Olympics Archives - Page 2 of 3

Posted on August 6, 2013 by camptowanda

Day 5: Olympic Sing, RED & BL-UNITY forever!

2013 Olympiad came to a close with an incredibly spectacular Sing Night and an emotional evening for everyone.

The Field House was transformed into a BLUE CLONING factory with impressive special and entertaining special effects AND A FRENDLY AND FUN ZOMBIE GRAVEYARD. Skit Entrances, Songs, Comic songs and plaques were presented.

After an entertaining and electric evening the Blue Clones won Sing and the RED Zombies won Olympics by just 94 points (out of over 5000)!

Camp came together as the Dorm Girls sang their Alma Mater one last time and then the Club Boys joined them to lead the entire camp with Friends, Alma Mater and Taps.

A great week of sportsmanship, incredible positive attitude, healthy competition, fun and life-long bonding memories. Olympics at Camp Towanda ties together everything we have worked towards this summer. We all feel great!

Here are the official songsheets from the Red & Blue teams and the Judgies. Sing along and enjoy!

Posted on August 5, 2013 by camptowanda

Olympics Day 3 & 4: On Fire!

From Rope Burning to Fire Brigade, day 3 and 4 turned up the heat!!! Here are some highlights from the Judgies in black.

On Day 3, the Boys had their showdown on the track at record speeds, culminating in a classic Judgies vs. Generals race for the record-books. Two heats of Judgies from four different eras competed against the Zombie and Clone Generals. Casper joined in the race, helping the Judgies win by a “nose” as the Blue General, Diego “Day La Fuente” took one for the team at the finish line! It was the perfect way to end our morning at the track.

The Girls headed to the waterfront in the afternoon to swim like fishies at the Swim Meet. Excellent efforts, cheering and spirit. After the one lap kickboard race, one camper said “THAT WAS SO FUN…I didn’t know I was so good at kickboarding!”

From the Judgies point of view, the campers have really tried SO hard. They left nothing on the field. They pushed themselves to do their absolute best. They participated in EVERYTHING…even if it was a little outside their comfort zone. It’s all for the team.

By Day 3 dinner time, you could feel the electricity in the air. A shift in energy. The camp was getting pumped up. The song “LIGHT EM UP” by Fall Out Boy played over the loud speakers as the teams entered line up. At dinner, the Red and Blue teams took turns, pumping up their team for ROPE BURNING! Everyone participated in Rope Burning, even if they are on the sidelines. The cheering section is equally important to those who are geared up to help “build that fire, higher higher”. When the Judgies arrived at Skyview Field, you could hear a pin drop. The Blue and Red Ropeburning teams sat in the ceremonial circle in absolute silence. Their Generals and Ropeburning coaches gave inspirational pep talks, helping them understand they will remember tonight for the rest of their lives. For the Alumni Judgies, this tradition evokes incredible memories and nostalgia.

It is so hard to explain how Rope Burning is the best night of camp…but it is true. It holds special significance for the Club boys building the fire, but the whole camp really comes together. It is epic.

The rope burning teams were incredibly focused and determined, from the wood gatherers to the runners to the sorters to the stackers to the feeders to the firebuilders. When Blue lit their fire first and burned the first rope, it looked like a sure thing. But their fire started to shift away from the top rope, and Red came back to burn their second rope in under 13 minutes. Blue burned their top rope just a minute later.

After it was done and the fires extinguished, the emotions were indescribable. Dorm and Club uniting under the firey sky. All ages, boys and girls, congratulating, crying, hugging (lots of hugging), smiling, all exhausted and energized at the same time. This is when camp comes together. Camp brothers and sisters leaning on each other.

There was no slowing down on Day 4 of Olympics. A morning of activities, some beef-a-roni for lunch (to which the whole mess hall was cheering “Beef-a-Roni”!!!), and then the Great Apache Relay (did you follow the live social media feed from the race course?).

The Apache consists of over 200 events that end in the Fire Brigade at the waterfront. Events include athletic challenges, crazy tasks and silly fun. You could have a Deb in a potato sack hopping across girls camp against an Upper Camp boy! Anything goes in Apache. And the lead often changes MANY times.

