Skylemar Blog

Polar Bear Swim once again!  Over 100 campers and staff members made their way across the lake.  It’s an invigorating accomplishment to tackle first thing in the world.

The Sophomore Division headed out on an excursion to southern Maine!  Blake and Myke led the trip, so first things first — the kids each wrote a note of gratitude to members of the Skylemar community.

On the way to the movies to see “Despicable Me 4”, the guys were assigned bus partners.  They were tasked with finding out something they had in common with each other, which would be shared later in the trip.

This all coincides with a C2C message we’re trying to get across this summer.  What does it mean to “be a man”?  It means to be inclusive and open to being with all kinds of people.  It means to care about and appreciate others.  It means to stand up for someone when another says something unkind.  In building men of fine character, this is the kind of stuff that gets woven into any one day.   Twist is, most of the time the kids don’t even notice.

Ferry Beach State Park was glorious, with sand dunes and the majestic ocean.  Without direction, the entire age group linked arms and ran into the freezing cold water.  Then they made giant sand forts – yes, 12-year-olds still love to build in sand.

They played games like “Flinch Ball”, and one where the bus partners locked arms and you had to catch a ball each with one hand.  When they took a break, it was interesting to hear what duos had in common.  Everyone had something of course, like enjoyment of a particular sport or how meaningful something like a dog is to them.  This trip’s special guest was a Park Ranger.  He talked about the endangered species in the coast of Maine.

By late afternoon it was time to head to the Sanford Mainers baseball game. It’s a family-style ballpark for the New England Collegiate Baseball League.  It was really fun to be there together.

Meanwhile, back at camp, it was our weekly GACU (Great American Clean Up).  That’s when you get assigned a period for a health check at the Infirmary, plus feet soaks and nail clipping at “The Spa” (the Garden Cabin porch).  Added bonus was a sheet changing requirement for every camper.

Another bonus was the 16U Grand Slam Tennis Tournament, to crown this summer’s top player.  We saw some of the most exciting matches we’ve seen on the courts all summer. One semifinal seemed to go on forever — a marathon, 2 1/2  hour riveting match that needed a tiebreaker to decide it.  Back and forth they went, with both players staving off multiple match points before Nick N outlasted Holden to advance to the final.  There, he faced another formidable opponent, understandably a bit fresher, but clearly just as talented. Congrats to Charlie F, our 2024 Camp Champ!

Sky II Carnival for Evening Activity!  Hejduk Field was filled with inflatable challenges and games.  There were obstacle courses, bouncy houses, bungee run, soccer darts and lots more.  Snowballs were the perfect treat for such a joyful and warm summer night.  They were served “Baltimore Style”.  That’s in a cup with just a little bit of marshmallow.  No surprise – blue raspberry continues to be the fan favorite.

It takes an extra special lady to even consider working at an all-boys camp.  At Skylemar, ours are supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.  Just like Mary Poppins, they’re practically perfect in every way.

Each outstanding gal comes to us with an impressive background.  They are top collegiate athletes, teachers, coaches, nurses and experts in their field.  Most importantly, every one of them has what it takes to serve as a role model and caregiver for your most precious possession.

They’re here for the same purpose as a male counselor – to make a positive difference in the world, one boy at a time.  They work just as hard, get paid the same money and their role is equally important.

But the difference is…they do it in an all-boy world.

There’s the obvious stuff, like the giggling surrounding bodily noises and the toilet seats that are never down.  Then there’s Bunk 14, who may need help holding one of their salamanders.  Or there’s the tennis ball that had to be pulled out from a toilet of a bunk not to be named.  After all, the guys just wanted to see if it would flush…

Of course there’s the toenails that need to be clipped, and the feet that need to be scrubbed.  Meds that need to be delivered because guys are just “too busy” to remember.  Lost & Found that continuously needs to be picked up, signs that need to be painted, wet sheets that need to be changed before the kids finish breakfast, and little guy tears that need to be dried because from his point of view he “never gets to go first”.

