The Sari Diaries- Friday 7/29/22

Dear Chippies, Parents, Family and Friends,

This post is dedicated to our 2022 Ten Year Girls- Leah Berns, Ilana Solomon, Sydney Feldman, Sydney Goldman, Marni Schneider, Talia Teich, Ellie Wise, Talia Cohen, Talia Solomon, Alana Spaeth, Ari Harkavy and Emma Radis…

Today was Ten Year at #TheRanch2022 and we were lucky enough to celebrate twelve amazing Chippies on this very special day. They have 120 years of CRC between them, and each of them in their own unique way has changed this place, and all of us who have experienced their summers at camp with them, in a positive way. These twelve girls have demonstrated an immense amount of commitment, loyalty and love to Chippewa, and we are extremely grateful for each of them. And so, in honor of their being at camp for ten summers, today was their day to be showered with all good things…they had their three favorite meals, the whole camp enjoyed ten year cake in their honor, we had two ceremonies in which friends, family and campers sang their praises, and they got to participate in their favorite activities- skiing, sailing, riding, climbing and ropes! There is no doubt in my mind that these twelve girls had a day that they will remember for the rest of their lives. And that is what we wanted for them, and that is what they have earned.

Throughout the day, I am confident that campers young and old were watching these Ten Year Girls…when they were on stage tonight, when they were riding horses this afternoon, and when they were sailing together happy as could be. And as they watched these twelve amazing staff members, I have a hunch that many of them were thinking about their own camp careers…what they have been thus far, and what they want them to be in the future. I know when I was a camper, I watched those Ten Year Girls (many who have daughters at camp right now) hoping that one day I could be just like them. Not only that I would be celebrated for dedicating ten summers to CRC, but also that I would be sitting on stage with my best friends, enjoying camp into my college years, and being looked up to the way I looked up to those Ten Year Girls. I truly believe that our campers had the same mindset today. I know that each day they look to the staff as role models, but today especially, I hope that they are looking at these twelve incredible Ten Year Girls, and wishing that they will one day be just like them. Because if we have a camp full of campers who are just like these twelve staff members, we will be very lucky. They are outstanding counselors and they are genuinely good people. The determination, work ethic, enthusiasm, gratitude, strength, optimism, leadership, selflessness, cooperation, generosity, humility and curiosity that these Ten Year Girls have shown over the course of their camp careers, is admirable and it is a gift to our community.

So to our twelve Ten Year Girls, I say THANK YOU. Thank you for making camp a priority in your lives. Thank you for being moral and kind. Thank you for showing our campers love and compassion. Thank you for demonstrating a love for something bigger than yourselves. Thank you for serving as mentors for today’s Chippies. Thank you for being here, and thank you for being you- twelve exceptional individuals who are collectively some of the very best people I know.

Happy Ten Year Sydney x 2, Talia x 3, Alana & Ilana, Marni, Ari, Ellie, Leah and Emma. Thank you for your service, and your friendship too. And don’t forget, here’s to ten more!

Happy Camping and Love,
Sari