Hi Folks!
It’s UNITED NATIONS DAY, so we’re all about that. There are no new Announcements or Upcoming Trip Departures to share with you.
Here’s how it has gone so far. We woke up 1/2 hour early today because there is SO much going on. We had a nice, protein-rich breakfast with some sides of carbs, and got right to it.
The teams this year are Greece, Kiribati (look it up), Oman, and South Korea. At 9:00 we were gathered around the flagpole, and each nation had time to put on a skit to tell us about their nation and why they would win the day. It’s something that the kids and staff work hard on, and it is worth a lot of points, so they all have some skin in the game. We judges are looking to see if their skits are…well….understandable, if they tell a good and positive story, if they are entertaining, and if they involve all of the kids on their team. Some teams also had a song they sang, and all teams finished with a huge cheer.
Having judged many a Opening Ceremony, I am happy to say this was truly one of the best. There was good humor that was suited for all ages (not something we take for granted), and the boys had as much fun watching the other teams’ skits as they did participating in their own. Our hats are off to the people who organized it all.
When that concluded, we moved on to the UN Day Marathon. Picture an all-camp relay race that covers the non-forested acres of camp. There are a grand total of 18 legs to the race. There is a separate race for each of the 3 villages, and they start at staggered times and finish at the same spot…the flagpole. The whole thing took about 16 minutes, which is pretty fast. And from a sheer excitement standpoint, you can imagine how fun it was to stand at the flagpole and watch as one race after another finished in dramatic fashion.
After the Marathon, we began our 1st Series of Events. This included the folllowing: Basketball, Canoe Race, Floor Hockey, Pentathlon, Riflery, Shuffleboard, Softball, Tennis, Tether ball, Trampball, Volleyball, and Tushball. It was a pretty intense and competitive series, and the boys played hard. But the really great news is we saw no one displaying poor sportsmanship. It’s possible it was out there, but it sure wasn’t visible or prevalent. Sometimes we see one or two guys getting a little emotional if things don’t go their way, but so far, it has been all good.
Not that we have time for a long editorial right here, but how great is that? If you want evidence that kids can play hard, be competitive, and still behave in a respectable, honorable way, we’ve got it. And don’t worry….we’ve taken photos and videos to show y’all.
Back to the morning.
2nd Series followed, and that included: Basketball, Bombardment (Dodgeball), Connect-4, Pentathlon, Soccer, Spikeball, Tennis, Trampball, Tushball, and Ultimate Frisbee. That, too, went very well, and by the time it was over, we had some tired out and very hungry boys. Lunch was another protein infusion, along with lots and lots of Gatorade.
So, how does it all stand right now? Glad you asked. With the Opening Ceremonies, the Marathon, and 2 Series of Events finished, here’s what we have:
South Korea – 145
Greece – 121
Oman – 111
Kiribati – 98
We have Camper & Staff Relays coming up, then 3rd Series of Events, and we finish it off with the Staff Tug o’ War and the Camper Tug o’ War. There are many points to be had still, and any team is in reach of victory.
We will write you again when it’s all over and let you know how it went.
Benches up,
Mike & Leslie