It’s hard to believe we have just finished up the fifth week of Camp!  Once again, it was a fun-filled and successful week, highlighted by some really spectacular weather!

The boys and girls departed for their mini-sleepaways on Sunday morning, and they had an amazing time!  Randi drove up to Iroquois Springs on Sunday to join the girls, many of whom were participating in their very first long overnight trip away from home.  Water front activities were a big hit with campers and counselors alike; the Aqua Playground offered water skiing, kneeboarding and tubing.  The girls also enjoyed a pool party and a trip to the Skate Park where they got to ride skateboards and scooters.  In the evening, they had a Bonfire S’mores Roast, in addition to visiting the Canteen nightly for soda, and chips and candy.  The food at Iroquois Springs was varied and delicious; in addition to the daily offerings of fried chicken, chicken tenders, pizza, roast beef and roasted turkey, campers always had the option of a very well-appointed salad bar, a pasta station, and fresh soups and grilled cheese.  The girls all had a really great time!

Bruce took the ride to Camp Pontiac with the boys in the Pontiac shuttles.  The boys and their counselors were all treated very well. We enjoyed a large variety of activities. All of the boys loved swimming and playing in the lake. The boys were constantly looking forward to their canteens time! Even during our down time the boys enjoyed bonding with each other in our nice air-conditioned bunk!

On Thursday, we celebrated International Day.  Campers and counselors came to Camp sporting shirts, hats, jerseys and more representing their favorite country.  We had a dance party in the gymnastics pavilion, where we participated in some international dances like the Tarantella and the Hora, as well as different styles of dancing, like salsa and meringue, Irish step dancing, country line dancing and the Limbo!  We enjoyed plantain chips for snack, Asian-inspired chicken with broccoli for lunch, a fortune cookie for dessert and a Polar Pole Rainbow Sherbet Push-Up Pop for Refreshments.

In addition to the dance party, every Tribe in Camp visited The Hall of Nations at the Creative Arts Center, an interactive journey around the world.  International sports and activities took the place of our many regular scheduled sports periods.  In junior Camp, the Chickasaw boys and girls and the Huron boys enjoyed learning and playing British Bulldog, a game of tag similar to Red Rover.  One camper is chosen to be the Bulldog, and he or she stands in the middle of the field, and all remaining players stand at the other end of the field. The aim of the game is to run from one end of the field of play to the other, without being caught by the bulldogs. When a player is caught, they become a bulldog themselves. The winner is the last player or players ‘free.’  The Huron girls enjoyed playing Hopscotch, horseshoes and bocce ball, and the Pawnees enjoyed an International Freeze Dance!

In Middle Camp, the Cheyenne and Comanche girls also played Chinese Jump Rope and Hopscotch, in addition to learning the Macarena and playing Matkot, a popular Israeli paddle ball game similar to beach tennis.  The Cheyenne boys learned how to play Flag Rugby and Cricket, and the Comanche boys played Gaga and Badminton.  In Senior Camp, Cherokee and INA boys also played Flag Rugby, the Cherokee girls played Boomerang and Chinese Jump Rope, and the INA girls played with Boomerangs and had an opportunity to play the Didgeridoo, an Australian wind instrument similar to a wooden trumpet.

It has been an awesome 5 week of camp for Here at Hillard. A little more than half the summer is done but there are so many fun activities to go!!

• Our Swim Festivals begin next week!  Campers can expect treasure hunts, boat rides, lifeguard relay races, music at the pools and more!
• On Tuesday, the INA girls are taking an Ice Skating Trip to the Brewster Ice Arena, while on Wednesday the INA boys will be taking in a Rockland Boulders baseball game.
• Our Visiting Day and Evening Programs continue in earnest, with Cheyenne Boys and Girls  and the Cherokee Girls scheduled for next week.
• Ice cream parties and s’mores roasts continue, as do Talent Shows and Hillard Idol.
• Friday is Tribal Color Day.  Every camper should remember to wear his or her Tribal tee-shirt!

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