Egad it was Olympiad!
Week 6 has come to a close and so has our most sacred tradition. Color War was a fantastic three days of competition, camaraderie, and spirit.
In the days leading up to Color War, we enjoyed our final activity schedule. Tuesday was filled with the Girls Camp Decathlon and the evening ended with a traditional campfire. With over 15 acts, we heard beautiful songs, both sung and performed, watched some cute dances, and indulged in delicious s’mores. A good night story of “Ferdinand” concluded the warm summer night.
Wednesday was the day the Waiters have waited for their entire camp career…Watitoh Gardens. With the Upper Seniors in charge of cleaning Boys Court and the campers on both campuses busy making signs, the day light hours were filled with much anticipation. In their orange and blue jerseys, the waiters “broke out” to a well-deserved cheer. Counselors stood strong as they warmed up on the court. It was a great game, played with a lot of heart by both teams, and an ultimate win by the counselors. Thanks to alumni, Scott Kinney, Rich Bettan, and Spencer Smolinksy, for their incredible referee skills throughout the game and for reminding us of the history this game represents.
Unbeknownst to the camp, Thursday was the last day of normal programming. Campers practiced their sports, climbed the rock wall, created art in ceramics, and rehearsed for Legally Blonde. There was a feeling in the air that Color War was breaking soon and whispers of speculation began to ensue. Thursday night we turned the Social Hall into a race track for the ever-popular Watitoh Downs. Last year’s Camper Generals presented an incredible fake break during the final race. It was a memorable night for everyone, and especially the winning horses and those who made the smartest bets!
Friday morning was typical on girls side while the boys competed in their own Decathlon. After hobby, the entire camp dressed in white and marched to the lower ballfield, where, together, everyone stood in formation to create “80!” Be on the lookout for an awesome post later this week to see the end result! Low and behold, at the end of the picture, we all chanted, “1-2-3-4, we want Color War; 5-6-7-8, we don’t want to wait, Egad, we want Olympiad!” And from behind, motorcycles and other loud vehicles circled the ballfield for another FAKE BREAK!
The kids knew it was happening but not exactly when…As campers waited for coed general swim, Watitoh boats criss-crossed Center Lake with flags flying and balloons soaring! The ski boat raced down the center flying the most traditional flag of all! Green Adaro vs. Tan Cerberus took over camp the next three days. Led by Camper Generals: Brandon Goodman and Eva Gilbert (Green) and Adam Bettan and Claire Kivelowitz (Tan), the teams competed in tug of war, land sports, swim meets, an all-camp track meet, the Apache Relay, and the sing. Tan took home the Apache and Green won all of Color War. Both teams played their hardest and demonstrated great commitment to the tradition, the spirit, and their activities. A huge shout out to our staff for their dedication as Chiefs, Coaches, Officials, Equipment Managers, Score Keepers and the organizers. Without them, none of it would have been possible.
Tuesday morning was a well-deserved late sleep followed by an awesome day at Six Flags! Batman! Fireball! Flashback! Mind Eraser! Superman! Games! The Carousel! Bumper Cars! Tea Cups! Ice Cream! The list goes on and on…Although exhausted after this fun day, there was an extraordinary night on both campuses. The Girls Closing Campfire was filled with songs and dances, speeches, and memories. The Waiter 2 Closing on Boys Side was nostalgic and full of heart as the Waiter2s passed down memorabilia and advice to our younger campers. It was truly a night for all of camp to recognize the meaning of family.
As the final days of camp come to an end, we still have many special events to look forward to. A day of “Choose your own adventure” on Wednesday followed by Memory Lane. Thursday night’s banquet and production of “Legally Blonde.” Packing day on Friday with Scroll and Wishing Boats to end the season…Keep looking at those pictures and know that your camper(s) continue “Living the Dream” for the next three days!
