The Sari Diaries- Tuesday 6/20/23

Dear Chippies, Parents, Family and Friends,

Our first full day at #TheRanch2023 was out of this world and I am elated to be writing to you all tonight to share the details. Today was filled with excitement and fun, and preparations for tomorrow’s big day…the first day of regular activities! So here it goes- our day at CRC…

We enjoyed a wonderful morning wake-up by Cliff. It was happy…we have been waiting all year to be woken up by Cliff’s choice of song and some humorous commentary. Per usual, we went out with the eighties on our way to breakfast. Following a lovely breakfast, campers and counselors went back to their cabins to clean, organize and officially finalize all unpacking. Throughout the morning, age groups walked around camp checking out all of the awesome activities…they took their swim tests, met the horses, jumped on the tramps and more. And then we had a very spirited lunch…the grilled cheese and tater tots were “on fleek” as the kids say these days. After lunch campers signed up for activities and participated in Minute to Win It competitions all over camp. There were whipped cream pies in faces, running through sprinklers and Plinko…tons of fun all over CRC!

This evening was the moment many have been waiting for- Tan & White Reveal, Scarlett Snow and Sachem elections. The Tan & White Neutrals, Samantha Graines and Lila Katz planned an amazing evening, and if it is any sign of how the rest of the summer will go, T&W 2023 is going to rock! New campers learned which team they are on by dipping their hands in red or white paint while blindfolded and then making a handprint on a piece of paper with their name on it…hopefully a piece of art they will cherish for years to come. As each camper revealed what color her hand print was, her new team welcomed her with boisterous cheers! Once every new camper learned their team, Tans headed to the South Field and Whites to the North Field to learn their slogans, some cheers, and to elect their Sachems (captains). The program concluded with a spectacular performance of “Scarlett Snow,” which is the unofficial story of the origin of Tan & White at CRC. The second year JCs captivated the audience with their excellent acting skills…campers were highly entertained, and I was too! Finally, once Scarlett Snow concluded, the Tan and White Sachems were announced. Each team cheered their heads off as they found out who would be leading them through their Tan & White journey this summer…it was awesome!

As campers headed back to their cabins, the Sachems, Staff Advisors, Neutrals and Directors headed to the Main House for a meeting. Each summer, I look forward to this initial Sachem meeting…it is a time for some crazy spirit, and also a time to dig into what it means to be a leader at Chippewa. After the traditional insanely loud cheering in Tom’s Office, we met with each Brave, Hunter, Warrior, Chief and Grand Sachem. We discussed what it means to be a leader at their age in this role, how they can live up to the expectations of being in such a significant position, and how they will be viewed by their peers and the camp community. These Chippies asked great questions, participated in some serious discussions, and demonstrated that they understand the impact that they will have this summer. We are really excited about this group of Sachems, and we believe they are going to lead the way to a fun, competitive and spirited summer filled with sportsmanship and connection.

That’s about all I’ve got tonight…you can check out the Tan & White Sachems below…and of course, check back tomorrow night for all the details about our very first day of regular activities…I cannot wait to see who climbs to the top of the brand new Chippy wall, who passes a level on skis, who shoots a gold in archery, who tries a brand new activity, and who finds a new connection at an activity…so exciting! Okay, thanks for reading 

Happy Camping and Love,
Sari

CRC 2023- Tan & White Sachems
Tan Brave Sachem- Logan R
White Brave Sachem- Leni B
Tan Hunter Sachem- Coral S
White Hunter Sachem- Sunny W
Tan Warrior Sachem- Laney K
White Warrior Sachem- Ava M
Tan Chief Sachem- Avery R
White Chief Sachem- Julia N
Tan Grand Sachem- Hope F
White Grand Sachem- Sadie G