The Sari Diaries- Wednesday 7/9/25

Dearest Chippies,

I write to you this evening after what can only be described as a whirlwind of a day. It was as good and as action-packed as it gets here at CRC, with so many different things going on. There’s so much to say that I won’t dawdle—not even a little bit. Here we go…

This fine Waffle Wednesday began as every Waffle Wednesday does… with waffles! After breakfast and Cabin Clean-Up, we had our final first session morning of regular activities (3rd and 4th period A-day activities to be exact), where Ryan S lifted a ski and Lulu J got up and around the lake on 2 skis. We closed out the morning with a Coin Ceremony, where we honored four deserving Chippies with Compass Coins. Jorge C received the Generosity Coin, Amelia F received the Authenticity Coin, Lulu J received the Enthusiasm Coin, and Emmy L received the Compassion Coin. We are grateful for the leadership and Chippy spirit that they each bring to the Chippewa community!

After lunch, we prepped for the biggest Tan & White game of first session: Egg Marathon. It’s an all-camp relay race where a backpack holding an egg is passed from participant to participant. Throughout the afternoon, Tans and Whites sprinted across camp from the wall to the stables to the North Field, trying to protect their egg from cracking. If it cracked, the Egg Heads (Paige C and Ava L for the Tan team Shiloh C and Alexa R for the White team) had to run to the Main House and get a new one. It was a tight race and a good showing by all, with the Tans holding a slight lead throughout the game. The final leg of the race was fire building by the Grand and Chief Sachems—and the fires these Sachems built were truly incredible. In the end, the Tan team won—however, all of the Sachems and team members showed great sportsmanship, enthusiasm and grace. It was a wonderful way to end the session of Tan & White!

After Egg Marathon, the First Session Honor Cabins were announced. It was another tight race for who had the cleanest cabin this session, but in the end, Lucky-X won for Colt Village and C-C won for Wrangler. For the past four weeks, their cabins have sparkled like the top of the Chrysler Building… and for that, they earned themselves a delicious scoop of Cathy’s ice cream!

And then, if you can believe it, the day got even BETTER. As the sun went down, everyone gathered in the Little Theater for a Chippy favorite evening program—Lip Sync! Cabin by cabin, everyone scaled Sophie’s Center Stage to dance their hearts out. It is always such a delight to be an audience member during a program like Lip Sync—to witness the big smiles and obvious joy that accompanies each and every dance move. It is quintessential camp in so many ways; carefree, joyful moments that sprout from collaboration and hard work. Tonight’s competition was tough, but the worthy winners were Circle C and A-Frame. They also enjoyed a delicious scoop of Cathy’s ice cream to celebrate!

And now, as camp quiets down, I can’t help but reflect on the past four weeks. How did we get here—halfway through the summer? I am having a hard time accepting that the summer is nearly halfway over, while also maintaining awareness of the growth and accomplishment that has taken place since camp began. Sure, campers have improved in skiing and they have raked in the golds at Archery, but they have also developed in confidence and humility and patience and Chippy spirit. For any who are parents reading, I can’t wait for you to witness firsthand the changes that have ensued, and to see Lip Sync-sized smiles spread across their face while they tell you about their favorite moments from the past four weeks.

Thanks for reading—I am looking forward to seeing many of you on Friday!

Sincerely,
Soph Aloaf