The bugle sounded on this bright, sunny morning as our Merri-Mac campers awoke from a restful night in their cabins. After some basic chores and getting ready for the day they raced down the hill for breakfast consisting of French toast sticks, bacon, and oatmeal. After finishing breakfast and singing our morning camp songs we headed to chapel to hear counselor Laura K. speak. After chapel, girls used their free time to hang out with each other playing tetherball, lounging in their ENO’s, or hanging out in their cabins. First and second periods were both exciting and relaxing as the Cooking class made chocolate chip cookies while Volleyball girls worked on their serves. Camp Craft/ Backpacking girls took on the high ropes course and also learned how to belay the girls who were climbing. Climbing girls climbed at the lower tower today which is situated in the woods but is still a tall tower to climb. The girls who went on the Backpacking trip to Turkey Pen yesterday came back with many fun stories to tell. The trip consisted of hiking in the mountains, wading in a river, making fajitas, and telling stories around a campfire while roasting marshmallows. Camper Grace C. said, “The trip was really cool and it was awesome to grow closer to girls in my cabin.” These out-of-camp trips are truly the highlight of the camp experience for many girls. After second period we enjoyed a camp favorite for lunch: Corndog nuggets and macaroni and cheese along with a baked potato bar! Today was tribal switch day in the Tucker Inn so the Iroquois sang Seminole songs, Seminoles sang Choctaw songs, and Choctaw sang Iroquois songs. After we sang to our new Princess Anne Dillon L., the girls headed off to their cabins for rest time. After a restful half hour, trading post was enjoyed by all who were craving sweets such as M&M’s, Sour Patch Kids, and Coca-Cola. The girls like to hang out around the Trading Post area to play Spike Ball or tetherball or just to chat with fellow campers and counselors. Third and fourth period classes were busy as the girls were accomplishing new things and working for their bronze bars. Campers in Riding took the horses on a walk around the entire camp while girls in Kayaking learned how to roll in the water. The campers in swimming class worked on their strokes as well as treading water for certain amounts of time. Girls in Riflery worked on improving their shots on target while Puppy Camp counselor Kelli W. taught the campers how to keep their puppies near them as they walked or jogged beside them. Campers in Lacrosse worked on their technique. DIY crafts decorated journals using magazine cut outs while the Fitness class used exercise balls to work on muscle toning. After classes were finished we enjoyed burrito casserole and vegetables for dinner and Oreo pudding for dessert. While we were enjoying dinner and singing our cabin songs, it started raining which caused at impromptu dance party in the Tucker Inn! Music was turned on and the whole camp started singing and dancing around the room, on benches, and on the tables! The rain did not stick around for long though which was a relief because tonight’s evening activity was Cabin Night which means that counselors plan what to do with their cabins for the evening. Tweedle Doe raided Trading post and then had a spa night while Comet enjoyed swimming in Lake Doris. Moonmist had a dance party and then a cereal party in the Tucker Inn while Blue Heaven played Lazer Tag! Little Dipper made cupcakes in the kitchen and Cloud Nine made pancakes on the back porch. Sunnyside enjoyed a night out on the town but came home to find their beds in the Tucker Inn and their shoes tied in the rafters because Dreams raided them for their Cabin Night activity! Sundrop made S’mores on the Patio and Milky Way had a drama competition along with eating dry s’mores and playing cabin games. Sunspot enjoyed an evening playing with the puppies that have won the hearts of all dog-loving campers. Our Merri-Mac campers enjoyed their activities and our new girls are getting into the groove of camp life. They are learning their cabin and tribal songs and even getting most of the announcement song down. It is exciting for the returning campers to show the new ones why camp Merri-Mac is one of the happiest places on earth. There’s nothing else quite like camp and as Morgan S. described her day at camp, “Today was Swagalicious.”

Kirsten Gregory

Moonmist Counselor

Riflery Instructor