The Sari Diaries- Wednesday 7/3/24

Dearest Chippies,

Another spectacular week at #TheRanch2024 has come and gone. It feels like just yesterday that we were gathering at the Center Fire Circle to announce cabins, yet here we are, nearly 3 weeks into first session. Time is truly flying by—but rest assured that enthusiasm and laughter are as vibrant as ever. Every day is the best day ever at CRC… and today was no exception!

Throughout the day, the sun was (finally) shining and activities were going in full force. I was able to spend first period on a ski boat with Gemma F, Sadie G and Savannah Z. They all tried using un-connected skis for the first time and their determination was evident with each and every try. For the entirety of the period, the boat was filled with laughter and encouragement. It was great fun to witness the camaraderie and pride that they showed one another as they faced a new challenge—and while I personally don’t get to observe this often, I am certain it is a regular occurrence at Skiing!

On the other side of camp, snakes were created in Pottery, pizza was baked in Cooking, countless golds were shot in Archery (Sophie B is up to over 120!) and sailboats hit every corner of Dam Lake. Timber Walk, Copper Stripes and Rafter^X all returned from their camping trips and shared some highlights with the rest of camp in their Trip Report during lunch announcements. It was the kind of day we have been waiting for through a string of cold and rainy days over the past few weeks… and it was clear all around camp that everyone made the most of it!

But the excitement does not end there… after lunch, we held UN Day sign-ups. Campers broke out into teams and chose the activities that they will participate in on UN Day, which is fast approaching on Monday. They also learned cheers and got excited for the best day of camp (in my opinion, at least). The Colt and Wrangler Village captains took charge of this process and showed the leadership skills that earned them that title in the first place. It was awesome to see!

Tonight at dinner, we enjoyed a delicious meal of ravioli in a mess hall with windows covered in newspaper. Why newspapered windows, you may ask? Well… it’s because that’s the first step to readying the Lodge for the 4th of July. Since the start of the session, Lakeview campers have been hard at work planning a full day of programming for the camp to enjoy. It has been such a pleasure watching these girls come together and work as a team to ensure that everything from the murals to the food to the carnival activities are thoughtfully organized. I have no doubt that it will be an incredible day, and I can’t wait to see all of their hard work come to life!

We ended this fantastic day with a Kawaga Social. Siblings, cousins, old friends and new friends reunited in the South Field, playing dodgeball and trampball, and chatting over chocolate milk and chocolate covered pretzels. It was a great way to end an even greater day!

And with that, I think we have covered all of the events of the day. Each week when I sit down to write the Sari Diaries, it is daunting to think about putting the amazingness of the day into words. I can never do justice to all of the incredible things that happen in a day at CRC, but I hope that with each post you are able to read between the lines that Chippies are amazing, and camp is the best. It’s really as simple as that. Every moment is marked with growth, fun, laughter, appreciation and so much more. We are lucky, and in witnessing how campers are taking advantage of their activities, making new friends, looking out for one another, and soaking up all that camp has to offer—they know it, too!

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for tomorrow’s post about the greatest 4th of July in Chippewa history!

Sincerely,
Soph Aloaf

PS- I joined you on this fine Wednesday (rather than my typical Thursday) as Sari’s 4th of July review is far more comprehensive and interesting than mine could possibly be.

PPS- Thank you to everyone who sent 20 Year messages my way. I felt the love at CRC, and I am very grateful to be a part of this unbelievable community!