Each NBC (stands for Non-Bunk Counselor) has a primary role at Skylemar like teaching swimming, boating, tennis or golf.  They might be in charge of healthcare, art, cleaning, programming, office work, taking photos, serving special diets, designing gardens, speaking to parents or leading trips and campouts.    But on top of that, they tackle a million other things, like putting the kids to bed, keeping them somewhat organized and being the best big sister a boy could imagine.

The ladies of Skylemar are extraordinary, and they are adored by all.  They go above and beyond, and do whatever it takes to make the Skylemar machine work.

So, to the Skylemar Superwomen, we thank you.  We are the luckiest to have you in our Skylemar world.

What comes to mind when you think of Maine?  Lobster!  Even if you don’t eat them, it’s fun to learn about them.

The Lions Division headed to Portland for a Lucky Catch Lobster Tour.  Before heading to the pier, they played Buoyball and had a picnic lunch at Payson Park.  It’s a beautiful spot that overlooks the Back Bay.

While they were on the pier waiting for the boat to dock, a special guest spoke to them about clean energy and offshore wind projects.  Luke McD shouted: “Let’s go for clean energy!” and it made the day of the Offshore Wind Project Coordinator.

The crew of Lucky Catch is super nice as well as informative.  The boys got to pull lobster traps and learned the correct way to hold them without getting pinched.   They used a special tool to put the thick rubber bands around their claws.

Interestingly, it takes about seven years for a lobster to be old enough to eat.  The boys used a measuring instrument to determine the age.  There has to be 3.25 inches between the head and the tail.

Some thoughtful questions were asked of the crew.  Henry DS asked if fishermen supported each other when working or does everyone totally do their own thing?  Turns out they do help each other quite a bit, and there’s a lot of sharing going on.  Bait for example.

Back at camp…

Not only did we have plenty of fun at Skylemar, but a lucky thing happened.  Oliver G (B13) was swimming and he saw something sparkle.  He dove down and found a gold ring.  Turns out Jake P (B22) had lost it a year ago!  It was a special ring that his father had given him, and now it’s back where it belongs.

It was the annual Staff All-Star Game for Evening Activity – except this time the guys decided to switch it up from Softball on the Freddie Pierce to Basketball on the Blacktop.  And what a show they put on!

Led by maybe the greatest summer Hoop staff ever assembled, the Trickey Pond Penguins took on the Hilltop Hippos in a game that went down to the final ticks of the clock. A couple of late 3s in the final 20 seconds brought the Hippos from behind to win it. There were mascots, “concession stand” popsicles, Slam Dunk and 3-point Shooting Contests, raffles and prizes. Pregame, in-game and on-court interviews from sportscasters Elton and Jared R kept everyone interested and informed.

The break at Halftime gave the Stars a chance to make a half-court shot… and on their 4^th attempt, Lucas V did just that, calmly sinking one that set off a wild celebration.

The players displayed their superb ball handling skills and drained 3s from all over, but the spectacular, high-flying acrobatic dunks excited everyone most. Music pumped throughout – the place was rockin’ — and the vibe: Electric!

Thank you to the captains (brothers Myke and Noah) – and your teammates for not only giving us such a super fun evening, but for bringing the same energy to the courts all summer long.

Trickey Pond Penguins                             Hilltop Hippos

Noah                                                              Myke

Gideon                                                           DQ

Zay                                                                  DT

Pac-Man                                                        Eli

Barney                                                           Unc

Dut                                                                 Henry

Frog (mascot penguin)                              Lippy (mascot hippo)

PS.   DQ won the Slam Dunk Contest with a spectacular, off-the-bounce, 360, windmill jam from down under — and in an upset of sorts, Baseball Director Unc shot his way to the 3-point title.  Who knew?

