The Sari Diaries- Thursday 6/20/24

Dearest Chippies,

Soph Aloaf here with an exhilarating update about the first Thursday of #TheRanch2024. And before I get into the details of this incredible day, let me start by acknowledging that I recognize that most Chippies spend the off-season counting the days until camp starts… but me?! I spend all year counting Thursdays… and today is THAT Thursday. It was definitely worth the wait!

Today wasn’t just the first Thursday of the summer, it was also the first day of B-Day activities. Enthusiasm from campers and staff was off the charts, and I was fortunate enough to witness many achievements across camp. Hayley B and Harlow R were the first two campers to the top of the climbing wall this summer, Dylan B got up on two skis for 10 seconds for the first time, and a handful of Lakeview campers got 15+ golds in one Archery period. As I walked around camp throughout the day, the smiles were endless. Campers raved about the Oreo balls in Cooking, they put their skills to the test during soccer, and they jumped for 40 minutes straight at Trampball. TLDR: it was an incredible day of activities and an indication that the summer will be filled with many personal and activity-based accomplishments!

And now, get this… today wasn’t just the first day of B-Day activities, it was ALSO the first Coin Ceremony of the summer. As you may know, the Chippewa Compass is a core component of our program, and twice per week we hold Coin Ceremonies to recognize campers and staff who exemplify Compass characteristics. During rest hour, the whole camp gathered at the Center Fire Circle, and everyone received the Annual Coin for 2024: the Sisterhood Coin. It was a special way to begin the Chippewa Compass tradition for this summer!

To finish off the day we had Big & Little Sister Night. There was certainly no shortage of excitement being shown and fun being had as campers roamed camp and participated in many different activities including ice cream eating, a trivia game and a 3-legged race. Each pair showed up with enthusiasm, a competitive spirit, and an impressive matching costume. Congrats to all big and little sister pairs, but especially Stella G and Avery “Chick Chick” J, who earned themselves a win AND a scoop of Cathy’s to celebrate! Shoutout to the CITs, who put a great deal of time and effort into planning and running the program. Their care for the experience of the campers shined through in their thoughtful Big & Little Sister pairs, in the organization of the activities, and in the enthusiasm they showed while implementing the program itself. It is because of them that tonight was such a success!!

And so… now you see why I love Thursdays so much. There is something about readying to provide an update to all of you that opens my eyes to the amazingness around camp more than on other days. That said, with my eyes open or shut, it’s clear that this summer is shaping up to be the best one yet. That feeling that makes Chippewa Chippewa is back and better than ever. I can’t wait to see where that takes us this summer!

Thanks for reading—talk to you next Thursday!

Sincerely,
Soph Aloaf