Hi all! Welcome back! We hope you had a wonderful week! Our session 4 was maybe the best session yet. Despite some stormy weather, the campers still had the most fun week ever! I'm here to give a summary of how the week went in our Pioneer and Pathfinder groups!

On Monday, P6 started a lashing project in the afternoon and also had a dessert cookout that evening where they were able to finish some of their project! P4 went canoeing on the waterfront and also got to throw some discs around playing on our frisbee golf course! P8 painted some beautiful tiles at our craft shop and then got to go sailing later that afternoon. They  also got to play on the BLOBBBBB! P2 and P7 camped in tents at our outpost sites, where they cooked out two meals and had some quality time with their cabin mates out in the woods. 

On Tuesday, P2 had a fire building competition where they raced to see who could burn a rope first! P3 did some wood burning at the craft shop and made masterpieces out of old trees! After that they even got to do some banana boating down at the beach! P5 swung on our our giant swing at the high ropes course, and then they found their spirit animals with Alec in the craft shop!

On Wednesday, our Sailing Pathfinders (SPF) went on a fiddler crab hunting adventure on the beach and fed some of them to our pet turtles at the environmental center! After that they climbed the ladders at our high ropes course and made some friendship bracelets! P1 went paddle boarding down at the waterfront, which was made even more fun by some choppy waters! In the evening we had our Pioneer Potluck, where every group makes a meal and every Pioneer and Pathfinder camper shares with each other! The theme this week was thanksgiving!

On Thursday, P2 did shot some archery with compound bows at our range! P4 made some beautiful tie dye at the craft shop, and then did prayer beads with Arianna at the chapel! Later that night, we had a huge beach party (pirate themed of course) where all of camp got the chance to play games, eat snow cones and hotdogs, and they could even pay a bounty to put their favorite staff member in the BRIG! ARRGG!

On Friday, P7 climbed out rock wall and went down the zip line! P3 did the crate stacking challenge at our high ropes course! Our SPF campers did their service project with Walt and Justin, where they helped clear our new construction site and get it ready for new pavilion, as well as helped landscape the back of the dining hall! It was a huge help, and we appreciate them for it!

Thanks for checking in with us! We hope you have a great weekend and that you come back soon!

This year's Competition Central theme was Redemption! The captains got to choose from all the teams who competed in the past but did not win. Our teams, captains, and colors this year were Brad and Adam leading team Zombie (Red), Becca and Ryan leading team Swamp (Green), Carter and Matt S. leading team Uruk-hai (Black/Yellow), and last but certainly not least, Sophie P. and Justin leading team Aliens (Blurple).
   For a little background, team Zombies was redeemed from 2011's theme "Your Worst Nightmare" where team Witches won the games. Team Swamp was redeemed from 2013's theme "Battle of the Biospheres" where team Jungle took the victory. Team Uruk-hai was redeemed from 2003's theme "Lord of the Rings" where Elves won 1st place. Lastly, Team Alien was also redeemed from 2011's "Your Worst Nightmare" as well as "The Apocalypse" where team Pirates took the gold.
    This year was one for the books. Although Swamp did extremely well during the presentation round, winning first in nearly every category, all the teams did so well during the rounds that the relay was the determining factor for the winner. It truly was anyone’s game by the end. The relay’s end result is as follows: 1st place Zombies, 2nd place Aliens, 3rd place Uruk-hai, and 4th place Swamp. While the tallies from the end of the rounds were close, the ultimate winner of Competition Central 2019 was TEAM ZOMBIE! In second place, Team Swamp. Third place, Uruk-hai. Fourth place, Aliens. Everyone fought valiantly and represented their teams with respect and kindness. Another year, another central. This time next year another champion will be revealed!
    If you have never been to camp and want to know more about competition central, check out the blog post called “What is Competition Central? A Guide for Newbies."
Peace,
Madeye

Our Adventure Leadership Pathfinders (ALPF) just returned this morning from their 2 night trip to Trap Pond State Park in Laurel, DE! This post is a little summary of how their camping 

Though the weather was somewhat unfavorable and ended up cancelling their much anticipated canoe trip, they still had an unforgettable experience living with and learning about the environment around them! They saw snakes, frogs, giant moths and turtles. They also got the chance to visit the Trap Pond nature center and learn about the different species of plants and wildlife which are unique to the area where they were staying. They learned about how Trap Pond was manmade and how the process affected the ecosystem. 
 
