In the still of the morning the teams Ocean, Swamp, Savanna, and Jungle were finishing up their last minute costumes and preparations for the beginning of the competition central. 

Father Mark Harris came from St Peter's in Lewes to celebrate Eucharist with us in the Council Ring.  The team captains did the homily (sermon) together.  Each Teams Captains were singing versions of Walking in the Light they way they liked it about their own teams and came around to singing a version about camp together instead.  Father Mark reminded us that sometimes when we live in community our many versions of stories need to be merged together to tell a better more complete story of who we are.

Opening Ceremonies began at 10:30.  All four teams presented their team cheer, song, flag, banner, and costumes for the judges.   After lunch and siesta the judges and teams met in Boys Homestead for three round of events like Log Saw, Song Writing, Tug of War, Yahtzee, Sudoku, Pool Relays, Obstacle Courses, Ladder Lashing and more!  

The day of central culminates in a huge relay race that runs all over camp.  It begins with a camper making a bed and folding pajamas in the parking lot.  They run matches to someone who eats a huge slice of watermelon and then a third person run the matches to archery.  Two campers have to hit the target twice.  Then a water bucket is walked through a windy path without spilling.  The matches are passed to campers in inner tubes in the big pool then to campers making loops around the small pool.  Two campers have to make two hoops at basketball, one camper pushes another in a wheel barrow, then other campers have to ring two horseshoes.  The matches move over to hockey at the tennis courts, then to toilet paper - where two campers take  turns wrapping a stationary camper in toilet paper.  Then the matches go down to the waterfront to get canoed out to Santa Claus and kayaked back to the beach.  A few campers fill a five gallon bucket with sand and then some more dribble a soccer ball across the ballfield and back and then the matches get run up to the team fire builders in Boys Homestead where they must build a fire and burn through their rope first.  It's intense and exciting.

The round worked out in such a way that even though Team Savanna burned through their rope first - Team Jungle had more points and won "The Battle for the Biosphere!"  

A highlight of the day was at the firepits - Team Ocean was still building their fire and the other teams finished celebrating and shouted Ocean's cheer with them.  Team pride is great but Camp Pride is better :) 

All of camp cooked out dinner on the beach.  Hot dogs and hamburgers, baked beans, chips and ice cream were served to each unit while campers and staff played frisbee and nukem and sat on the dock.  Heat lightning flashed in the distance cancelling free swim and everyone was tired enough they didn't seem to mind missing it and going to bed early!  Rain actually held off until nearly 10pm - leaving Central virtually dry - HUZZAH!

peace-
Teri & Keith

Things heated up quick when P4 had a "burning hot" fire competition. Campers learned how to quickly build fires with the resources around them. 

After leading chapel Saturday morning the Adventure Pathfinders went on a two hour canoeing from Wolf Creek back to camp's waterfront.   Once they arrived back at camp, a hot meal of pizza in a pot awaited them made by the waterfront staff. 


Meanwhile, all of camp was preparing for the Wild Wild West Sunday’s Central.  Saturday Night at the Movies were all western themed and the campers were delivered freshly popped pop corn.


After waking with thoughts of central and the wild Wild West in our heads, we filled ourselves with breakfast and headed to Eucharist with Father Jeff Ross from St Peter's in Lewes. 

Just after siesta the big day began.  All of the staff dressed in cowboy and cowgirl costumes along with the campers and some even talked with heavy country accents to add to the flavor of the West. The central was set up as a carnival where campers were able to go around playing different types of games while winning gold to trade in for City Slicker Snow Cones, “pancons” (pancakes with apples and bacon), rootbeer floats, sweet tea, apple churros and other delicious snacks.  

The Sailing Pathfinders built a great mini gold course.  P7 built a rodeo relay with pool noodle horses.  The Adventure Pathfinders lashed horses for everyone to lasso.  H2 built a Tumbleweed Skiball game.  H11 made the Sherrif Shootout Balloon Darts game.  P4 made the Rootin' Tootin' Ball Shootin' canon ball drop game.  P5 built Pistol Pete's Shootout with water guns to shoot ping pong ball off of golf tees.  P6 painted faces and braid hair.  H1 Hunted on the Oregon Trail.  The Environmental Staff lead fiddler crab races.  The Ropes and Waterfront Staff built a saloon and themed rooms for us to tour in the Rec Hall.  P7 hosted an old fashioned milk bottle toss game and a great bottle pickup game.  H10 built a California Gold Rush racing game with straws and ping pong balls.  H9 had spin art for everyone to make. The Pool Staff hosted Kissing Kate's X's & O's Frisbee Tac Toe.  The Kitchen Staff introduced two new games - Snake Eye Dice & and the Rattling Ring Toss. Wild bandits robbed the saloon all day.  And campers had the opportunity to arrest each other as well as staff members. The medicine show stole the crowd's attention with “sword swallowing,” hula hooping, a “chubby bunny" competition and other weird talents.

The day concluded after a final robbery or the Lafontaine's Savings and Loan bank and an all camp bbq at the beach. Campers played volleyball and hung out on the dock while they awaited their hamburgers and hotdogs.  After ice cream campers cooled off in the pool for free swim. Here the campers practiced new jumps and dive in the pool such as the “walk on water” and “salmon dive.”

All of camp was happy to sleep in an extra hour this morning - except for Day Camp who arrived this morning at normal time.  And we're all excited for the "Tastees" to arrive tomorrow for Taste of Camp!


beceith<(")

(aka Becca & Keith - and that's a "penguin")