Who Doesn’t Love Apache Relay?

Everyone matters in the Apache Relay and every camper plays a key role. No matter if you are being wrapped in toilet paper, running around the quad track, painting an entire oak tag board or are heading into the School of Rock for the infamous “unknown”, you count. It is a race that includes EVERYONE. It is fun, it is intense and it is Apache. When you think of the true meaning of this camp wide relay, you understand how connected we all are and how each part makes up the whole. There was a camper who really didn’t want to run his race today. For whatever reason he didn’t like his task. He was teary and sad and wanted to switch his with someone else’s. But in the very long standing tradition of Apache, there are absolutely no switches or tradsies. We live and die by the history of Apache and today was no different. What happened next was magnificent. I saw his counselors, captains and lieutenants of his team stand by this boy who was nervous of letting the team down. They would not let him fail. No matter if he walked it, they were doing it together and that is exactly what happened. He got up and waited for the baton to be handed to him and as he wiped away his tears, he ran that race with counselors in tow all telling him how he can do this. He wasn’t alone and their encouragement was the push he needed. After he was finished, he dropped tp the ground and lofted his arms like Rocky Balboa. I did it, he said. It was hard and running from the canteen all the way up to mini golf isn’t an easy fete but with people by his side showing him that he can, he did!!

Girl’s side ran their hearts out at their track meet and boy’s side jumped in the pool and swam to their finish line at their swim meet this afternoon. It was a full day of active campers here with Apache and the swim and track meets.Our kids are pushing themselves to their personal best and it shows. We are all exhausted but the War isnt over and our team needs us.

Our campers downshifted a bit as they were spectators at our staff game night. The staff played basketball, volleyball, softball and wiffle ball and our campers cheered them as they fought for Color war points. The weather was perfect and night was ideal. The sky was actually pink as the sun set over fiddle lake. It was one of those summer nights you dream about.

The excitement is growing and the kids are giving everything they’ve got into this Color War. There is a mere 31 points the separate 1st and 2nd Place and both teams are fighting for every single point. Tomorrow is the last day of games and we end this 5-day competition tomorrow night with Sing. In the end as it always does, it all comes down to Sing.

Chenny Out