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Today at camp we had our Staff Appreciation Day for the session. The girls in Dreams Begin, Rainbow, Sunspot, Sundrop, and Sunnyside were assigned to all the younger cabins to be their counselors for the day. Last night they borrowed staff shirts from counselors and requested the activities they wanted to teach today. They woke up the girls from their assigned cabins and helped them clean their cabins while the counselors got to get some extra sleep.

For breakfast we were served biscuits with jelly and eggs. For lunch we had a camp favorite: chicken patties! Then at dinner we made tacos. The older girls sat with their assigned cabins like a normal counselor would. They served the food, helped clear the table, and supervise the singing. While the older girls sat with the rest of the campers, the staff got the opportunity to lead the songs at meals.

The older girls also lead all the activities. Counselors were present to supervise, but most girls were able to teach their activity almost completely by themselves.  Fitness did Yoga outside of Milky Way Cabin (with one of the most gorgeous views at camp). Canoeing worked on perfecting solid paddle strokes. Cooking made granola bars and M&M brownies. The girls in knitting worked on their headbands and bows. Camp Craft girls did the high ropes course. In Volleyball, girls worked on their bumps, sets, and spikes. In Kayaking, some girls worked on t-rescues while others got to learn their roll.

Today was the last daygirls were able to earn bars. We were lucky to have the older girls to help many campers earn these. In Basketball Janie C., Hannah F., Lattie M., Sadie T., Jiselle H., Tori A. got their bronzes. In Gymnastics, Jiselle H., Samantha F., Kathleen O., Ella H. got their bronzes. Gracie T. and Elizabeth C. got their silvers and Kayaking. Tori A. also got her roll in kayaking.

After dinner, the girls headed up to the Mike for Fine Arts Nights. Lucy W. played guitar. Stardust performed the song “When I’m Gone” from the movie Pitch Perfect. Sophia S. sang “Wishing you were Somehow Here Again.” The girls in Dance class performed two different numbers for us. Elizabeth P. sang “For Good” from Wicked.  Several people in Drama class recited different monologues. Alex P. also sang for us. Corina and Deborah did a duet to “Stay.” The girls in Chorus also performed for us. Lucy W. and Caroline S. performed together. Marquesa C. did a “Country Roads” mashup. Choctaw chief and med-man, Hamilton and Annabel, surprised us with a dance. Hannah sang “Leave the Pieces.” Then we finished with a grand finale dance from Comet Cabin. We are very blessed to have such talented campers here at Merri-Mac. We saw many girls shine today whether tonight at Fine Arts Night, teaching activities, earning bars, or helping younger girls.

 

Mary Grace Budd

Proud CIT, Seminole, Kayaking Instructor, and Merri-Mac Girl