The Sari Diaries- Friday 6/28/24

Dear Chippies, Parents, Family and Friends,

Greetings from #TheRanch2024. We had a really nice albeit rainy day at CRC. Friday is back and Fridays are still the best! Here is what happened on this Friday around here…

This morning we snuck in a couple of regular activities before the cold and rain came our way. At skiing, Gemma F got up on two skis for ten seconds, Scarlett L crossed the wakes on two skis and Elle H lifted a ski for ten seconds. In cooking, they made delicious snickerdoodles…they looked amazing. And in sailing, campers were loving their time on the windy lake!

After lunch, we had about 30 campers head over to Marimeta to compete in basketball and soccer. According to coaches Josh and Lauren, the girls were amazing. They played hard, were good sports and enjoyed their time at our neighboring girls camp. Meanwhile, back at CRC, campers participated in a Shark Tank activity. Each cabin invented a product that would be useful at camp, and they presented to the “sharks” aka male staff. There were some pretty creative ideas put out there- from a foot cleaner that looks like a Croc to an all in one waterbottle, campers were thoughtful in their creations and presentations. In the end, the cabin of Boots won…their product was a rolling shower caddy…kind of like a rolling suitcase meets a camp shower caddy. The entire afternoon was full of enthusiasm, collaboration and fun…such an awesome program for this slightly chilly afternoon!

Tonight’s campfire theme was Impact. Avery F led the campfire and did an incredible job! Logan W and Talia T both wrote and shared really nice sermonettes that connected the impact we have within the confines of CRC to the impact we have the potential to make outside of camp. Naomi R, Shiloh C, Lucy W, Katie M, Sienna K, Maya G, Emerson R, Emma A, Julia F, Lucy B and Quinn M all read quotes, poems and stories revolving around impact. The CR-Singers led us in “Cats in the Cradle” and “Waiting on the World to Change.” The highlight for me was probably when Talia Teich, Marni Schneider, Ellie Wise and Sydney Goldman sang “A Life That’s Good.” The song itself is one that makes my heart warm, and seeing the four of them at the front of the fire circle nearly brought tears to my eyes (and tears don’t flow very easily from my eyes). These four girls have just graduated college, and have chosen to spend their summer with us. They are a part of the fabric that makes Chippewa what it is, and the impact they are having on each of us this summer is profound. They are cabin counselors, activity directors and positive forces all around camp…we are so fortunate to have these four back with us this summer, and tonight was further proof of just that.

As is typical for Friday nights, this campfire was just what I needed. Camp can get crazy, camp is definitely busy, and there is rarely a moment to take a breath, and take it all in. But Friday nights give us that opportunity- listening to campers and staff speak about a value that is important to us, singing around the campfire with the entire Chippewa Sisterhood, and sitting by the lake and under the trees at the Center Fire Circle is centering…it is just what we as a community require each week to be our best selves, and I am so grateful that we get this opportunity each and every week.

That’s all from me on this lovely Friday eve. Thanks for reading!

Happy Camping and Love, Sari