It was a Bates College Bones Bonanza for the Tigers Division!  Bates, located just about 40 minutes away, is Blake (aka “Bones”) Shep’s alma mater, and our campers were excited to try out college life for a day.

The Tigers were some of the first to be on the new turf of the Bates football field.  They played an awesome game of flag football, with real refs and field goals.  The game recap included talking about some important sports stuff, like what it means to be a positive teammate.

A guest speaker stopped by to talk about sustainability.  They learned about not wasting food, which was especially important because they were having lunch in the Bates Dining Hall.  Called “The Commons”, this “all you can eat” establishment has won lots of top awards on the college ranking websites.  Once again, chicken nuggets that cost real money were most popular.  Filling water bottles with chocolate milk was fun, and so was mixing every kind of soda in one cup.  You know, it’s the kind of thing a boy likes to do.

Another special guest speaker (a public health expert – the guys were surprisingly into it) greeted them, and next it was off to the movie theater.  “Inside Out Two” was a great one to see.

When they returned, some sisters were here!  Our beautiful sisters from Camp Mataponi and Camp Walden came over for dinner and a visit.  Such a pleasure to have them.

It was a Band of Brothers evening.  As explained earlier, there are 12 Bands, each with an animal name that’s native to Maine.  A Band is comprised with a couple of boys from each age group, and the leaders are those in the Stars Division (the oldest).  It’s a solid way to build relationships between those of different ages.

Pine Cone Auction time!  Each Band worked together as a team, but because there were no pine cones they found golf balls instead.  You had to keep your clothes on, but you could get creative on where you carried what was collected.

The golf balls became the medium of exchange to purchase parties.  Those with the most balls got first pick.  Here’s a description of what went on:

Pirate Booty Sunset Cruise – A night of swashbuckling fun and pirate themed delights on Trickey Pond!   

Breakfast Burrito Bash – Learn to make your own Colorado-style breakfast burrito!

Chilling with Sundaes and Crafts – Make a sundae and make a masterpiece!

World of Meat & Cheese – Charcuterie board making!

Counselor Hangout – Relax and enjoy the Counselor Barn, just like the counselors do!

Pickle Ball Party – Play the game and eat them too.  Pickles of every variety!

Camden Yards – Crab chips, popcorn, lemonade and a few innings of the Orioles game!

Chocolate Fiesta – Dipped fruit and cookie baking!

Sky II Hotspot – Dodgeball plus a campfire at the Red Cabin!

Croquet and Tropical Drinks – Play the game in the garden and mix up some smoothies!

Disk Golf and Moon Pies – Play the game on Hejduk Field and try an old-fashioned snack.

Camplified Cold Stone – DIY Cold Stone Creamery-style ice cream making in the SkyDeck!

Wow!  No matter what you won, it was an awesome night!

One of the many things that Shep’s good at is weather predicting.  Of course, he uses assorted apps and a NOA station, but mostly he says he “feels it in his eyes”.

Take last night for example.  Bunk 3 was at SkyPines for an overnight.  That’s when you grab your sleeping bag and camp out at an especially beautiful part of Sky II.  The kids learn about putting up a tent, building fires and how to cook over the open flame.  They go fishing and splashing in the shallow water and play whatever games Directors Sam and Santi have in store for them.  It’s a great time, and especially cool to stay in the tents with your bunkmates.

As Bunk 3 went over, Shep felt it in his eyes.  That’s when he decided to leave a van with the keys inside just beyond where the kids were camping.

Lucky he did, because around 4:15 AM a storm whipped up.  Santi, Sam and the counselors were able to wake the boys, get them into the van, and everyone finished sleeping back in their cozy, dry cabin.

So far this summer we’ve had the least number of rainy days than we can remember in a season.  That’s the complete opposite of last year, when it seemed like there was rain several times each week.   Instead, we’ve been blessed with many hot and sunny days in 2024, perfect for Trickey Pond.

