Not Today

There are moments during Color War that have nothing to do with the scoreboard. They don’t earn points. They aren’t written into the standings. Yet somehow, they become the moments we remember most. Today, on Day 3 of Color War, I was reminded that this week isn’t just about competition. It’s about doing the things you think you can’t. Every Color War event asks our campers to challenge themselves. Sometimes that means running a little faster, throwing a little farther, or digging a little deeper. But sometimes, the challenge is much greater than winning. Sometimes the challenge is simply believing in yourself.

Today, I witnessed one of those moments. Girls side had their swim meet and our Freshman girls were at the pool for event.  Every camper participated in a relay race where each swimmer had to swim one length of the pool while holding a kickboard before passing it to the next teammate. One of those swimmers was Arielle Laffer. As the race drew closer, Arielle had tears in her eyes. She kept saying the same words over and over. “I can’t do this.” The fear had completely taken over. She was nervous.  She worried she would take too long. She worried she would let her team down. She worried about putting her face in the water. She worried about everything. She kept shaking her head no. But something beautiful happened. Her counselor took both of her hands and looked her right in the eyes. “You can do this.” “There is nothing to be afraid of.” “We believe in you.” And then something even more beautiful happened. Everyone else believed too. Counselors. Campers. Friends. Everyone surrounding Arielle became her confidence before she could find it herself. They held her hands as she stepped into the pool. They stayed beside her. They reminded her she wasn’t alone. It was as if her teammates and counselors became her floaties. Arielle was the fourth and final swimmer.As her turn approached, you could see the nerves building again. But then, she wiped away her tears, she grabbed her kickboardm she jumped in and she swam. At that moment, it wasn’t about winning a relay anymore. It wasn’t even about Color War. It was about something so much bigger. It was about a little girl refusing to let fear make the decision for her. Every single person at that pool was cheering. Her name echoed across the water. “Arielle!” “You’ve got this!” “Keep on going!” And then something incredible happened. About halfway across her leg, you could actually see it, her face changed. The fear that had been written all over it began to disappear and in its place came confidence. She realized she was doing it. The thing she was certain she couldn’t do, she was doing. Stroke by stroke. Kick by kick.She reached the other side, grabbed the edge of the pool, and finished her race. The moment she climbed out of the water, the entire pool erupted. She finished her race. She had conquered something much bigger. She looked fear in the face and said,  “Not today.” The smile on Arielle’s face afterward was one I’ll never forget. It wasn’t the smile of someone who had won a race. It was the smile of someone who had just discovered she was stronger than she ever believed. That lesson will stay with her far longer than any Color War win ever could. Because the next time life puts something in front of her that feels impossible, she’ll remember today. And somewhere inside herself, she’ll remember that she once thought she couldn’t, until she did.

That’s what camp is. That’s what Color War is. It’s not really about the races. It was about courage. It was about community. It was about discovering that sometimes the only thing standing between “I can’t” and “I did” is a group of people who refuse to stop believing in you until you believe in yourself. Today, Arielle won something far greater than a race, she found her confidence. And all of us were lucky enough to watch it happen.

And today was Alumni Day too! It was more than a reunion. It was more than a visit. It’s like welcoming family home. Today, campers who once called Chenny their summer home returned to the place that helped shape their childhoods. Some of our alumni spent their summers here as recently as 5 years ago. Others hadn’t walked these grounds in decades. In fact, we were honored to welcome alumni whose Chenny story began as far back as 1953.  Think about that for a moment. More than seventy years ago, they were the campers running down these same paths, swimming in this same lake, swinging on those same swings and making the same lifelong friendships that your kids are making today. As they walked around camp, there was a look on their faces that was impossible to miss. Joy, gratitude and a feeling of peace. It was as if time had stood still. Everywhere you looked, memories came rushing back. “I slept in this bunk.” “I swam in that lake.” “I sat around this apple tree. ” “I can’t believe this is still here.” Watching alumni search for their old bunk plaques was one of the most touching parts of the day. The moment they found their names, they smiled like kids again. Those small wooden plaques represented something so much bigger than a name on a wall. They represented a chapter of their lives that helped shape who they became. Every story they shared mattered. Every walk up the hill meant something. Every stop along the way sparked another memory. You could see that camp had never really left them. Because the truth is,  Chenny isn’t just a place you come to. It becomes part of you and It becomes part of your story and ultimately, It becomes part of who you are.

One of the most beautiful things about Alumni Day is watching today’s campers interact with those who came before them. Without even realizing it, they become connected by something much bigger than age. The campers of today are walking the very same paths that generations before them walked. They’re laughing in the same places. Playing on the same fields. Sliding down the same slide. Creating memories that one day they, too, will return to relive.

As Jon and I walked around camp today, we couldn’t help but think about how fortunate we are to be a part of something that means so much to so many people. Our camp isn’t measured by its buildings or its activities or even its traditions. Chen-A-Wanda is measured by the way people feel about it long after they leave. When someone who hasn’t been here in 10, 20, or even 70 years walks through our gates and immediately feels like they’re home, that’s when you realize Camp Chen-A-Wanda is so much more than a summer camp. It’s a place that leaves fingerprints on your heart.

To every alum who came home today, Thank you. Thank you for reminding all of us that the magic of Chenny doesn’t end on the last day of camp. It stays with you for a lifetime. Because once you’re part of the Chenny family, You’re part of it forever!