Week 7 was another fun and exciting week at Camp, highlighted by a variety of fun events. Campers continue to put their talents on display, showcasing their singing, dancing, boxball, basketball, break dancing, beat-box, piano, and “armpit-tooting” skills in talent show performances worthy of America’s Got Talent.
Spirit Week Opening Ceremonies took place on Monday morning. Campers and counselors filed onto the Main Field, all of them broken out into Green and White Teams, to witness the raising of the Green and White flags as Jon Libman declared, “Let the games begin!” Green and White counselor representatives from every tribe participated into a spirited water balloon toss, as well as a Leap Frog competition!
Competitions continued in earnest throughout the entire week; groups came together and broke out into their respective Green and White Teams for Track and Field events including the javelin throw, the broad jump and the shot put, as well as the 40 yard dash. Other Spirit Week events included running bases for time, dribbling and shooting competitions at basketball punt and pass competitions at football, mini-golf and tennis tournaments, the Thunderdome, as well as an intense Olympic Soccer tournament and water polo matches at the Pool.
Campers continued to work on their American Red Cross swimming skills and are making great progress. In addition to our regular swim program, Junior Campers participated in Green and White Swim Fun, complete with Medal Hunts, swim races and “silly’ jumps!
On Friday afternoon, the CIT’s took a short jaunt down to the Candlelight Inn for the Annual CIT Luncheon. CIT’s or Counselors in Training, are the eldest campers at Hillard; all are rising 7th-10th graders who work side by side with General Staff in Group or Specialty Assignments. As a special thank you for all of their hard work, they were treated to a lunch that included the Candlelight Inn’s World-famous chicken wings, a messy and thoroughly delicious reward for a successful summer!
On Friday afternoon, the entire Camp assembled once again on the Main Field for our Spirit Week Ceremonies, which included an intense Leadership Team Relay that included a human wheelbarrow race, a piggy back sprint, and dizzy spins! vents, Campers cheered for their Divisional Head Counselors and their Divisional Swim and Sports Directors, all of whom were randomly selected for either the Green or White team, while enjoying their afternoon refreshments. When all of the events concluded and the scores were tallied, The Green Team was declared the Victors with 2,848 points. The scores couldn’t have been much closer; the White Team finished with 2,819 points! Regardless of the point totals, every camper was filled with a sense of Camp Spirit, pride, and accomplishment for their intense participation, great sportsmanship and Green and White pride!
The eighth and final week of Camp is sure to be an exceptional four days of fun. The Big Show is on tap for Monday evening; the Apache and Iroquois Boys and Girls are ready to cut loose in their production of Hairspray. Final rehearsals have been in full gear, and the show is sure to be a fantastic one.
Tuesday, the long awaited Hillard Carnival will commence. It’s also our final Tribal Color Day and an All Camp Picnic. The Special Camp Show and Charity Presentation are on Wednesday; campers are gearing up to take the stage to perform some of the most notable songs from their Visiting Day performances. The counselors have been furiously preparing for the Annual Counselor Talent Show on Friday, which is sure to be a lot of fun. On Friday, we will also have a Moving Up ceremony for all the campers as they step into the shoes of their future tribe; Pawnees to Chickasaws, Hurons to Cheyennes, and so forth! It is sure to be an exciting and memorable week.