We encountered a 10 minute rain shower…okay, downpour, but that did NOT slow down the relay. The baton changed hands over 200 times. There was a lot of running. Kyle Manes and Jonathan Penner, two incredible staff, ran alongside the campers during the entire race which finished in under 2 hours. Other Judgies followed on a golf cart, Generals on bicycles, campers and fans on foot. It was incredibly organized and smooth! Everyone contributed to the outcome. In the end, Red filled their water jug first in Fire Brigade and they were declared the winner by a small margin.

Last night was silent BBQ (yes, this is a judged event) and knockout. We cannot believe Olympics is coming to a close tonight and look forward to the much-anticipated Olympic Sing and skits.

Good luck Red Team. Good luck Blue Team.

A big thank you to all the Alumni and Guest Judgies who helped make this Olympics such a success.

Posted on August 3, 2013 by camptowanda

Olympics Day 2: Pull that rope!

And we’re off!!

Olympics 2013 is off to an incredible start. Intense spirit, effort and pride everywhere. From the creative athletic apparel (did you know you can play soccer in a tutu?) to the chants and cheers, Olympics is very much HERE!

For those of you who may have tuned into the Camp Cam for your daily weather check, we had a nice weather day (with a few spots of rain). All sports were played. In the morning we had Girls’ Track Meet. From the marathon to the potato shuffle to the 4 1/2 relay, those girls ran their hearts out (with the Generals, CCs, Lieutenants and Sergeants running along side them for EVERY RACE). While they ran the track, the boys competed in basketball, soccer, team handball, softball, football and GHOST. The Grand Master reported some games were down 2-0 in best of 5 to come back to win!!

During rest hour, tennis, soccer, co-ed CIT Ghost were played, while the Senior/Club/LIT boys collected wood for tonight’s rope burning (the Club boys have been practicing with their coaches–it should be an incredible event tonight…you’ll have to check it out on the Skyview Camp Cam!).

In the afternoon, the boys headed to the waterfront for their swim meet. The water was a little cool, but that just made the boys swim faster. Kick-board and kayak races, freestyle relays and the All-Star Race. Everyone competed, tried their very best and congratulated their friends in the next lane. The Girls rocked the fields in kickball, basketball, newcombe, Ghost (of course), soccer, gaga and softball.

As our last Friday evening at camp, we continued the tradition where the Dorm and Deb girls light the candles and welcome us to our Shabbat dinner. To see our 8 year old Debs with our 15 year old Dorm girls…it just reminds us how far these girls and all our campers have come. We had an abridged service, the Red Zombies and Blue Clones did some entertaining skits and everyone got ready to PULL THAT ROPE!

Tug of War was under an incredible sky on Skyview, under the lights. Everyone gave it their all, cheered with pride and celebrated with some milk and cookies!

After Tug of War last night, the National boys basketball game went into OT!!! Fast-paced, evenly matched, well-fought. The coaches were really proud of their boys!!! A great end to Day 2!

Excitement, tradition and warmth are everywhere here at Camp Towanda with over 50 Guest Alumni Judgies swarming and feeling nostalgic! It’s amazing that no matter how long it’s been since they were a camper or counselor, just being here makes them feeling like it was just yesterday!!! Having them here helps make Olympics that much better!

At the end of the 2nd day, the BLUE CLONES are ahead of the RED ZOMBIES by just 13 points and consider that 2200 points have been awarded this far.

TONIGHT is the great ROPE BURNING event, considered to be the best night of camp! Stay tuned….

Events are underway today…Boys Track Meet, Girls Swim Meet and lots of activities on the fields and courts.

Good luck Red Team. Good luck Blue Team.

Posted on August 2, 2013 by camptowanda

Olympics Day 1: Rain or Shine…Game on!

A little rain doesn’t stop Olympics!!!

Despite the gray skies, mist, rain and damp chill; NOTHING stopped ALL the CAMPERS and STAFF from wanting to get out on the fields to play!

In between heavy downpours, we got in most of the scheduled competition between The RED ZOMBIES and BLUE CLONES.

From my vantage point as the Grand Master of Ghost, I witnessed the best match ever of Debs & Dills, playting with their heart and soul in the mud and drizzle…to a tie-breaker; the same was true for the Tweens and the Middie Boys. An intense coed LIT best of 5 went the distance through rain and mud as well.

The thrills, the cheering and the concentration was wonderful! From the coaches to generals to the amazing judgies (consisting of over 65 visiting alumni)!

