First Friday Night!

We’ve had a busy couple of days here on Meta Lake! Yesterday was our first full day of regularly scheduled activities. Campers received their schedules and participated in all they signed up for! It was a beautiful, energetic day! For evening program last night we played The Chocolate Game, a Marimeta classic in which campers have to roll dice and race to put on a life vest, socks, and more to eat a chocolate bar with a fork and a knife. At the end of the chocolate game, we surprised the campers with our color war announcement! All campers got their own mini chocolate bar with their name on it showing them what team they are on (Mari or Meta). Our color war (which is purple and yellow this summer) will last throughout the whole session. Campers have already begun participating in events and they will be peppered into our program throughout the remainder of the session. On the field and in events, we encourage team spirit and completion and as soon as the games end, campers know that we are all Marimeta campers and each event is about the effort you put in and the fun you get out.

Today was another fun day filled with activities! Breakfast was eggs and bacon, lunch was make your own bowls (with rice, quinoa, assorted veggies and proteins), and dinner was chicken! We had our first Friday night of the summer which was a busy one. The evening began with the t-shirt relay, which was followed by our first games of capture the flag and after followed by a campfire. At the campfire, our 5 year campers gave speeches about what Marimeta means to them and we sang campfire songs. As we do every year, we also recited the poem “Don’t Quit” by Edgar Albert Guest. The poem reads as follows:

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
when the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
when the funds are low and the debts are high,
and you want to smile but you have to sigh,
when care is pressing you down a bit – rest if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns.
As everyone of us sometimes learns.
And many a fellow turns about when he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow – you may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than it seems to a faint and faltering man;
Often the struggler has given up when he might have captured the victor’s cup;
and he learned too late when the night came down,
how close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out – the silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
and when you never can tell how close you are,
it may be near when it seems afar;
so stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit – it’s when things seem worst, you must not quit.

Before reading, Don’t Quit, Nick and I spoke about the first week of camp. Camp has been amazing this week, and it has been challenging. Campers have made new friends, tried new things, some have gone away from home for the first time, we dealt with extreme heat the first few days, and we had so much fun! This poem was a great reminder that camp is amazing, and it is not perfect. Things can go wrong here AND it is a safe place to learn, grow, and become the best version of yourself. 

A few reminders on some camp policies that were sent previously:

PACKAGES

We do not allow packages at camp.

Prior to putting this policy into place, we received an excessive amount of packages. If there is an essential item that your daughter needs (clothes, a book, equipment) please email the Lodge to receive permission to send the items. Many necessary items we are able to provide for campers through our canteen and can get it much more quickly than you sending from home.

Do not send food or gum in packages or letters. We inspect all mail and confiscate items that are not allowed.

Unpermitted packages will be returned to the sender at your expense.

EMAILS

We allow one way emails from parents, siblings, and grandparents to your camper. Please list your daughter’s name in the subject line. We request that you do not include any photos in the emails as it uses a lot of ink and we offer this convenience to you free of charge. Emails may not be sent from aunts and uncles, cousins, or friends.