Careful what you wish for, but it’s been such a run of the sun that we actually hoped for at least a little rain.  That’s exactly what we got this morning.  It was the first Rainy Day Schedule of Skylemar 76^th year.

Here’s what we did…

Legos!  They get our vote for “best toy” award for boys of all ages.  And we have plenty.  We opened up some giant tarps and poured out huge containers filled with millions of pieces…literally!  Laying down on the floor to build with the many shapes was relaxing and cathartic.  It was exactly what the boys needed.

Some played good old-fashioned board games.  We have a couple hundred here to pick from.  Remember – we had a whole lot of rain last year.

The Super Suzie Trivia Game took place in the Pavilion = and art projects too, like fish painting!  Meanwhile, some played Dodgeball in the gym, while others had Porch Time with Shep.  That’s when groups get together on Shep’s Porch to talk about stuff.  Shep has a topic to cover (like what to do if you see someone being unkind to a bunkmate), and then the guys are allowed to ask him any question.  The most frequently asked — “if you had hair, what color would it be?”.

The Lodge was lots of fun, with all the ping pong and pool tables.  There’s foosball too.  The oldest Divisions, Seniors and Stars did what they like to do best on a rainy day.  Sleep.

There were pockets of hazy sunshine as well.  That’s when we switched gears and got outside for Softball, Pickleball, Lax, SkyRopes, Waterfront and lots more.

Even though it officially stopped raining by dusk, Movie Night was in the Rec Hall instead of at The Drive-in (the area near Bunk 1 with the big wooden screen).  That was the decision, because Shep was feeling it in his eyes.  Good thing, too, because a minute after everyone was back in their cabin, heavy rain fell from the sky.

There’s a 50% chance of rain tomorrow.  Whatever it is, it is!

The official first day of Second Session.  Great weather… check.  New friends… check.  Pumped up staff… check.

The morning was packed with activities all over camp.  Waterfront, Football, Baseball, Ropes, Hoops, Volleyball, Tennis, Track & Field, Golf and Olympic Training Center.  OTC takes place in the Gym, working with our Strength & Conditioning Coach Mitch.   In Yellowhorn (outdoor science), they made marshmallow towers and spaghetti bridges.  Cool Tools is directed by our good friend and favorite engineer Bruce, who works with the guys on building things out of wood.  Today’s project was a really cool moose mount.

Clinic Sign Ups today.  That’s when counselors do “commercials”, advertising what they’re offering during third period this week.  The Ski Dock offered the “Never Ever Clinic”, for those skiing and boarding for the first time.  With the start of the Olympics just a few days away, a few offered clinics keeping that in mind. Track and Field will specialize on techniques needed become a faster sprinter and throw the discus and shotput farther.  Fitness will focus on the snatch, clean and jerk of “Olympic Weightlifting” at the Gym, while Tennis will concentrate on singles and doubles play.  Over at SkyDeck, they’ll be making dumplings from all over the world, and Shep’s Reading Clinic promises to prepare you for college.

It’s the “Get It Right Clinic” at SkyHoops, where all 10 coaches will provide one-on-one instruction to all who sign up.  “Water Volleyball” and “Splish Splash” sound like fun down at Trickey Pond — and there’s Sailing too.  Chilltop will go remote there this week, working arts and craft projects lakeside.

Rook asked those in the audience to raise their hands if they never played lacrosse before, or only played it at Skylemar.  A surprisingly large number held their hands high, which makes sense since lacrosse is a more regional sport.  The Lax Fundamentals Clinic is perfect for this group.

“Super Pitching” at Baseball where the coaches will teach you about safely developing proper throwing motion and how to keep your pitching arm healthy.  “Next Level Football” will advance your skills as will “Hockey Refresher” at the rink. There’s also “Philosophy of Golf” and Soccer “Goalkeeping and Shooting” clinic.  GoPro cameras will be “fun-tastic” to use on the zipline, Giant Swing and Skywalk at the Ropes Course, and “Favorites and Hits” up at Yellowhorn.   “Ultimate Outdoorsman” is all about building forts, fires, orienteering and fishing.

