After a gorgeous parents visiting day we hit the ground running. Our second session campers arrived on Sunday afternoon with excitement in their eyes. They were eager to reunite with old friends and new campers were anxious to learn what cabin they were in.

Our first time campers are adjusting beautifully and new friendships are quickly being formed. When campers arrived, they quickly unpacked and hit the water tubing the afternoon away. Sunday night Blue and White teams were announced and we finished the day with a fun tug of war on the upper athletic field.

Monday morning we said goodbye to our beloved CIT’s who headed off to the Boundary Waters for their annual canoe trip. The portaging and extra canoeing classes, leading up to the trip, should give them the tools they need to be successful. They are a great group of girls who will come back mentally stronger and fortified with inside jokes and stories to share. When they’re old and gray they’ll still be telling some of those stories.

Monday morning was spent signing up for activities that will begin today and carry us through to Friday. With 4 days of activities in store we will have lots of tired campers when Friday rolls around. With so much constant activity it’s no wonder campers are able to sleep so well at camp. Even campers who have a hard time falling asleep at home sleep very well when they’re at camp. All that northern fresh air is good for the soul.

Our wonderful campers going into tenth grade were assigned a cabin group to “watch over” while our CITs are gone for the week. I’ve never seen a group of campers so ecstatic to find out who their little campers were. Monday evening they put on a funny PA pageant in Happy Camper Hall for the entire camp. They were dressed from head to toe in whatever outfit their little campers could talk them into wearing. It was entertaining to watch. Harley Cohen, Lily Adelstein, Jillian Sondag and Jessica Schlossberg were the last ones left on stage. A big thank you to all or PAs for being such great sports.

Each day we are thankful for the time we get to spend at camp. Your camper is growing as a person with every step she makes at camp and every decision she makes on her own. I think the single most important thing camp teaches children is to be independent.
Each camper has to figure things out on their own, live with lots of other people and make it work -- invaluable life lessons.

Camp expands children's minds and exposes them to people and activities that will ultimately help them decide who they are. Camp teaches our girls a new set of skills that can be brought with them way after they pack up their duffel bags and head home. Your daughter will discover new things about herself, like a new love for sailing or a newfound love of cooking. Camp certainly is a place to learn without walls. Bring on the growth, learning and yes... even the challenging days ahead.

Smile on, 

Mary and staff