The Sari Diaries- 6/19/26

Dear Chippies, Parents, Family & Friends,

Happy Friday to all! Friday is my very favorite day each week of the summer and I am excited to tell you all about this one at #TheRanch2026…

Our Day at CRC
-Morning wake-up!
-Breakfast (with a Campfire playlist as the soundtrack)- Scrambled Eggs, Donuts, Coffee Cake
-1st & 2nd Period Activities- From the south end of camp to the north, and from the stables to the lake, Chippies were enthusiastically participating in their A-Day activities! -Lunch- Turkey Chili, Baked & Sweet Potatoes, Corn Bread
-Picture Day…everybody’s favorite . We took an all-camp photo, a second-generation photo, a third-generation photo and cabin photos. As is typical on picture day, the sun was shining and for the first time all summer, it felt hot!
-3rd & 4th Period Activities- We got right back to it this afternoon and they were awesome!
-Dinner- BBQ Ribs & Chicken, Steak Fries & Chocolate Chip Cookies
-Friday Night Campfire with the obvious first 2026 campfire theme- Everything Matters.
Campfire Leader: Sadie S (Lakeview)
Quote, Poem and Story Readers: Chloe M (Trailriders), Ivy R (C-C), Harper W (Cactus), Zoey Y (Boots), Ellie A (Bowed Legs), Maddie M (C-C), Liv L (Silverspurs), Molly D (Blackfoot), Billie S (Trailriders), Sage L (C-C), Jeneva E (Wagon Ridge)
Sermonettes: Lily Benbow (Timber Walk), Lily Garfinkel (Cactus), Mallanah Jones (Wagon Ridge)
Flag Pole Participants: Riley F (Lakeview), Maya G (Lakeview), Sadie M (Lakeview), Sasha C (Trailriders)
National Anthem Singers: Julia Nathanson (Lakeview), Skye N (Lakeview), Sammi S (Lakeview)

Activity Achievements
-Charli R (Trailriders) hit the first gold of the summer!
-Harper W (Cactus) hit 15 golds in one period!
-Callie W (Horseshoe) got up and around the lake on two skis!
-Cameron R (Boots) lifted a ski for ten seconds!

Everything Matters Moments
-This morning as I walked towards the South Field, I could barely believe my eyes- the field was full of active Chippies playing lacrosse and field hockey. There were drills and mini-games going- campers engaged and working hard while the staff members coached them up. It was an incredible sight to see!
-The entirety of lunch today was special. We implemented our inaugural Friday Blend Lunch, which we will continue every Friday going forward. While all other meals at Chippewa are eaten with cabinmates and counselors sitting together, on Fridays, we mix it up. BUT we don’t mix it every Friday- campers and staff have official tables that they will sit at for the remainder of the summer in an effort to help them expand their CRC network, form friendships with those outside their cabins & activities, and bring our community closer together. All big & little sister pairs are at the same table, and aside from that, it is a combination of Chippies of all ages (staff included). I am an official member of one of the Trailriders tables. We sang the Trailriders cabin song, we chatted throughout the meal and we (or at least I) loved getting to spend some mealtime with new faces. It was amazing to see how the older campers engaged with the littles, and how the littles had so many questions for their table-mates who have a bit more camp experience. I am excited to sit with Liv W (A-Frame), Cameron H (Trailriders), Cassidy A (Lucky-X), Lexi K (Horseshoe), Noa C (A-Frame), Brooke R (Trailriders), Skylar S (Lucky-X), Reece M (Horseshoe), Lucy B (Trailriders), Sadie Z (Lucky-X), Maddyn Cohen (C-C) and Ro-Buisha Kleinman (Trailriders) for each Friday going forward!

-Guitar is always one of my favorite activities to observe- the classes are small, campers are excited to be learning a new skill and there is a concrete goal everybody is working towards. And this summer, we are thrilled to have Nai as our guitar instructor- she is wonderful (both as a guitar instructor and a human). This morning, the class was comprised of Jenna W (Lakeview), Sammi S (Lakeview), Sadie S (Lakeview) and Cassidy A (Lucky-X). The four of them were so focused as they watched & listened to Nai…pretty cool that three campers from our oldest cabin have embraced learning guitar while getting to know an amazing counselor from Spain! -Compass Point Hangout is one of those activities that allows campers some freedom within a structured activity. Campers can write letters, color, play cards, read or find their own fun within proximity of Compass Point. This morning we had Dylan K (Trailriders), Logan K (Boots) and Ava F (Copper Stripes) in an intense teatherball competition. Yael S and Charlotte H were peppering with a volleyball as they are both quite focused on making the New Trier volleyball team in the fall. Lakeview campers were busy reading and Parker Z (Circle C) was bopping around from group to group providing some hilarious entertainment. Campers were just happy to be!

-Tonight’s campfire was exceptional in so many ways- the theme hit home, Lisa wrote a beautiful program, Sadie S led with great poise, and campers were into it. At the end of every campfire- after the readings & keylogs, we sing the Chippewa Creed. And each Friday night for as long as I can remember, I take that time to look up at the trees and absorb the beauty. The physical beauty is all around us all day but on Friday nights, as I look up at the pines, I am amazed…every single time…how lucky are we that we get to live here for these eight weeks each summer?! Of course, there is also the beauty of our community, which is never more apparent than when we are gathered in a circle holding hands, sending a squeeze around and singing a song that has lived on these grounds for generations about molding a daughter who is moral and kind. So yes, the theme tonight was Everything Matters, but even beyond the theme, it really did feel in that moment like every little thing we are doing here matters.

Okay, that’s all I got- thanks for reading! Have a lovely evening and start to your weekend.

Happy Camping and Love,
Sari