Hardest part is deciding which to choose!

Meanwhile, Bunk 19 went on a community service project with Holly.  They headed to Back Cove in Portland, where they volunteered for an organization called “Friends of Casco Bay”.  Lots of trash there had accumulated, so the boys put on gloves and got it all picked up.

“Peter Pan” auditions today!  That’s Suzie’s next big production.  Forty-some kids of all ages asked for a part, and Suzie will deliver.  Not that it matters, but it helps…lots of boy parts in this show.  We wonder how she plans on making Peter Pan fly.

Staff Talent Show for Evening Activity.  And guess what…they do have talent!  We knew they were exceptional athletes, but had no idea that they could sing, stunt, play instruments and do golf tricks.

Gideon could spin far more than just balls with his finger.  He demoed spinning clipboards and books too.  Holden did impressions, Reed and Austin did the ever-popular “pick-me, pick-me” magic tricks and Zay gave us a Sea Dogs quote.  Not sure if it goes in the category of “talent”, but definitely funny.   Rayann did 9 flips in the air.  Then DQ joined her for backwards flips plus a cheerleader stunt.  Rumor has it…a certain camp director held her breath for this act.

Lippy played a camp song on the piano.  Marcus read a poem that he wrote. We’re pretty sure the Backstreet Boys were here tonight, with a couple of not-so-attractive “girls” who we guess were fans.  Ky, Roxy, Payton and Landon honestly blew us away with their singing… really impressive.

In the interest of bringing good luck to the Baltimore Ravens, Creed (aka Nick, Beags and Blake) was on stage singing “Higher”.  We all sang along and noted that Beags was especially impressive on the blow-up guitar.

Best part of the show was seeing how proud the kids were of their own counselors.  Such a happy time!

Welcome Home.

It’s the phrase that Shep combines with a warm hug when each person gets to camp.  No marketing tag line here – it’s simply the truth.   Camp Skylemar is summer home to the greatest guys in the whole wide world.  Yup – we keep repeating that phrase too, because it’s also the truth.

Today we welcomed home guys from Germany, England, Mexico plus 22 states in the US.  Those places get added to our current roster of origins which also includes Spain, France, Venezuela and Austria.  Boys of all different sizes, shapes, hair styles, likes and not-so-much’s.  What ties us together is a Cool2Care attitude and a willingness to try all the different activities that Skylemar has to offer.

Sports is our vehicle of positive change.  It’s not about being a great athlete, but more about trying your best and the take-aways that come with the experience.  For example, waterskiing — it might look like just getting up.  But it’s really about taking a safe chance, listening skills, focus, independence, trust and being self-reliant.  Those waiting on the dock learn to encourage others, foster relationships and how to help someone feel better when things don’t go to plan.  That’s how we build confidence, Skylemar-style.

It’s amazing how most who arrived this afternoon already seem comfortable and at ease.  We’re excited to take on the first day of real camp with them in the morning!

The love waves could be felt for miles.  Even a global tech outage, plane cancellations and roads closed due to a parade could not stop our superheroes from getting to Skylemar today.

There is nothing more joyous than seeing a boy leap into the arms of his mom or dad, especially after a long time apart.  We truly are the luckiest people in the world.

Thank you for giving your son the opportunity to show off his friends, counselors and summer home.  We hope you see what we see – he shines in remarkable ways.

Of course it’s an emotional day for those of all ages, and for some it’s sort of a roller coaster ride.  On the other hand, it’s extraordinary to see how quickly the boys switch gears back to regular camp mode when it comes to a Carnival.

Dinner, 7^th Period, and then Movie Night.  All should sleep tight this evening.

