At the end of their 15 Year Ceremony, Ruth and Smoss declared that the only thing that would make their day better would be if the whole camp could go to Cathy’s…so naturally, we obliged . As campers were shuttled to and from Cathy’s, others participated in afternoon activities…we had a camp full of smiling campers with bellies full of delicious ice cream.

Before tonight’s amazing campfire, Caroline S, Eden G and Sadie Gl stopped by the office for a hang. I got to hear all about their trip to Mackinac, listen to them talk about their hopes for the remainder of the summer and we reminisced about their summers of camp when they were younger. It is amazing how vivid their memories are about even the smallest-seeming events from their camp careers. It was such a nice reminder that what we are doing here matters, and that each interaction we have with one another has an impact…these are the days we remember, quite literally!

Finally, to cap off this superb day, we had a Kindness themed Friday Night Campfire led by Hope F. In my opinion, tonight’s theme came just in time. There is no doubt that this camp is filled with kind and loving humans…some of the very best in the world, I am sure of that. But even the very best can get caught up in the madness of camp…we sometimes lose sight of what is truly important…and so a reminder like tonight’s campfire is just what we needed. It was a really nice reset, and a perfect time to reflect on our past week, while planning for the remainder of our summer. Marni S wrote an outstanding sermonette in which she shared her thoughts of kindness being all around us at camp- it is so much a part of who we are and what we do while we are at #TheRanch2022. She reminded us all to take who we are here, and what we place such high value on while we are at camp, into the real world- into our lives at home and at school. And her sermonette was appropriately complemented by Leah Berns singing “Count On Me” by Bruno Mars. The entire camp was singing along and it was sweet. As I looked around the campfire, I felt so much happiness…it was a reminder of how lucky we all are to have camp, and to have our camp friends to count on. I got to see Leni B and Avery J with their arms around each other singing, and I am almost positive about twenty-five years ago, their mothers were sitting in that exact place around the campfire, arm in arm, singing a song at a Friday night campfire. We ended tonight with a long but heartfelt keylog ceremony and the Chippewa Creed. Tonight was good!

So yeah, I know I say each day at camp is wonderful. And I believe that to be true thus far. But today was extra happy. We got to celebrate two people who we love and appreciate, we had plenty of activity achievements, we went to Cathy’s and we ended the day with a campfire to remember. And now it is time for bed- I hope you all have a great evening…thanks for reading!

Happy Camping and Love,
Sari