The reports are that all activities were the same intensity and spirit; From volleyball, soccer and indoor basketball to Gaga and softball!

It is so evident that all that our camp is about comes to fruition in these latter days of the summer; the camaraderie, the respect, the reaching for one’s personal best, the becoming comfortable outside of one’s comfort zone and the genuine pride, sportsmanship and deep friendships are making this OLYMPICS indicative of why we are all here.

It is a proud feeling that I see and sense on everyone; including the alums that have just showed up; they see it, too!

At the end of Day ONE, there is just a 2 ½ point difference between the teams…how about that?

Songs of the day played here: TIME OF THE SEASON by the Zombies and and WE ARE ALL CLONES by Alice Cooper.

Today will be beautiful! Cool in the low 70s… a great day for the track and swim meets and tug of war!! PULL, THAT, ROPE!!!!

Good luck Red Team. Good luck Blue Team.

Posted on August 1, 2013 by camptowanda

My life as an Olympic Judgie

Every year, we look forward to alumni joining us as Guest Judgies during Olympics! Last summer two alums, Liza “cc” Prussin (Tish) and Tina “cc” Kunkin (Schweid) shared their perspectives on being a Guest Olympic Judgie and experiencing life on “the other side”…as a grown-up at Camp Towanda!

FIRST UP: A Q&A with Liza Prussin Tish (mother of two Towanda kiddies and camp-crazed alumnus)

What is your favorite thing about being a Guest Judgie?

My favorite thing about being guest judge is just having the honor. I remember as a kid looking up to the Judgies as being the top. Being able to enjoy Olympics just as much as the kids do is amazing.

How has Camp Towanda Olympics changed? How has it stayed exactly the same?

For the most part Olympics is the same. The intense feeling across camp is still present today. The kids say they live 10 months for 2. Within those 2 they live 7 weeks for 1. The few changes are really just new sports that have evolved over time. The Generals and Lieutenants and Sergeants being kept under wraps until break is very different but at the same time it just adds more element of surprise to breakout.

Describe what it feels like to be back at camp as a “grown-up” for 5 straight days?

Being back at camp as a “grown-up” makes me feel like a kid again. Being able to watch my own 2 kids having the same experiences that I had is an amazing thing.

What was your favorite event to Judge and why?

It’s hard to pick one event as my favorite to judge. I really enjoyed it all but I would say nothing comes close to the intensity of the Apache Relay.

What is your favorite Olympics memory of all time?

My favorite Olympic memory of all time would have to be hearing my name called as a Camper Captain of the Red Vagabonds.

It is an awesome week!!!

AND NOW, Tina’s take on her stint as Guest Judgie, and why she just can’t get enough of Camp Towanda!

TKS: It is so amazing you can have a full life: an amazing husband, two wonderful kids, a fulfilling job, great friends and be truly happy…yet still when you get to Camp Towanda, within minutes it all disappears…POOF! I am in a whole new world!

There is something so magical about Towanda, the smells, sounds, atmosphere, that when I walk around I feel at peace. Within minutes of my arriving at camp to be a Guest Judgie, I immediately had a whole crew of people; some of which I just met, yet it felt like I had known them forever. We ate meals together, shared inside jokes and a bunk! Some were alumni from a different generation. Some were spouses of alumni or Senior Staff. But for those couple of days, we were family!

The relationships that form at camp are so special, so rare that only another fellow camper understands. When I am at camp I am Tina “CC” Kunkin all over again, and for 36 hours this summer that was fantastic!!

Coming back as a Judgie was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. I mean that literally! Watching camp in full swing with all the Olympic spirit and intensity was great. Seeing all the red and blue throughout the camp made me smile. I was so proud to be alumni and to be part of this year’s events.

The Senior Staff reminded me of exactly why I love Towanda- they each get such a sense of joy from making each event special for the kids. The care and thought that they put into every day at camp is so obvious. Each event I judged was special; BUT there was something remarkable about the boys swim meet (sorry I did not get to judge the girls). Watching these young men throw themselves into the pool and swim their hearts out made me so emotional. Maybe it is because I have two boys that will one day be Towanda campers or maybe it was because the amount of focus and joy these kids had for each of the 55 events was inspiring.

Towanda holds such a special place in my heart, it always brought me joy and comfort as a camper; it taught me how to rise above, it taught me that I was good enough and that I had real friends that I could depend on. There is something euphoric about Towanda and all that it continues to bring into my life.