Perhaps the most interesting part of their trip to Trap Pond was learning about the Bald Cypress Tree, which grows in clusters in the center of the pond. The campers had plenty of time to sit on the dock and gaze on the still waters and examine the trees. They cooked out 5 straight meals over the fire, honed their camp craft, and most importantly had quality time in each other's company!

Check back soon for updates about how session three went for everyone else!

     For those who are new to Competition Central, it is our annual rivalry during the second two week session where the entire camp is split up into four teams. Each team prepares and practices on Friday and Saturday for the presentation and events that take place on Sunday. Every camper has a role in the presentation where each team reveals their banner, costumes, song, and cheer. The teams get points for the presentation depending on originality, uniqueness, preparedness, and complexity. Major events and presentations have a point value of 10 points for 1st place (Gold), 8 points for 2nd place (Silver), 6 points for 3rd place (Bronze), and 4 points for 4th place (Steel). After the presentations, we eat lunch and have siesta then the games begin! The games consist of three rounds and a huge relay race as the finale. All campers participate in an event during the rounds and has a position during the relay. The events harness the different skills, intelligence, and expertise of campers so while some events call for physical strength others require creative and mathematical power. Round 1 activities include log saw, sudoku, character creation, tug of war, bay mini relay, basketball shoot out, frisbee discus, archery, monument building, and pool noodle javelin. Round 2 has a water basketball tournament, water balloon target throw, small pool mini relay, rock climbing, water bucket fill up, staff member dress up, trash throw, corn hole, milk bottle toss, and lawn darts. Round 3 includes tent pitching, nukem, "space jam" song writing, lashing, team t-shirt design, marshmallow tower building, crate stacking challenge, promotional skits, and ski ball. Although many people know all about competition central, I think an explanation for a more unique event could be useful. One of the more outlandish yet sought out events is ... the trash throw. This is where the kids get down and dirty. All four teams compete in a circular ring that is divided into four sections. When the whistle blows each team tries their best to get all the trash out of their section. The section with the least amount of rubbish, wins. Many of the mini games are pretty self explanatory but the biggest, baddest event of them all is the final relay. Dun DUn DUN. 
     The relay is known to make or break a team because 1st place receives 100 points, 2nd place receives 75 points, 3rd place receives 50 points, and 4th places receives 25 points. It truly makes all the difference, we all tend to say "it all comes down to the relay". Anyway, the race starts up at the dining hall where the first camper "sleeps" and wakes up to the sound of the alarm which signals the start. They have to quickly make their bed and fold their clothes. As soon as the judge says it's okay they run the matches to the next team mate who is located the opposite end of the dining hall at the watermelon eating station. (Side note: when I say run the matches I am referring to the relay baton which is a box of matches that are taped up so that they are water proof which they use at the end of the relay for the big fire.) At the watermelon station the camper has to eat a slice of watermelon as fast as they can! When the judge says okay the runner takes the matches and hands them off to archery. The two archers on the team have to hit the target with two arrows before they can move on. The runner then passes the matches off to the maze runners who have to quickly yet carefully carry supplies through a twine maze in the trees. The maze runners then pass off the matches to the campers at the big pool. The first two campers hop into an inner tube and paddle their way across the pool where they hand off the matches to another set of campers who make the return trip. When they reach the edge of the pool one camper gets out and walks the matches to the small pool on the upper deck. The small pool team has to run around the edge of the pool two times before handing it off to the basket ball shooters. The basket ball players must make two shots each behind the line before moving on to the wheel barrows. One camper sits in the wheelbarrow while the other drives it to the horseshoes. At the horseshoe pit each camper must make one ringer each before running the matches to hockey. At the "tennis courts" the campers have to make two shots each. The hockey runner brings the matches to the homestead fire pit where younger team members make a small fire to burn through a string. Once the string burns and breaks, the next runner goes to the toilet paper wrap. Two team members take turns running around a mummified team mate to wrap them up with toilet paper. Once the toilet paper has run out, the mummified camper has to break free and run to the beach where a team of campers have to correctly put on a life jacket and launch their canoe out to the far side of the beach. The canoe team hands off the matches to the playack team mates who have to paddle back. Once they get back to the main part of the beach, the playackers hand off the matches to the team members who have to fill a bucket with sand. As soon as the judges say it's okay, the sand bucket team relays the matches to the ball field where campers must dribble a soccer ball across the field and back. The soccer player then runs the matches to the last leg of the race which is the big fire. 
     So the big fire, the last part of the relay, is a pretty big deal. It has been a right of passage for pathfinder campers for as long as I can remember. Once the soccer runner gives the matches to the fire building team, it's go time. The goal for the fire building team is to burn the rope until it breaks. When the rope splits apart, they have completed the relay. One person is in charge of ripping the waterproof seal off the matches while the rest of the team digs an A frame ditch and sets up the kindling. When the matches are open they stick the match under their kindling in the ditch to set it ablaze. Fire builders need to be careful not to smother the fire with too much wood or air. To build any tepee style fire, one must have a variety of sizes in wood. Considering the fire is such an important part of the relay, teams always make sure to save the best pieces of wood in all sizes for this moment. Once the tepee is at it's maximum height, the fire building team stands together, with their arms around each other, to block the wind so the fire burns directly on the rope. At this point all you can do is watch and wait until the rope splits. I can say from experience that it is one of the most satisfying moments at camp. 
     When all the ropes have split and the relay is officially over, the teams go back to the meeting place which used to be in front of the rec hall (R.I.P) but is now in girls homestead. The judges total up the scores and announce the winner. Every year is different so there is no true measure to know who will take the gold but what I know for certain is that competition central is always memorable.
     I hope this has been helpful. The next post will cover this year's central.
Peace,
Madeye 

