Special Programs Galore!

Time flies when you're having fun. It is already the second week of the session, and the summer is starting to find its groove. Today is our second cruiser day of the summer. Junior and Intermediate Village campers spent the day participating in activities such as tubing, slip n' sliding, and potentially a trip to a resort across the lake. Cruiser day is camp's "weekend", a break from our typical routine.  Cabins spend the day together, partaking in activities planned by their counselors.

Senior Village campers enjoyed the first day of College Days, a three-day event in which the campers are split into 4 teams and face off in a variety of events. College Days officially kicked off Monday night, as the village watched Rudy for some inspiration before a few days of friendly competition. After the movie, the campers were divided into their four teams before choosing the colleges they will represent for the next few days. The 2018 College Days teams are the Central Arkansas Bears, the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers, the Defiance Yellow Jackets, and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Notre Dame, taking some inspiration from Rudy, came back dramatically from a 6 run deficit in their first round softball game. They would go on to win the softball event.

While the schedule on cruiser day is different than others, campers have gotten to experience a variety of unique events and special programs during the session. On Wednesday evening, campers and staff played a game of glow in the dark ultimate frisbee, with a glowing frisbee and each player wearing multiple glow sticks. At Saturday's dinner picnic, a group of staff members and campers decided to see how tall they could stack their cups, ending with an astounding 101 cups stacked on top of each other! This inspired a cup stacking session in the next day's Wacky One Day activity. Also featured in Sunday's Wacky One Day period was Sumo Wrestling, a juggling class, and a seminar on how to change a tire. Campers were given a comprehensive lesson in this important life skill, starting with where to find the manual, and then watching a demonstration on how to change a tire, step by step. Initially attended primarily by our younger boys, a crowd of older campers joined once they saw just how educational the session was.

On Sunday the Pine Manor campers went out of camp to attend an Ojibwa Tribe Pow Wow. They were able to see a dancing competition and traditional drumming, as well as a singing group from Canada. The performers were dressed in traditional outfits, and the local tribal leader spoke to the audience in both english and a native language. There were a variety of vendors present, with offerings ranging from a map of tribal lands across North and South America, to a man selling indigenous LaCrosse sticks. The wood was steam bent, and the vendor showed campers how to cradle a ball with his special one-handed sticks.

The upcoming week promises to be just as fun. The Senior Village still has a few days of College Days remaining, including highlights such as plaque making and the Cook-Out. The rest of camp will participate in their second round of activity sign-ups. Chairs up!