Tina and Liza will be up at camp again this week for Olympics, dressed in black and ready to join the JUDGIES!

Posted on August 1, 2013 by camptowanda

THIS IS IT- Olympics 2013!!!!!

It started on Visiting Day, the clone pictures were popping up around camp; really scaring us all a bit…or fooling us……. One night I had the Bob & Amy pix in the mansion living room…and I jumped!

They were on the porch, at the board, at line-up, on the golf cart, at tennis, on the courtyard, in the alley, on OD patrol at night and yes looking at the camp cam and at the amphitheater…. Each day, moving around… we were all having fun with it and the talk was that it was spooky fun!

airbandgirls

That’s it, just a fun camp thing…not one mention of a possible theme for Olympics.

Fast forward to today; another top 10 beautiful day…activities, inter camp games and the intense scrutinizing anticipation and bewilderment of when, how and will Breakout happen… at breakfast, lunch or dinner…but how? We are going to the County Fair Friday????

Evening activity was AIRBANDS; a very entertaining lip sync/MTV type of night…. Different groups performing and cracking up the crowd at the same time…..everyone gathered in the amphitheater as a beautiful sunset transformed the sky. Although the crowd, from the youngest Deb and Jets the “on the edge” to Club/Dorm watched and participated……all eyes were on “anything”!

thriller

The last act to perform was a group called “The Clones”, consisting of HC’s Bob, Amy, Michael and Lisa, along with Mitch and Stephanie…we got on stage, dressed in the exact same outfits as our clone pictures, who were already on stage…….

zombie

The spotlights burned through the air, and then the music from Michael Jackson’s Thriller began… The HCs started to do their best Michael Jackson Thriller dance as I pounded on the stage floor.

A trap door slid away and 2 aluminum hoses flopped onto the floor facing the audience…. Thick, heavy, low lying mist crept along the floor towards the crowd, down the steps of the stage, engulfing the stage floor and down onto the lawn towards the kids…. the mist grew more eerie, thicker and engulfing the entire amphitheater……. As the smoke, fog and mist were cut by the beams of the spotlights.

clones2

The Thriller music stopped…and then Pink Floyd’s IS ANYBODY OUT THERE started.

On stage thru the mist appeared SIX zombies creeping thru the fog towards the audience AND 6 CLONES (in full body blue hazmat suits wearing a HUGE mask face that matched our clone cutouts)…..As they they stood facing the crowd in the mist, the banners unfurled; the air horns blasted, the music grew louder and then…

breakout 003

The head judge announced : THIS IS IT, Towanda..OLYMPICS 2013!!

Pandemonium, thrills, screams, hugs, tears, huddles, as the generals, camper captains, lieutenants, and sergeants were read! Everyone was happy for them…..

The cloud and mist continued as the team splits were read and everyone joined their team.

rings

After brief team meetings, both teams line dup on the grassy knoll as we lit the Olympic rings to the Olympic fanfare. Olympic taps..all to bed.

To say the least, it was great. Putting it together is like organizing, preparing and getting ready for a big show while the sell out crowd is already in the audience! it was fun and everyone felt a part of it. Lots of grins and great feelings.

Good luck to the RED ZOMBIES and BLUE CLONES!

Let the games begin. I will be at Ghost!

Posted on August 6, 2012 by camptowanda

Day 4 & 5: Apache, Sing and the Winner is….

We’ve got all the amazing details on the last couple of days of Olympics 2012, including the winners of sing and Olympics. A close race right until the end!!!

Day 4: Apache! Jump on it! Jump on it! Jump on it!

Morning activities started with Red Jesters in the lead and ended with Blue Royalty pulling in just a bit higher. This year really has us waiting until the very last moments of this competition. While camp spent the morning at their regular scheduled activities; basketball, soccer, ghost, gaga, tennis, and so forth, you could feel the excitement building for The Great Apache Relay.

The Great Apache Relay is a camp-wide relay race that covers every inch of our Pocono home. Every single camper participates in an event that can range from a lap around the track to swamping a canoe to whistling with crackers in your mouth! It is one of those rare moments where everyone in camp has the chance to work together towards one single outcome. At the final event, Fire Brigade (where campers shuttle two tiny cups of water across the field to fill two jugs), Red filled their jug first and the air horn sounded. Blue was a mere two minutes behind and everyone came out a winner.