Welcome back! Our second session was wonderful! We want to share all of the amazing things that happened since our campers arrived almost two weeks ago. There was no shortage of new fun activities, as well as some old favorites which the campers loved just as much as ever. This session we had our Fourth of July celebration on the beach, our Mystery Central, and some of our campers even went on overnight camping trips at our outpost campsites! There is too much to write about it all, but here are some of the highlights from our Pioneer and Pathfinder campers.

During week 1 P3 went with some fresh bait to search for crabs off of our dock. They caught a few crabs and learned all about them before letting them back into the water. Later that afternoon they got to ride on the banana boat! It was a fun day for P3. Also last week, P4 created a homemade shower in their campsite! They used their lashing skills which they learned at camp to pull together a shower complete with a functioning shower-head (made of an old water bottle with holes poked into it). P3 thought that was really cool, so they went ahead and made TWO showers in their site, both with shower-heads and drainage systems. We have some young engineers here at Camp Arrowhead! P1 harnessed energy from the sun to make some banana bread in our solar ovens! P2 had a fire building competition between members of their cabin to see who could burn the rope first!

During week 2 P7 learned how to build shelters with Ellie from the Environmental Center! They went out to their campsite in the woods and learned to make a lean-to, which is a type of shelter building technique that has been used by survivalists for ages. They also finished lashing their homemade swing, which they made completely out of logs and binder’s twine! Sailing Pathfinders (SPF) went on their big sailing trip to Treasure Island across the Rehoboth Bay! They used all the skills they learned the last two weeks and were the mighty captains of our Hobie 16’s and Waves. P6 had a yoga block where they learned to center themselves and got some good exercise!

That's it for session 2 updates, make sure you tune in for the next few weeks to find out more!

