SmokeSignals Blog
SUMMARY - Answers to parents' frequently asked questions about going to summer camp.
IMAGE CAPTION - What a view! What a summer! Come join us at Merri-Mac!
You are here: Smoke Signals » Archives » About Camp
January 31st, 2012
The concrete foundation walls are up and Tree Top is starting to take shape.
It is all pretty exciting around here because we have also decided to take on yet another project, the Lodge is getting a much needed face lift! Why would we do that you might be asking yourself? Well, ultimately because we love you girls and a lot of Sunnysiders weren’t going to be able to be here without us doing something drastic. We fill up really quickly after camp (never forget to early enroll people!) and it was heartbreaking to us that some really sweet girls were going to miss out on their last summer with us due to lack of space. So for the first time ever, the Lodge is going to have campers living in it! Aren’t we crazy? Maybe a little bit. But it is going to be nice. Check out the progress so far. You would never even know it was the Lodge.
And then we put in some pretty stone steps on the bank up by the canoe shack too! Because why not?
Happy Camping! (Especially to you Sunnysiders)
From all of us here at Merri-Mac
Posted in About Camp, New Camp Construction, News by Adam | (7) Comments
January 14th, 2012
Merri-Mac, we want to know your favorite thing about the tribes.
Ask an Merri-Mac camper from the 1940′s or 50′s what camp tribe she is in and she will say “I AM a Choctaw “, or “I AM a Seminole”, or “I AM an Iroquois.” Seldom will you hear “I was.” There is a sense of permanence that gives our campers a base, a stability, and a sense of tradition. Those same former campers can walk into the Merri-Mac Dining Hall today and hear the same songs sung today as they sang them more than 60 years ago.
Each camper or counselor joins an Indian tribe soon after arriving at camp. When you become a Iroquois, Choctaw, or Seminole at initiation, you have joined a lifelong group within the Merri-Mac family. Each night in camp, our evening activity is a competition between the three tribes. At the end of the session, the tribe with the most victories wins the Merri-Mac banner and some serious bragging rights.
Posted in About Camp by Adam | (3) Comments
January 11th, 2012
Between Christmas and New Year’s we had a great staff reunion. All of the girl’s slept over at Anne Archer’s house (next to the fencing pavilion) and there were so many people there that there were Merri-Mac counselors sleeping on almost every inch of the house (even the kitchen floor!). Lots of quality hang out time was spent together, we went into Asheville to get coffee, and we even had a white elephant gift exchange at the Boyd’s house!
It was amazing to catch up with folks from the summer. I was reminded again of just how blessed we are to have such a great group of people surrounding camp.
We even had an appearance from “Virtual Dave” at the Staff reunion. It was nice to see her wandering around the party on Brie’s Ipad. Very nice touch, Dave!
It is hard to believe that camp is just around the corner. After Christmas it seems like the snowball of camp preparation really begins to grow larger and head down the mountain! We are getting super excited and can’t wait for June. What about you? Are you ready for camp?
Posted in About Camp, News, Summer Camp Staff by Adam | (3) Comments
June 24th, 2011
Tonight we gathered at the Teepee for Merri-Mac Council.
More than most camps we know of, Merri-Mac is a camper driven program. The tribal leaders, honor campers, princess court, spirits of good cheer and sportsmanship, and even the princess herself are decided by the campers. Each of these become opportunities for campers to recognize particular character types and leadership abilities and is an important way of calling to a girl’s attention her own abilities and talents.
One of the exceptions to this is our Merri-Mac Council where the counselors will award our White Feather promotions. Here campers who have demonstrated gifts of quiet leadership and an increasing growth in the fruits of the Spirit receive beaded necklaces as they progress through the ranks toward achieving the rank of White Feather. More important than these promotions, however, are the opportunities Merri-Mac Council provides for recognizing each girl’s unique character and abilities. Some of our most successful campers, some of our tribal chiefs, and even some of our honor campers may never receive a White Feather promotion because their gifts lie in other areas. But White Feather is an opportunity to recognize certain character traits that might otherwise go unnoticed.
In the end the most important part of Merri-Mac Council comes after the ceremony is over. During cabin time on the evenings that we hold council the counselors will go to each camper to describe the gifts and abilities that they have noticed in her. This is where a girl who may never earn a White Feather Promotion, or a Gold Bar, or be elected to a tribal office, can be told about her own unique gifts and contribution to her camp family.
Posted in About Camp by Adam | (0) Comments
April 29th, 2011
Our rock wall is finished and they are putting in posts for a railing around the top. The canoeing and kayaking dock is almost complete. Notice how it ties into the swim dock and boat house. By the way, should we call it that?
These guys are working hard to get the steel posts attached to the concrete footers under the water. We had a pretty good rain the other day and so the lake is filling up nicely. I was a little worried with the increased size that it might take too long to fill old Doris with water! They looked pretty cold and miserable trying to get them in place wading in the cold water. I thought they might need some scuba gear but they seemed to manage. I also think that blow torch is a nice touch to the photo!
Happy Camping!
Director Dan
Posted in About Camp, News by Adam | (3) Comments
RSS Feed