It certainly was one of the most exciting Apache’s in recent history.

The waterfront is always a pleasure for spectators to watch the end of Apache with the various activities in the lake, kayaking, rowboat, sailing, canoeing and so on. The lead changed a several times over the 2 hour event while a rain storm in the distance loomed ahead of us. But the rain waited until we all got back to our bunks (which we think was very polite) and we all got a chance to rest a bit with sound of rain on the bunk roofs.

It was a short storm and dinner went on as did Cumulative Long-Jump. Judgie Charlie Neisenbaum was on hand for the judging (he still holds the record for longest camper jump). The Jesters and the Royalty bring it to the concrete… Legs together, swing your arms for momentum, and JUMP! The day ended with Red Jester’s in the lead but the Blue not far behind. And then there was Day 5….

Day 5: Sh- Sh- We’re saving our voices for Sing!

We have not lost our Olympic fever here yet! Have you? The day 5 morning was the strongest display of sportsmanship, comradeship and competition yet. A very important shout-out to the Senior Boys, the 14 year olds and second oldest on boys camp, who embodied everything that Camp Towanda Olympics is about. While they had the competitive spirit, they were honest with the Judgie’s calls (even correcting points for the other teams at times), encouraging all their teammates, all the while playing an excellent game of volleyball. Their game really encompassed the general feel of this Olympics. All of the morning activities echoed these same principals and everyone felt the excitement building over the much anticipated Olympic Sing! We walked into sing with just about a 9 point spread in favor of the Red Jesters.

What a night it was! The teams cheered, marched, sang, clapped and joked about the summer and our 5 Olympic days. Everyone looked regal as ever in their team colors and shirts as we our Towanda Olympics came to an end. Camp got the chance to look at the plaques that will decorate our walls for years to come as well honor campers with the special “Olympiad” award which celebrates representatives from each campus for their outstanding behavior in the past 5 days. Camp would also like to extend a very special congratulations to Matt Miller who was awarded with the “Big O Award”, which gives recognition to a Judge who has gone above and beyond to help make camp Olympics run smoothly.

And now the moment that you have all been waiting for– Blue Royalty won sing by a very small margin, but in the end, The Red Jesters held court as the winners of 2012 Olympics. Congratulations Red Jesters!! Believe it if you can but there was only a 2.2 point difference!!

We closed our night as a Camp Towanda family, watching the Dorm of 2012 sing their Alma Mater again for the last time. Then camp linked shoulders in a mish-mosh of red and blue to sing Friends, Alma Mater, and Taps before going to bed. We are all looking forward to a Lazy Day today! What a close and eventful Olympics to be a part of. We hope you have enjoyed our coverage. Our team is moving up to London tomorrow!

*A special thanks to our our correspondent, Judgie Lauren Cohen who has been reporting from the field. Your blogs have been royally entertaining!

Posted on August 4, 2012 by camptowanda

Day 3: Build that Fire Higher Higher!

D-A-Y T-H-R-E-E, that is how we spell DAY 3!!!

Good Afternoon Red Fans, good afternoon Blue Fans!! Yesterday was another great day of spirit, friendly competition, and fun during the 2012 Camp Towanda Olympics. The morning started off strong with another track meet, this time on boys side. It was amazing to see how fast those legs could run. By the time the meet ended and lunch started, the score was closer than ever! Morning activities on girls side were just as exciting and made us realize how amazing these teams are! Just as the one team pulls in the lead, the other one comes up from behind.

After a baked ziti lunch and a much earned rest hour, the sun settled in a cloudless sky–just in time for the girls swim meet and afternoon activities. Wishy-washy washy-wishy, all the girls can swim like fishies!

Before the pinnacle evening activity, we took a pause from Olympics to have Friday Shabbat dinner as a camp family…the 2012 Dorm Girls lit the candles with the Dorm Girls of 2019 and 2020 (This years’ Debs)! A special moment in time!

