Weekly Division Update: Senior Village
by Cal Meyers and Casey Linder (SV Head Counselors)
Week 5 is in the books! It was another week of upper and lower villagers enjoying the excitement of camp in different places. Lower village had their Vermont trip this week and returned late last night. Upper village had the Senior Village all to themselves this week. They were reunited Friday to participate in Tribal Apache Relay!
Lower Village
Lower village left early Monday morning for an action packed kick off of their Vermont trip. Boys and girls traveled separately on the trip, but participated in the same activities and events. The girls’ trip started with some white water rafting! For many of them, this was the first time they had ever been rafting. They plowed through waves, powered down drops, and spun through eddies. They looked like seasoned professionals by the end of the day. The boys enjoyed a similarly exhilarating outdoor experience at Adirondack Extreme high ropes course. The facility has 5 different courses with increasing levels of difficulty. The boys were able to choose how hard they wanted to push themselves. We’re proud to say that most completed all 5, and everyone gave it their all! It was great to see that no matter what a camper’s typical interests were, there were only smiles up in the trees. That night the kids enjoyed some bowling and a relaxing night at camp.
Day 2 of the trip both boys and girls spent in Burlington, Vermont. The girls started their day on a beautiful, scenic cruise on Lake Champlain. The boys took the same cruise that afternoon. We were expecting a short boat ride with some good views, but what we got was so much more! The cruise was a triple decker and we were brought to the top floor. A guide told the history of the lake and its significant impact on American history. We were able to enjoy the views, play card games, order amazing food, or any combination. The other half of the day was spent in downtown Burlington, a short walk away from the cruise. The campers were able to sample great food and visit unique shops as well as chain favorites. The town has a full 5 block street dedicated to shopping pedestrians. We finished the day with some Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and a sidewalk showing of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
On the final full day campers were able to visit Sheldon Farms and the Ben and Jerry’s factory. At the farm campers were able to milk cows, catch chickens, and watch some farm animal races. Talk about hands on! At the factory we were able to see the world famous ice cream being made up close and personal. The whole experience was mouth watering. Luckily, our appetites were satisfied with Vermonsters! A Vermonster is 20 scoops of Ben and Jerry’s delicious ice cream in a big bucket. The kids made teams so they could finish the whole thing. If you finish it all, you get your name on the wall at the factory. Many of our kids did just that.
The final day of the trip was a reverse of the first. The girls went to Adirondack Extreme, and the boys went white water rafting. As expected, both groups had just as much fun as their counterparts. Both the boys and girls were able to enjoy the finale as a much more connected group.
Upper Village
Upper village were able to enjoy an exciting week as well! Both boys and girls loved having the village to themselves. Longer shower times and spacious meals were much appreciated. They were able to enjoy a fun packed week of electives. The boys and girls attended a movie at the local theater one night. They needed the relaxation before their big day at 4n4 Boot Camp! The next morning the Upper Village woke up to classic bugle music ready and raring for a day at Gore Mountain for 4n4 training. They were split into 3 teams and put through rigorous training. They had 4n4 walking as a group on a sidewalk training, 4n4 taking a group picture training, 4n4 spirited chant and count-off training, and much more. The whole day was of course meant to be fun and funny. The campers particularly loved being called 4n4 2017! All in all it was a great day where the upper village were able to enjoy some fun and beautiful scenery as a group bonded by the previous week in Cape Cod.
The culmination to the week was, of course, the annual Tribal Apache Relay! As staff, we were blown away by the spirit and drive of the campers. They put their heart and soul into their events. Every camper was able to participate in at least one event. Iroquois at one point had a 15 minute lead, but due to some incredible heart and athleticism, Mohawk caught up and got the win by a small margin. The support and love for and from both teams at the finish line was very moving. What a way to finish out an amazing week at camp.
We are about to start the last two weeks of the 2016 camp season. Things start to really get exciting now We will be having the Inter show, Carnival, Counselor Cabaret, Secret Hideaway, and so much more!
