Hello, Olympics! Tonight is our opening ceremony and our campers are decked out in their teams’ colors. They look awesome! This year’s teams are Japan, Colombia, Senegal and Sweden.

After Chad recites the Olympic oath and we witness some impressive interpretive dancing by our division leaders, each division will be competing in an egg toss, freeze dance, a watermelon eating contest, a 3-point shootout, tug of war, and of course, a cheer-off. May the loudest and proudest team win! After our ceremony, we’ll head to Mitchell Field for the rope burn. Stay tuned for more exciting Olympic updates throughout the day tomorrow!

Happy Saturday! We don’t know about your day, but the highlight of our day was our new “flying saucer” inflatable in the lake! Campers were spotted on it all day and it looked like they were having a blast. We also welcomed a great group of Explorers! Our campers have been making it known that they are excited to have them here. Other highlights: a swim meet, brother-sister visitation, a Krav Maga self-defense workshop and Taco Saturday!

Tonight, girls camp has a very special campfire during which Mickey will play his guitar and lead the girls in singing Brown Eyed Girl, I Can See Clearly, Stand by Me and Sweet Caroline. Parents, we think this is a set list you can get behind!

Even better than 42nd Street! We’re blogging live from Beauty and the Beast at Netsy Playhouse.

Check out this clip!
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Six Teams battled it out today for the coveted Hughie Black tournament. The tournament was named in honor of our founder Hughie Black, who was founder and captain of legendary  1918-23 Philadelphia SPHAS, a team honored in the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. Before the camp games began, Mickey Black, Uncle Hughie’s grandson gave the 11 and under teams a little sports history lesson. In Uncle Hughie’s day, the players wore big knee pads, played in a cage and mastered the 2 –handed set shot. There was lots of razzle dazzle but the deciding factor could be summed up in one word: Teamwork.

Today’s teams had an intense day of competition with plenty of spirit and drive. This year’s winner was our brother camp, Lake Owego, and they deserved it. But every game was close and good sportsmanship was on display throughout the day.

And when it comes down to it, it’s the same today as it was almost 100 years ago when Hughie played the  game, it’s all about teamwork.  Some things never change.

So Sam and Drew and the boys of bunk Oak decided to see if they could bring the smoking embers back to life. Could they rekindle the dormant campfire? Counselor Luke showed them how. Using fire-building techniques passed down through the ages (and the Boy Scouts), they were able to bring the embers back to a full campfire. They told stories and jokes and made up a few cheers and chants. But their time was limited and they had to get back to shore, so they doused the flames and made sure that no live embers were left. Smokey the Bear would have been proud! No chance of a forest fire on our beloved Blueberry Island. Sam, Drew and the boys of bunk Oak saved the day. And at line-up this morning, they were still talking about it.

They could see the smoke coming over the pines as they approached Blueberry Island. Sam in the stern, Drew in the bow followed by a small row of canoes filled with campers from bunk Oak and the Senior Division. Counselor Luke was in charge. He gave everyone the sign to whisper as they got closer. What was the source of the smoke? Was it a campfire? Were there inhabitants on the island? They glided slowing around the perimeter of the fabled, mysterious island, circling a little closer each time. Finally Luke found a place to pull up the canoes. There was a trail. Everyone disembarked cautiously. Luke lead the way, followed by Drew, Sam and the rest of the crew. A short walk into the island they found it, an empty campfire with a few embers still burning. No sign of people. Who could it have been?

TO BE CONTINUED….