The Sari Diaries- Thursday 8/6/26

Dear Chippies, Parents, Family and Friends,

Knowing how to begin when we are at the end is always complicated for me. Camp is quiet and the exhaustion has set in but I have officially had a minute or two to reflect on what has transpired at 8258 County O over the course of the last eight weeks. And my overall assessment is that the experiences, the impact, the friendships and the growth are significant. Something really important happened here this summer and I am so grateful to have been a part of it. This summer was a journey…and as is true in life, it’s all about the journey.

In this summer where Everything Mattered, some of us were just beginning our camp journey- first year campers came into camp with eyes wide open and butterflies in their stomachs unsure of what they were embarking on. Each of them came to CRC from a different place, had a unique perspective and her own set of expectations for what was to come. And no two of them had the same start to their Chippewa careers…some jumped right in and never looked back, some needed a minute to observe and feel things out, and some felt homesickness that made their transition challenging. While they were all experiencing the same day-to-day routines, programming and activities, they were paving their very own path- their Chippewa beginnings.

In this summer where Everything Mattered, some were living their final summer as campers on Dam Lake in Lakeview 2026. This summer was an exceptional phase of their journey but it was also its own mini-journey with a beginning and an end. These campers arrived at #TheRanch2026 with high hopes but uncertainty about what this final camper stage would actually look like. They left here this morning with heavy hearts but incredible pride…they know that they did good…they were the role models we were hoping for, they unified as a group beautifully and they made every single moment matter. As many of them described in their Lakeview Speeches last night, this journey has been so much more about the little moments that turned into big moments than it was about the big milestones they thought it would be about.

In this summer where Everything Mattered, we had a staff team comprised of all sorts of amazing humans who were on a personal journey to create a safe, comfortable and caring space for their campers to live, learn and grow. They did this in their own ways and their Chippewa journeys this summer were selfless yet joyful. For some this was their first CRC experience that was centered on the happiness of others- they learned to love and appreciate camp from a new angle, and they thrived in this new version of themselves.

In this summer where Everything Mattered, the 33rd summer in my Chippewa journey, I somehow still felt that this summer was special…after all of these years, I am still loving everything I am getting to live and learn here. Every single summer brings something different- new challenges, new perspectives and new things that make me smile. Having the opportunity to be along for the ride of what the Chippewa campers & staff experience each summer is a true gift. I am lucky enough to be a part of the best part of these Chippies lives- their summers at CRC. The Everything Matters Moments this summer were abundant, and while I am certain that they are each summer, it felt good to intentionally notice the little things, the smallest of interactions and moments that were just moments.

Regardless of where each of us may be in our Chippewa Ranch Camp journey, we had the distinct privilege of together being a part of #TheRanch2026, the best summer ever, the summer where Everything Mattered. While we were each living our own version of this summer, our journeys intersected. And in that intersection we found & formed deep connections, we shared experiences that will help shape us and we showed one another who we truly are- the good, the bad and everything in between. This is what made our summer so momentous…and I don’t mean this as hyperbole…this summer was in fact momentous- while it wasn’t perfect, in all of its imperfection, it was life changing for every Chippy who was a part of this in some way shape or form.

In this final TSD post of the summer, I want to take a moment to express some gratitude. I’m going to start with the very best staff team to ever grace this planet…the staff of 2026. We as directors spend an entire off-season reflecting, planning, and thinking through every detail of how to make our vision for the summer ahead a reality. The truth of the matter is that no matter how much time & effort we put into it, we need a staff team to make it happen…to care enough about our campers, and the Chippewa experience to create the magic. This team demonstrated an immense amount of dedication and motivation to doing just that. It is unbelievable that we could have over 100 young adults who are so committed to the Chippewa mission of providing our campers with not only a summer of uninhibited fun, but with an opportunity to feel loved & supported to explore, learn and grow. My gratitude for this group is endless!

To #TheRanch2026 campers…you rock! You amazed me each and every day this summer- you loved one another, you accepted one another, you leaned into the Chippewa life, you trusted us to care for you as if you were our own, you tried new things, you overcame challenges oftentimes with a smile on your face, you helped one another through the tough times and you were cheerleaders for one another in a way that was so very real. I have no doubt that we got the absolute best & fullest versions of each of you this summer…you lived the Chippewa Compass and you cared about what mattered- being good, kind, strong, confident humans. If you were new to Chippewa this summer, YOU DID IT! I hope you know how very proud we are of you and how grateful we are that you took a chance on Chippewa.

And to Lakeview ’26- the feelings I have for this group are not so easy to put into words. Last night as I listened to each of you share your personal version of your camper journey, I was overcome with emotion…pride, disbelief, appreciation and joy. There was a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes (which we all know doesn’t happen very often)…this group that I love so very much has somehow exceeded our expectations. This summer they served as more than just role models for our campers, they taught all of us, including myself, what it looks like to live life with an open heart, thoughtfully jump in head-first, and to selflessly enjoy every single moment. They are wise beyond their years yet incredibly silly…just the right amount of interest in doing the right thing and also being a kid. So Lakeview, thank you for a fairy-tale-like summer, and for each of your camper journeys that you shared with us…it has been more meaningful than you can possibly know to watch you grow up here at CRC.

I think it’s time to wrap this up with some closing thoughts. We are fortunate…each of us who lived CRC this summer is lucky to have had this opportunity. We were our most authentic selves, we tried new things, we achieved our goals and fell short sometimes, we made new friends, we deepened existing friendships, we served as role models and we found new role models to look up to. We made mistakes yet felt unconditional love from our cabinmates & counselors. Above all, we felt that we were a part of something important, something bigger than ourselves that mattered. Be it hanging out on Main Street before an evening program or feeling the pressure of being on stage for Songfest, everything mattered, and we knew it did- we felt it and we lived it.

We are leaving here, the very best summer ever, more confident, stronger, with a better sense of self and with the understanding that we have a community that has existed for generations that we can count on…we are a part of the Chippewa family always. My wish for every single Chippewa camper and staff member is that you remember how you feel and who you are here at CRC. While camp has officially come to an end, who you are here and how you feel here can go with you. You make Chippewa a better place and you matter here. Please know that is true outside of these gates as well- Everything Matters out there in the real world too…in your homes, in your schools, on your teams and at your activities…you do you, you do Chippewa.

I end lunch each day in the Adler Lodge by reminding campers that “Today is yours to shape.” While this has become a mantra that they know and expect…likely not thinking much of it most days, I hope that on some level it has sunk in…we are each responsible for our own destiny- we get to choose how we act, who we are & how we respond. Here at camp, when something is hard, we face it. When we hurt someone, we make it right. When we pass a level in waterskiing, we celebrate. We learn to face each situation with humility and optimism, and even when moments along our journey aren’t perfect, we know that they matter. As I leave you today and bring TSD to a close for the summer, I’d like to remind you that these next ten months, until we meet again at 8258 County O are yours to shape…remember that they matter, that who you are matters, that what you do matters, who you surround yourself with matters, how you respond to disappointment matters, how you rejoice in the good times matters and YOU matter.

Happy Camping and Love,
Sari