Rope Burning was last night and, as always, it brought all of camps’ hearts together. An alumni Guest Judgie crowd of over 60 judged and spectated the fired up crowd! Win, loose, or draw, Rope Burning is one of the most outstanding evenings to be a part of. Whether you are cheering on the side, passing down the wood, building the fire, judging or spectating, you can feel it–the sense of achievement and pride in your camp family. Maybe it was the size of the fires this year, or maybe it was the true Olympic spirit the seems to be radiating from the outside world into ours, but it was such an outstanding display of sportsmanship, teamwork, and determination. We are proud of both of our teams and extend a very special congratulations to the Red Jesters on their victory last night. Their fire was “no joke”!

Both teams celebrated as if they won the FINAL 4 with milk and cookies and then ETB while counselors chiseled away at the scenery and team plaques for Sunday Night’s sing.

Today is apache relay and tonite is the cumulative broadjump contest (which should be live on the Camp Cam!). We are doing our best getting you live coverage. Hopefully our blog, Facebook and CampMinder pics are filling in the gaps for you all at home!

We had to share some perfectly put words from an Alumni/Parent/Guest Judgie just to give you a sense of what it feels like to witness this Camp Towanda Olympics firsthand:

On a day when the lead in Olympics changed hands more than once – a pretty amazing thing in and of itself given that there have already been thousands of Olympic points awarded – and the evening concluded with a spectacularly thrilling rope burning, it was especially clear to me how fortunate I am to be both a Towanda parent and also an alumni Judgie. And today, more than ever, it was easy to see that one of the things which is most amazing about the way Olympics is conducted at Towanda is how naturally it teaches the kids the meaningful relationship between having a rich competitive spirit while at the same time maintaining the overriding importance of true sportsmanship.

When looked at from a parent’s perspective, it’s easy to understand how instilling in the children this keen value of fairness will have a lifelong – and no doubt very positive – impact on so many of the relationships which they will form as they travel down life’s road. And what’s particularly special is how the kids so naturally learn this life lesson; it really is beautiful to see.

Rope burning tonight was the perfect example of that. To have the entire red team cheer on the blue team after red had burned down their ropes in near record time was positively wonderful. This sportmanship, this spirit, this remarkable demonstration of the bonds which are created and fostered at Towanda, all combine to create a powerful testament to the value of what’s being learned here at camp, and all while the kids are having the time of their lives. Lucky for them, and lucky for us.

Posted on August 3, 2012 by camptowanda

Day 2: Swim & Track Meets were a “Knockout”!

Day 2 of Olympics could not have been more picture perfect! Glorious blue skies and sunshine set the stage for the day’s events, Girls’ Track Meet and Boys’ Swim Meet! After eggs and tots, an all campus clean-up (which was a judged event) and inspection, all the campers headed to their respective activities. The entire Girls’ side raced to the soccer pitch where the girls’ track meet was taking place. Tennis Robert sounded the horn and they were off! Girls’ Head Counselor Amy Miller took the mic, announcing all 58 races and events. The girls ran Marathons, 40-70 yard dashes, 1/2 laps, 1 laps, 2 laps, 4 x 1 relays, 4 x 1/2 relays, Potato Shuttles, Softball Throws and the big All-Star and Counselor Relays! The girls raced by the Judgies in flashes of RED and BLUE. No matter the race, every camper finished with pride hearing their teams cheer them on! “We will we will attack on the track!”, “Come on Red, Beat Blue”, “Come on Blue, Beat Red” and so on and so on. LOTS OF CHEERING! The CCs, Generals and Counselors ran alongside their campers on the inner circle of the track helping them keep their stride to the finish line. While the campers ran a few great races, those CCs and Generals ran all 58! Now that is teamwork, commraderie and what the Olympics is all about!

While the girls were running, the Jets/Cadets played Basketball, Middies Soccer, Juniors Team Handball, Inters and Nationals hit the GHOST court, the Seniors/Club Softball and an epic LITS Football game (best of the summer!).

By mid-day it was time for American Pie bugle call for Mac & Cheese and a delicious salad bar (plus a Jonesy cookie or two!). Rest Hour was filled with tennis matches and rope burning wood collection for tonite’s big event, an LIT soccer game that ended in a shoot out, and CITs Ghost and Counselor Volleyball! All getting cheered on by their campers!