Late afternoon on Saturday, at the dining hall of Camp Arrowhead, a mysterious phenomenon occurred. The specialist staff were acting rather strange. Their faces were turning shiny green, third eyes emerged from their foreheads, and antennas sprouted from their heads! Although the specialists seemed to still be somewhat themselves, they started speaking in a bizarre language and singing songs unknown to mankind. Eyewitnesses described the scene as very peculiar considering the lack of humanity. Specialists were slowly forgetting how to be human! Fortunately, the Directors, Teri and Rubi, heard of the news before the alien virus spread too far. They got word that tin foil protects and prevents against the virus so they quickly distributed the materials to the unaffected. Teri and Rubi searched day and night for a cure to save the beloved specialists! They went to Nurse Joan to see what they could do. Joan said "The only way to beat this virus is with the help of the campers!" Joan got out her handy dandy encyclopedia and instructed them how to get the ingredients for the antidote. Unfortunately it wasn't as easy as they'd hoped seeing as though the aliens contained some of the ingredients! They called on the campers to brave the challenges around camp to collect the ingredients! The Counselors equipped the campers with a cipher so they could determine the whereabouts of aliens to gather the elements for the antidote. The campers courage did not go unnoticed. Eyewitnesses saw campers climbing the rockwall and and causing a water balloon meteor shower while going down the zipline. Campers were seen landing disc crafts in crop circles on the ballfield, walking on the weird terrain of the blob, fueling the net reactor on the basketball court, and throwing planetary plungers at targets at the archery range. They also went asteroid hopping where campers battled staff members at the alien version of rock paper scissors as well as making constellation spin art at the craftshop. Many valiant campers took on the mission of Reentry free fall at the high ropes plank in addition to reaching into the pit of oobleck to find gear parts for the alien's hover craft. The pool was no trouble at all for the campers where they transported greasy pods (watermelons) for the aliens to take home. Not far off in the baby pool, aliens asked the campers to help them set up a dining table in the water because it felt more like home in zero gravity. Aliens questioned the human's game of horse shoes and challenged them to a game of human shoes! Most importantly, at Adam's fire pit, campers fueled up with some S'mores so they could finish their journey! Last but certainly not least, campers contended with alien staff at galactic gaga ball! Once the campers collected all the tubes of ingredients from their missions, they went immediately to Joan. She checked her book of remedies and quickly cooked up the antidote. The blue liquid antidote was served at dinner to cure all the specialists. All at once they took a sip and magically transformed back into their normal selves! Turns out they just needed some electrolytes. Campers, we salute you for a job well done!
That's all for now folks,
Madeye

 What is 4th of Juluau? I'm glad you asked! Last night we had a 4th of July luau beach party!

As the campers arrived to the beach, the British staff members captured our camp director, Teri! They took her to the top of the beach tower where they thought for sure they would be safe. The Americans quickly took action with their stash of water balloons but they were counter attacked by Brits on canoe boats. The Americans sent a stealth operations team to reclaim the beach tower and save Teri. Although the British put up a good fight, they didn't stand a chance against the mighty Brad and Stephen stealth team. At last, Teri was freed and the British were defeated!

After the reenactment, campers were free to play games such as ski ball, football toss, mini golf, ring toss, and plinko. We also had face paint, a photo booth, and a make your own flower crown station. The dance floor was popin' and everyone was groovin' to the music. The bonfire was blazin' for campers who wanted to relax and put up their feet. Of course every luau must have yummy snacks so we cooked up some hot dogs, crushed some ice for red, white, and blue snow cones, and sliced up a whole patch of juicy watermelon. 

At the end of the night we had a FIREWORKS FINALE!  Everyone sat on the beach and gazed into the night sky to see the beautiful colors light up the Rehoboth bay. 

It was a wonderful night to say the least and we will always cherish these moments in life! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Peace,
Madeye

First session was full of wonder and adventure for our Pioneer and Pathfinder campers. There was so much that happened, we can't even remember it all! I picked what some of our campers this past week said were their favorite activities to try while they were here. 

On Monday, P2 went sailing on the waterfront and got to jump on the inflatable BLOB!! P3 got to go for a sunset boat ride off of our dock on  pontoon boat at the waterfront! ​P4 had a bunch of fun at the waterfront too. They got to be one of the first groups of the summer to ride the banana boat!

On Tuesday, P8 made flower crowns with Ellie at the Environmental Center. They also helped Ellie with her tomatoes and peppers at the garden. P5 went and climbed the rock wall and zipped down the zip line. Our oldest campers, Sailing Pathfinders (SPF) found their sea legs and spent their first afternoon sailing Sunfish with practice under their belt! 

On Wednesday, P1 got to meet our chickens and learn about them. They also got to go into our chicken coop and learn all of their names! P6 used our wood burners in the craft shop and turn ordinary chunks of wood into masterpieces! P7 went on a Wonder Walk with Doreen, where they learned and talked about the wonder of God's creations and how they all fit in to what we do here at camp.

