_{On Sunday morning there were plenty of sleepy heads around camp (including the staff). Our annual Blue & White Treasure Hunt went well into the early morning hours, 4:08 am to be exact.  We slept in late to catch up on some much needed sleep and everyone strolled into lunch hungry for tacos, salad bar and of course peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. After lunch the Blue Team enjoyed their ice cream social for winning treasure hunt while the rest of camp went back to their cabins for clean up.}
 

_{We are on our fourth day of our Z-Paks and will take the last doze Tuesday at lunch. Only a few campers will be coming home with a liquid doze that they need to finish. Several campers were not able to take the pill form so we had to order a separate prescription. Please make sure your daughter takes and completes her liquid prescription upon returning if this applies to her.  Today we had 8 cases that came back negative and I case that came back positive for the whooping cough. In the last two days we have had 4 positive new cases.  This brings our total up to 7 confirmed cases.  We have done our best to protect everyone by placing them on the Z-Pak.  For parents who opted not to place their daughter on the Z-Pak you may want to reconsider this when your daughter heads back home.} 
 

_{Our afternoon was spent tubing the waters of Blue Lake as well as getting cabins to complete their Agawak Dollar auction prizes. Several cabins went to the jumping tree, enjoyed Chinese for dinner, and made smore’s around the campfire.} 
 

_{Sunday night we had a very low-key evening program which consisted of the seniors watching a movie in alumni hall and the juniors and intermediates watching “What a Girl Wants” in Happy Camper Hall. Our movies ended around 9pm and everyone headed back to their cabins and called it a day. Well…almost every cabin. Cabin OW headed up to my house since I owed them a night at my house from the reunion in Chicago when Samantha Lowy had the winning raffle ticket. I honored my promise and we watched the Olympics and had Alexander’s Pizza.} 
 

_{This morning and part of the afternoon was spent packing duffels.   The bags were picked up this from each cabin and will be picked up by Desert Express on Tuesday. The camp boys were moaning and groaning all afternoon as they had to lift 500 plus over-stuffed bags.  My son, Jacob, tried to hide but Brandon found him and put him to work as well. Bag day (as we call it here at camp) is one of the least favorite for the maintenance staff.  When each cabin had successfully cleaned their cabin and was completely packed with bags outside, they were given the green light to tube the afternoon away as well as finish their cabins auction item if they hadn’t done so already.}
 

_{Tonight we will assemble as a camp in Happy Camper Hall for our annual awards night. Many different awards will be awarded throughout the evening ranging from cabin of the year, to camper of the year, to tennis player of the year and much, much more. After our awards program is over the CIT’s will head to their CIT cabins for their last time as CITs. They will tuck their campers in as the staff will be in the lodge for our annual staff dinner that takes place around 10pm.  The staff will reflect on the summer and share a story or a reflection or two. Our staff dinner is a time for the entire staff to spend two hours together before everyone heads back home to various states and countries around the world. So many staff bonds are made each summer that will never be broken. The same exact staff will never be assembled ever again.  I am proud of my exceptional staff. They did their job.  We have a very happy camp filled with lots of love and happy memories.} 
 

_{I have to admit I am sad everyone is leaving but I am looking forward to getting some much needed sleep. I never seem to sleep well knowing at any minute I may be needed during the night.  My biggest scare this summer happened at 3am in the morning when my door bell rang. I flew out of bed and flew down the steps with my heart pounding out of my chest.  Every bad scenario raced through my head. Nothing good usually happens when your doorbell rings at 3 am.  I placed my hand on the doorknob to pull but it was locked. Then, I realized it was my son Jacob who was locked out. He had gone to the midnight showing of Bat Man. His sister had forgotten to leave the door open for him when she went to bed.  When I opened the door I gave him the biggest hug in the world and told him, “Thank God it’s you.”  He went to bed and of course, as for me I couldn’t get back to sleep the rest of the night.} 
 

_{Soon your daughter will be returning home. Expect her to feel somewhat camp sick for the first few days. It takes me a good two weeks to transition back to “home life”.  I will miss the energy and smiles of everyone here. However, I am deeply blessed I had the opportunity to be a part of it.  Regardless of how stressful my days are I never take this place or the people in it for granted.  Like most of my campers I will be counting down the days until everyone returns. Thank you for sharing your daughter(s) with us this summer. We had the time of our lives!}
 

_{Smile on,}
 

_{Mary & Staff}