The Sari Diaries- Tuesday 8/1/23

Dear Chippies, Parents, Family and Friends,

Realm Season 7: Swarm has come to an end…in a dramatic fashion I might add. Hopefully last night you got at least an idea of what Realm is all about- how it works, what your campers get so excited about and why this game has become so important to the Chippewa culture. And this last piece is what I want to talk about tonight…Chippewa culture- the culture of connection.

Yes, Realm is a game of strategy and it is also a game full of intensity, fun & teamwork. But more than that, what has been evident since Realm Eve on Sunday is that Realm is a game about connection. Within every layer and every detail of this intricate game is an opportunity for connection. Some of it is obvious- those who are in the same house are connecting because of the time they are spending together over the course of Realm, and because of the collaboration that is necessary to thrive in their industry and “level-up.” Some of it though is a little less obvious- it sits below the surface. It’s the spies that were in houses last year who seek out the Braves on their team to help them navigate their responsibilities. And it’s the Wrangler Village counselors who are House Neutrals and getting a taste of what it’s like to hear stories and excitement from our Colt Village campers. There is no doubt that those Colt Village campers are expanding their Chippewa network and feeling connected to those awesome Wrangler Village counselors. And without question, it’s happening within the armies…a thirteen year-old lakefront camper who is a part of an army with sixteen year-old CITs running through camp together planning attacks and defending their houses are certainly creating a bond. Everywhere we look, as Realm develops, campers are connecting with their teams on many levels. It’s not just the people, but the team itself…they know they are a part of an important and tight-knit community…a sub-community within the bigger CRC community.

Campers with all sorts of unique Realm skills (some of which include a bit of luck) are being acknowledged and celebrated by leaders in our community. This game no doubt gives campers an opportunity to feel proud of their accomplishments and every single camper is absolutely achieving all sorts of things throughout this game. Just this morning, I saw Marlee A and Hayden W walking back to their house on the North side of camp with intention- they clearly had somewhere to be, something to do and they knew someone was counting on them. When they saw me coming, they were very excited to show me the bracelets that had hidden under a sock on their wrists, which indicated the level they were on. They were part of The Fish Hatchery and had gotten to the highest level…they created multiple Puffer Fish Cannons! As we established last night, this game is complex and maybe even a little bit weird, but how amazing that these eight year-old campers had worked together with the others in their house and their House Neutrals to learn all about the intricacies of raising fish to the point of creating one of the most valuable and powerful cannons in the entire game. They were stoked and they had good reason to be!

I guess what I am trying to say in all of this is that Realm is the most popular program in camp for good reason. It’s not just because of all the hype that surrounds it- the trailers, or the Seven Wonders Quiz sponsorships, or even the signs posted around camp & the stickers given out, or dare I mention the late night bee noises playing over the loudspeaker. And though I think this is a piece of it, it’s not even solely because of the fun, intense and engaging nature of Realm. And while some might say this is a big part of it, I don’t even believe the reason is because of all of the snacks and baked goods that campers enjoy from Jen’s Beckery and the Gross-ery Store. The number one reason, which many may not quite be able to identify, is the connection. Every camper and staff member- literally every person who lives at 8258 County O right now feels a responsibility in the game of Realm…from our youngest campers to our oldest staff members, and from campers who had never heard of Realm until they got here to our most senior Dev Team members, you matter in this game…and you know you matter.

We talk about this all the time- at the very core of all human being…campers included, is a need to feel a part of something bigger than themselves. And we all know that campers need structure…in fact they crave structure. In addition to a sense of belonging and structure, campers want to be held accountable…they want to know that someone is accounting for them, and that someone is recognizing their actions. The feeling that campers get through playing Realm provides them with all of that…a connection and bond with their teammates & their team & the game itself, a structure of the game with specific instructions on how to play…literally every nuance is thought of and described in the Realm Guidebook, and finally there is no doubt that they are held accountable…they know that they are important to the success of their team regardless of their job- when they level-up as a house member ,or get good intel as a spy, or defend a house as a soldier, or plan a successful attack as a member of the Round Table, they are recognized. And it is all of this that is Realm. It is more than a game, it is more than an important game, it is more than an important game within our most popular program (Tan & White)- it is connection and it is what CRC is absolutely all about.

As for what happened, here is how the day unfolded… We had tons of action throughout the morning- houses were attacked; dragons were found, used & stolen; the chess game continued on, which knocked out various members of the Round Table for 30 minutes at a time & continued to lower the Annihilation Cannons; lots of snacks were consumed; and the Round Table was deep in strategic planning. The chess game ended just before lunch (it was a close match but Tan Hive Mind, Ava V, was victorious) and we had a very special Annihilation Cannon Ceremony where Hayden R was given the great honor of being the “An Can Knight.” We picked back up after lunch and each team had a final turn before the Tans attacked the White Castle, which ended the game! It was wild- the Braves, Hunters, Warriors and Chiefs each played a role in the attack or defending of the White Castle. I know this is anti-climactic but we have not yet announced the winner, so I can’t disclose here. What I can tell you is that it was close and it was a game well played by both the Tans and the Whites.

So yeah, Realm is special and it was truly amazing this summer. #TheRanch2023 loved pretty much every second of it…I mean it was awesome! Before concluding this final Realm post of the season, I want to give a huge shout-out to the Realm Dev Team. Cliff leads this small team each summer, and together they create something magical for all of us. Abby C, Dylan Gr and Jordyn V hit it out of the park this time around. They added unique elements to the game while ensuring the past seasons of Realm were honored. They spent many late nights in Tom’s Office planning and they executed incredibly well. So thank you, Dev Team 2023- you have provided a memorable and foundation building two-plus days for all of us and we are grateful!

Of course, this game couldn’t happen without the effort, investment and creativity from the staff. This staff team, literally every single one of them, assisted in making this day happen…they took their responsibilities seriously, and made Realm a reality. And last but not least, I have to hand it to the Chippewa campers. This game takes a great deal of concentration and commitment from campers young and old, and the Chippies rocked it…they embraced all things Realm- they had an open-mind, they had their fun and they connected on so many levels.

That’s all I got from Realm-world for now…stay tuned for Realm Season 8 coming to CRC in 2024!

Happy Camping and Love,
Sari