On Thursday, P4 became survivalists and went hunting for fiddler crabs and fed them to our turtles at the Environmental Center. P3 harnessed their inner Robin Hood and shot some arrows at our recurve archery course. P2 made customized dreamcatchers out of briar and hemp wrapping at the Craft Shop with Sophie! Every Pioneer and Pathfinder camper also got to go to the PIONEER DANCE!

On Friday P6 finished their lashing project they had been working hard on all week. P7 became Steve Irwin Jr's when they did a bay safari and went into the Rehoboth Bay with nets and caught fish and crabs. SPF tie-dyed some white t-shirts at our Craft Shop!

There was so much more, but these were some of the moments we felt like sharing. Check back later for more!

What a journey this week has been! Time flies by when you're having fun!
Although all campers get to experience everything camp has to offer, I have picked out this week's peaks in Homestead and Day Camp.
On Monday, Day Camp 1 was spotted jumping off the banana boat for a swim in the bay! H9 bounced on the blob and sailed the seas with the skilled sailors of the waterfront. Not too far off at the environmental center, Day Camp 2 was cooking up a storm in the solar oven! Next door at the arts and crafts shop, H8 painted like Picasso during their tile block. H2 brought out their inner Vincent Van Gogh while working with watercolors. Just outside at the fire pit, H11 melted down wax and retired crayons for their sand candles. The princesses of H7 discovered their magical powers while creating their very own wands! 
On Tuesday, H5 went on a bay safari expedition to search for the lost treasures of the sea! Meanwhile at the environmental center, H1 relaxed with some mocha and homemade tea. After dinner, H3 hitched a ride in the hay and sang camp songs to make the enchanted tractor go!
Wednesday was extra special for H10 who spent the entire day in outpost! When they emerged from the forest they were covered in dirt and smiling faces! H7 swooped in to save the craft shop with their tie dye and capes! H4 flew threw the disc golf course as they made their way through camp. Last, but certainly not least, H6 danced among the garden wearing their flower crowns! 
First Session was one for the books! We hope everyone had a great time! 
Peace & Love,
Madeye

Fifth session is off to a great start! It’s been hot, so groups have been having a great time swimming in the pool and banana boating. Monday started with a pancake breakfast followed by a chapel service full of spirited songs. The campers then traveled with their groups to start their first full day of camp!

Some highlights of the day are as follows:

Day Camp 1 built friendship and trust on the low ropes course.

Day Camp 2 played with the camp’s chickens in the morning and made brownies using the heat of the sun in a solar oven. 

H1, H6, H7, H8, H9 wrapped up the evening on the homestead hayride. Everyone had a great time driving around camp while singing their favorite camp songs. 

H2 learned how to canoe on the bay in the morning. 

H3 painted beautiful ceramic tiles in the craft shop. 

H4 went banana boating with their unit yesterday morning and had a great time!

H5 wrapped up the day with a fun bonfire on the beach. The campers played beach games with their new friends and sat by the fire with their counselors. 

The ladies of H10 ended their Monday with a tea party in the Environmental Center! The tea was freshly brewed with herbs from camp’s garden. 

The boys of H11 went paddle boarding on the bay in the morning. 

P1 learned how to sail out on the bay in the afternoon. 

P2 had a delicious dessert cookout at their site. They cooked Mexican s'mores, which is a dish comprised of tortillas filled with marshmallows and chocolate chips.

P3 played on the blob and went out sailing during the afternoon. 

P4 went crabbing in the bay with our environmental center directors! The boys caught a rich bounty of crabs!
P5 spent the morning Kayaking together around the Rehoboth bay.

P6 had a garden party at the Environmental Center! The girls learned how to maintain a garden and picked ripe tomatoes and jalapeños. 

P7 also got to go kayaking out on the bay. 

P8 spent part of the morning painting beautiful pictures with water colors. 
APF went deep sea diving out in the bay. They explored all the cool creatures that live out in the Rehoboth bay.

As you can tell, Monday was a fun packed day! The weather has been beautiful so far, and we look forward to a great week here at Camp Arrowhead.