Hi Island Lake Parents! Today is our first day of majors and minors for session 2. Although it’s rained on and off all day, we were still able to get in some of our outdoor activities. The temps have been warm in the mid-70’s but I guess our grass needs to be watered from time to time.
Our intercamp games have started up once again so we had a couple of sporting events take place today. Our 8th & 9th grade girls played in a basketball tournament this afternoon out of camp and are not yet back. Our 4th & 5th grade girls departed camp after lunch for a soccer tournament and will return shortly, as well. Hopefully they’ll have gotten in the whole game, all weather pending.
This Wednesday, 2 days from now, 75 campers, 7 staff members and I will hop on 2 coach buses and head to Toronto, Canada and Niagara Falls for 4 days of fun. We are very excited to check out the CN Tower, Hockey Hall of Fame, Canada’s Wonderland Amusement Park, visit Ripley’s Aquarium, go jet boating, see the falls on the Hornblower (formerly called the Maid of the Midst), along with some other great attractions. We’ll be away from camp for 4 days/3 nights and we’ll return to camp on Saturday night. Our teen campers are getting soooo EXCITED for this trip! It’s usually the highlight of the summer for them.
After dinner today I will hold my big Canada trip meeting with all of our campers and staff who are participating. I’ll hand out the itinerary, a packing list, talk about our expectations while we are out of camp, and discuss details about the trip overall. Have I mentioned how incredibly excited our 9th grade and older kids participating in this trip are for our 4 days of fun? We have an enthusiastic group of kids going so we’re all really pumped.
While I am away in Toronto and Niagara Falls, Dustin, our fantastic ILC head counselor, will take over blog duties for me. He’s a very creative writer and will no doubt post very intriguing blogs for you to enjoy. I admit he’s a better writer than me but don’t worry, I’ve come to terms with it and I’m ok. (wink wink!) While we are in Canada the blogs will be posted later at night when Dustin has a few minutes to sit down and write them. He’ll try to post some photos for you, as well.
I bet you thought I forgot all about giving you the answer to the riddle I posted the day before changeover, huh? Don’t you fret because I definitely won’t leave you hanging any longer. Here’s a reminder of that riddle from last Friday: Sometimes I am liked, sometimes I am hated. Usually I am old, usually I am dated. What am I? Answer: HISTORY! Here is today’s riddle: The strongest chains will not bind it. Ditch and rampart will not slow it down. A thousand soldiers cannot beat it. It can knock down trees with a single brush. What is it? I don’t want to toot my own horn but I guessed Friday’s riddle and today’s riddle correctly. Woohoo! Go me! Oh wait, I just told you I didn’t want to toot my own horn…whoopsie!
Tonight’s evening activity is Minute to Win It! We’re splitting everyone up into upper camp and lower camp, half in the theater and half in the gym. This game works by having participants from each bunk compete in fun and friendly games/tasks. Some of these games work on a time limit (a minute) while others are judged by who can do them the fastest. For example, we will have kids pick up Skittles with a straw in their mouths and move the Skittles from one plate to another. There will be a time limit and whoever successfully moves the most Skittles win for their bunk. Another example will be campers taking Oreo cookies and rolling them down their faces attempting to successfully get the cookies into their mouths. The first one to do it wins that task. One other example is pulling tissues out of the tissue box and whoever empties the box first wins. Sounds like fun, huh?
Today’s special feature is MOUNTAIN BIKING! Since it’s difficult to find these bikers in action, I’ve been taking pictures of them all summer whenever I see them. Spoiler alert, these pics are a culmination of 1st session and today. Enjoy and until tomorrow, ILCUTHERE!
