Red Retro Game Night Are Champions of Color War 2021

With the last day of Color War upon us, everyone was working hard, having fun and giving it every ounce of effort they had. It meant that much to all of us. Win or loose, each team put their heart on the line and played hard. Each field and court was full of Red and Gold spirit, chants and cheers. Everyone was giving it their all. To see groups of kids rally around one another in the true sprit of competition and do it in a way that is uplifting and encouraging is awe-inspiring. It’s the way it should always be and it exists here at camp.

The GC’s gave their psych speech before breakfast and shared feelings on this being the last and final Color War day they will ever have as a camper. They spoke from the heart and spoke of no regrets and embrace every event because in a blink of an eye, it ends. This group amazing GC’s have left their mark and were the heart and soul of Chenny in Summer 2021.

Tonight was a silent meal and never was The Lodge so quiet. It was oddly silent as this is the place where we dance and sing but tonight in Color War tradition, we ate silently.  The campers wanted more than anything to talk but knew that every word spoken would loose points for their team. Try and visualize The Lodge full of campers and counselors that just don’t speak. It was a sight to see and hear.

It all comes down to Sing and tonight and this Color War was no different. It all came down to Sing. For the first time in Chenny’s history we held Sing outside on Shields Hall court.

There were tears as Red Retro Game Night sang their Alma Mater and included beautiful lyrics that embodied the feelings they have as their summer comes to an end:

Our time here is fading, it’s true

Sitting side by side just me and you

Need to cherish the time before it’s through

Chenny I am happier, thanks to you

It was emotional and everyone knew that the end of Color War signifies the end of camp. What we have all gone through will be with us forever but for now is ending and the last five days as two teams are now back together as one connected camp family.  Gold Video Gamers so perfectly conveyed in their Alma Mater:

Waking up in four days separated from this special place

Without seeing your face

Listen when they say

Cherish your time here

Because leaving you is my biggest fear

In a Chenny tradition of musical chairs, the last Judge to grab his/her seat was Red and that relayed the winner of Color War 2021. There was joyous elation throughout the Red team but just for a moment as we hugged our friends and then busted out in a giant dance party. Joys of winning Color War and tears from defeat were replaced by intense and over the top energy that literally was explosive and electric. We could have moved a mountain with all that energy and then the realization that camp is nearing its end – the tears started to flow. So many feelings flooded us all and now with Color War behind us, summer 2021 is just about done.

We walked onto Shields Hall court tonight as two very separate teams but came out as ONE! The love we all feel here and the connection we have formed is pure magic. There is no other way to explain it other than pure magic. When you think it just can’t get better, it does. It was the my most favorite Color War yet. The weather was perfect, the splits were incredible, the spirit was over the top, the good vibes were flowing and this experience we just all shared was just incredible. Tomorrow is late wake up and when we made that announcement that lower camp gets to sleep in until 9:45am and upper camp gets woken up at 10:45am, the cheers were deafening. Everyone is excited for some extra sleep after the hard work we all just put in these last five days. Brunch day tomorrow and  now we down shift to the final 3 days here. Getting close to the end but what is left is the cherry on top. We  save the best for last – Coming up these last three nights – Late Night with Leahy, Banquet and Memory Night. The magic continues until we load those buses.