Camp Hillard Week 6 Highlighted by Swim Festivals and Tribal Color Day

Week 6, Week 6!!? It’s hard to believe just how quickly the summer is flying by.  The week was highlighted by the Swim Festivals; the South Campus Swim Festival on Tuesday and the Main Complex on Friday.  There was music at the pools, treasure hunts, swim races, musical water buckets and more! 

S’mores Roasts and Ice Cream Parties are in full swing.  This week, the Pawnees, the Chickasaw boys, the Huron boys and girls, the Cheyenne boys and girls, Comanche boys and the Cherokee and INA girls all enjoyed their ooey, gooey, sticky-delicious S’mores Roast, while the Comanche girls and their Cherokee and INA boys enjoyed their Tribal Ice Cream Party.  Nothing beats a Camp Hillard Ice Cream Party; campers build their very own Ice Cream Sundae, choosing two scoops of ice cream, chocolate or vanilla (or both), assorted tasty toppings like rainbow and chocolate sprinkles, caramel sauce or chocolate syrup and maraschino cherries.  An Ice Cream Float is another option; two scoops of ice cream, swimming in fizzy, bubbly Coca Cola.  A refreshingly tasty treat on a hot summer day!

The week’s Lunch offerings were varied and delicious, as usual.  We started the week with A Tasty Turkey Sandwich meal accompanied by assorted cheeses, lettuce, tomato and raw veggies, followed by Taco Tuesday; Mexi-Beef Tacos with Cheese, salsa, guacamole and sour cream.  Wednesday featured a new addition to the Menu, gooey and delicious Grilled Cheese, a delicious dish formerly reserved for Visiting Evenings  Served with Cole Slaw and Potato Chips, this Classic Comfort Food was a huge hit!   Thursday featured a Topsy Turvy Breakfast for lunch: French Toast Strips, Turkey Sausage, Tater Tots and Chocolate Milk, and we rounded out the week with a Baked Rotini with mozzarella cheese, mixed green salad and bread sticks!

Tribal Talent Shows are in full swing.  Tribes assemble during their Rest Periods, and campers show off their skills; the acts ran the gamut from karate chops and arm farts to hula hooping and rope jumping, to singing and acting and joke telling!  Hillard campers are a pretty talented bunch!

This week, we also saw several nail-biting Sports League Playoff and Championship games.

In the Cheyenne Boys Sports League, the first round of action saw the Green Dragons face the Ninjas while the Camp Hillard All-Stars took on the Star Warriors.  The Green Dragons and the Camp Hillard All-Stars were victorious, moving into the championship while the Ninjas and the Star Warriors headed to the 3rd Place matchup, with the Ninjas coming out on a top.  In the highly anticipated Championship, the Green Dragons defeated the Camp Hillard All-Stars by a score of 3-0 in a hotly contested soccer match to take home the 2019 Cheyenne Boys Sports League Championship!

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday saw real exciting and competitive play during the Comanche Boys Sports League championship games, with the Lightning Pandas, the Golden Ninjas, the Savage Boys and the Red Devils placing 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respectively in their American Division Championship Games.  Meanwhile, the Golden Lightning and the Fire Flaming Hot Golden Cheetos placed 1st and 2nd in their National Division Championships

Congratulations to all of the Sports League participants, who all demonstrated good sportsmanship and great Camp spirit.

As we near the end of the sixth week of camp, almost every Tribe in Camp has experienced either a Visiting Day or a Visiting Evening.  Campers look forward to these very special days when moms and dads, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, grandmas and grandpas come to watch them swim, play sports and perform songs or put on a show at theater, while also finally getting to meet the counselors who have been essential in making every camper’s summer fun and successful.

The Pawnees and the Chickasaw Boys and Girls had their Visiting Mornings early in the summer; for many of our youngest campers, Camp may be their first full-day group experience, and moms and dads are eager to meet the counselors and see their little ones in action!  This year, the Pawnees and the Chickasaws showcased their Soccer Skills on the Main Field.  On the musical side of things, they performed a few special songs that they had been perfecting for the first few weeks of the summer, including It’s A Good Day, Pass Me By and the Camp Hillard song. 

The Visiting Day programs for Hurons and older are a little more intense; in addition to participating in sports and swimming, campers perform a Broadway style show on the big stage.  This summer, the Huron Boys and Girls hit the stage for the very first time, performing Motown and Mary Poppins!

Visiting Day for the Cheyenne Boys and Girls included baseball and softball and swimming at South Campus Pool Complex, which always includes a ride down The Great Green River!  The Boys hit the stage to perform their version of Motown and the Girls enjoyed performing in their production of Mary Poppins.

Comanches and older are always excited by the prospect of a Visiting Evening.  These Tribes get to remain at Camp after every other camper has gotten on their bus and headed home!  Dinner is served at South Campus and campers and counselors gear up for an exciting evening!  The Comanche Boys and Girls showed off their athletic prowess during games of basketball and soccer, after which the girls hit the stage to showcase their Aca-amazing voices in their production of Pitch Perfect.

Visiting Evenings for Senior Camp take place towards the end of the summer; campers spend six to seven weeks rehearsing for some very exciting shows; the Cherokee girls in Broadway and Beyond and The Really Big Show during the final week of Camp.  This year, the A-I Boys and Girls are celebrating the iconic music of American Bandstand.

Next week, the fun continues!  The excitement is building for the Opening Ceremonies of the Green and White Spirit Week competition.  The Opening ceremonies will include a Top Secret Counselor Event; the event is so secret that Directors Jon and Jim Libman are still not privy to the details.  It is certain to be memorable!

For more details specific to your child’s group, please read our Weekly Tribal Newsletters and Program Newsletters which are found in the Enrolled Camp Families section of our website.  Have a great weekend!