In the afternoon, it was time for the Boys to hit the pool! They set up their cheering section on the hillside looking out at the lake. The waterfront looked incredible with the backdrop of blue and red shirts cheering on their teammates in the pool! No matter the race, breaststroke, freestyle, backstroke, relays or kickboard races, the teams wished each other luck and swam their hearts out! The brotherhood these kids feel for each other is so apparent and so strong. Even though they were racing against each other, there was so much respect amongst these friends, bunkmates, teammates and opponents. Most importantly, everyone (including the Judgies!) had a blast at the Swim Meet…all 55 races!

While the boys swam, the Debs/Dillies kicked it at Kickball, Tweens dribbled away at Basketball, Juniors “called the ball (or it’s gonna fall”) at Newcombe, Inters and Nationals got to bust some ghosts at GHOST, Seniors had a go at Soccer, while the Dorm went gaga for Gaga. And the LITS topped it off with a great Softball game.

Evening activity was Knockout!! A Camp Towanda event held on all the basketball courts. Did all those campers realize that practicing Knockout all summer at Under The Lights would help them in this Olympic Event!?

The night ended with our staff getting in on the games: Counselor soccer and KMP Ultimate Frisbee.

Only 6 points separates the Red Jesters from the Blue Royalty. So what does that mean? The counselors did great splits; the coaches are doing their best; the kids are SO into it and the Judgies are making it happen!

Stay tuned tomorrow for the Day 3 Olympic Daily Digest. Did you miss the Day 1 recap? Check it out here on the Blog: we challenge NBC for the best Olympic news coverage anywhere!

As we head into tonite’s emotional and intense rope burning, we wish both teams the best of luck. We know it will be a memorable evening for everyone.

Good luck Red Jesters. Good luck Blue Royalty.

Posted on August 2, 2012 by camptowanda

Day 1: What’s your favorite color?

Day 1 of Olympics was off to a spirited start! Cheering has reached an all time high for the summer and is sure to continue over the next 5 days! Every event begins with the chant: “G-O-O-D-L-U-C-K we wish you all good luck today!” And is reciprocated by the other team with a chant of thanks. That sets the tone for the games and the amazing displays of sportsmanship we are seeing! Although the camp is divided in red and blue, the campers are supporting all their friends and bunkmates. The Debs/Dillies, Middies, Juniors, co-ed LITS and Counselors (and Casper) all had the privilege of playing GHOST on Day 1! Mitch is holding court there with his expert team of Judgies and is in his glory! The Tweens had Newcombe (slide out and rotate!), the Junior/Inter Girls and Dorm played great games of soccer (yes–one girl did play stopper wearing a blue tutu!)…if that’s not intimidation, what is!? Who needs the London Games, when you can watch riveting beach volleyball from the Senior Girls, Dorm, Club and LITS (future Misty Mays and Kerry Walshes here at Camp Towanda!). Jets and Cadets were pumped up at the Gaga court and were called up to the flagpole this morning! The National Girls and Inter Boys hit it out of the park at their respective Softball games and the Nationals and Senior Boys were in the [end]zone at Football! A full day of activities, rest hour tennis matches, wood collecting for rope burning (long sleeves and long pants), and more.

Our American Pie bugle call rang at lunchtime…people still got chills remembering the breakout from the night before. It now takes on a whole new meaning! At dinner, each team got the microphone and had the floor. The Red Jesters pulled pranks. The Blue Royalty were prim and proper. The scores (so far) were announced and it was a 10 point spread between the teams!!! An even match. What will today bring?

Last night was Tug-O-War on the soccer pitch! Intense match-ups and creative cheers and chants from each of the teams as they approached the rope. The final pulls were made by the Judgies vs. the Generals. Who do you think won? The teams retreated to practice their songs and team meetings before light out and taps.

Today is the girls’ track and boys’ swim meets (where we are sure to see future Ryan Lochtes, Missy Franklins and Usain Bolts!). We are looking forward to hearing the sides cheering on their teams to the finish lines! Did we say everyone is cheering? “What’s your favorite color?” “A little birdie in a tree, said something very true to me”, “Thunder-thunderation”, “The team is in the huddle, the captain’s at the head”, “The cookie monster says”, “Split the V. Dot the I. Curve the C. T-O-R-Y. Victory victory let’s repeat it!”.

Many alumni from all different generations have returned to step in as Judgies. It’s great to have them back at camp, outfitted with Judgies Olympic books, whistles and tradition!

Day 2 is on! The sky is blue. It’s a perfect day for Olympics!!!

Good luck Red Team. Good luck Blue Team.