Let The Games Begin

The vibe on camp today was all about Olympics and if today was the day.  Lot’s of chatter at line-up,  in the Lodge, down at waterfront, inside the bunks and just about everywhere. These kids wanted to dig their teeth into some serious competition and the energy was electric. Every song that played in center camp, every bugle that blew may have been a sign and the Olympic spirit was strong at Chenny today. These long standing camp traditions are the heart and soul of our camp experience. Olympics, Color War, Girls Sing, Boys Lip Sync – they are events we can count on and look forward to. They tie us to those Camp Chen-A-Wanda campers who have walked before us and have done what we are about to do. Entering into an experience that stands the test of time and when so many things change all around us, our camp traditions stay the exact same. We can count on them. We need them and thank goodness, our campers wouldn’t have to wait too much longer.

Before we broke Olympics, our fields and courts were full of Wayne County Tournament games. Lots of campers got to play the games they love.

Middy Girls Soccer – CAW 8 vs. Tioga 2

Super Girls Softball – CAW 5 vs. Wayne 6

Middy Boys Hockey – CAW 9 vs. Westmont 5

Inter Boys Soccer – CAW 2 @ Wayne 5

Collegiate Boys Softball – CAW 7 @ Nesher 12

Senior Boys Tennis – CAW 4 vs. Westmont 1

GC/CIT Boys Basketball – CAW 43 @ Starlight 49

In true Chenny form, we love to fake-out our kids and just when they think they know when and how a break is happening, we give them a FAKE and today was so much fun. The word out in camp was Olympics is DEFINITELY breaking at snack call so as the campers munched on their cookies, fruit and water anticipating the Olympics Theme music to play over the loud speakers, what they heard was the theme from Rocky!!! As all our head counselors were dressed head to toe in American flags and banners, they circled center camp on their golf carts and came to a stop surrounded by all our very eager campers. Associate Director, Brian “Makes Me Laugh “Leahy and Cherokee Head Counselor, Dan “Oh My” Godshall took center stage for what was to be a cookie eating brawl. They circled one another like boxers in a ring, staring one another down. It was like Ali vs. Frazier but instead of punches being thrown it was the amount of cookies they could get into their mouths. The kids loved it and just after Brian won in a landslide, the Rocky music stopped and the sounds of Fake-out rang loud and clear. This was not the time for Olympics to break at Chenny.

The bugle rang and it was off to activities. You could see the disappointment and hear the angst as our campers wanted Olympics. They wouldn’t have to wait too long as just an hour later the Olympic Fanfare song played loud and clear. Where to go? Where was it breaking? The campers scattered around trying to find the location and word quickly spread that Shields Halls was where to go. The energy was intense and the spirit was high. “OOOO-LYM-PICS – OOOO-LYM-PICS” was being chanted by all in Shields Hall and our kids were so loud , I am sure the camp down the road heard us. A video was shown, with highlights from last years battle and it gave everyone in the Hall goosebumps on their goosebumps. It is intense, it is  fierce, it is pride, Olympics is here!!!!

The first Olympic event was tonight and everyone gave their all at Tugs of War. Your kids dug down deep and showed their grit and determination. When our campers tug on that rope that feels like it is attached to a brick wall and they dig down deeper to find that strength to pull harder, it exemplifies the will they have to give it everything they’ve got. You see it in their faces, you can hear it when they grunt on every pull, you can feel it when wont give up. Every single one of us has fire in our hearts for something, and it’s our goal to find it and keep it lit. Let the Games Begin.

Chenny out.