Every night we count our blessings.  All 240 of them plus their parents, and the 148 Skylemar staff members who do whatever it takes to care for the greatest guys in the whole wide world.  Thank you for sharing yours with us.

It’s a bittersweet couple of days.  Those staying first session were glad to see their parents again, but it’s a tough thing to leave those you’ve spent every minute with for the past three weeks.  We watched several guys stretch out saying goodbye for as long as they could.

Tomorrow is more of the same.  Glorious and wonderful to see those we love most, but oh so sad for many of us at 3pm departure.  Luckily, we have Carnival as soon as the cars drive away.  Lots of spirit-lifting here – it’s what we do.

Speaking of…it was Spirit Night here.  There were reminders woven into the evening about how fortunate we are to have so much love surrounding us, whether from those at home or here at camp.  We’re especially good at taking care of our friends, so will share our parents with those who don’t have visitors tomorrow.

It was a first-ever for Cool2Care chain recipients.  The all-time highest number of recognition cards were entered into the C2C Cooler – over 50!  This led to the most chain recipients in Skylemar history – five!

This person demonstrates Cool2Care by…

“…encouraging others to be their best, being a good friend, and helping to make you feel ok when you miss a shot.”

This person is Robbie G (B6).

“…being kind all the time.  Everything he does is kind.  He’ll check on you if you don’t seem ok.”

This person is Eli F (B27).

“…being the one to help me when I got hurt.  He helps all of us by being a good friend.” 

This person is Alexander D (B4).

“…always following the rules when no one is watching.”

This person is Dash H (B13).

“…persevering and motivating our team, and always showing good sportsmanship.”

This person is Colin H (B12).

We’re ready to take on the happy as well as the not-so-much tomorrow!  Let’s go!

Heartwarming Moment: 

You may recall that Ethan P won 2500+ jelly beans by guessing the number just about correctly.  Today he set up a stand sharing them with all of camp.  You even got to pick your favorite colors.

Smile Maker:

“My mom makes the best mocktails”, said a camper while preparing a meal at SkyDeck.  “What makes it a mocktail?”, said his friend.  And the answer please: “ I don’t know.  I think it doesn’t have caffeine in it.”

Kid logic:

“I think I’ll stay for 3 weeks because I love camp so much that if I stay for 6 weeks, I’ll miss it even more during the winter.”

And the Oscar goes to:

The entire cast of  “Tarzan”, performed on the Skylemar stage.  It was amazing – the audience was blown away!  Acting (including perfect British accents by Ethan K and Max A) and singing were especially great.  Dance moves by the gorillas were impressive and adorable.

Solid Decision:

Suzie picking “Tarzan” as the first musical of 2024.  Our guys make spectacular apes.

The Kindest, Greatest, Most Fun and Usually Patient:

Skylemar counselors.  The staff of 2024 is a team of all-stars, and we can’t wait for you to meet them.  Their devotion to your son is quite remarkable.  It’s incredibly rewarding to watch each boy stand taller and become more confident, relaxed and comfortable over the past three weeks, thanks to them.

As you know, Skylemar is perhaps the only camp in the country with a counselor staff made up of collegiate athletes from universities in the USA, as well as Skylemar alum.  Counselors are here to pass on their knowledge, and make a positive difference in the world, one kid at a time.

Like you, they care about their boys.  Like you, they worry about them.  Like you, every once in a while, they lose their temper.   They’re by no means perfect, but then again, no “parent” is.

For those coming Saturday, you’ve got a big group to meet.  For those who are unable, please know that your son will be well-taken-care-of by his Skylemar counselor.

Ann Arbor, Baton Rouge, Clemson, Knoxville and Madison. The Big House, Death Valley (x 2) and Rocky Top – some of the most storied and historic venues anywhere, and home to some of the most prominent and spirited collegiate athletic programs in the country. But not on this day.

Today, Naples, Maine was where it all went down, hosting five of the most powerful and spirited universities in the country.  It’s one of Skylemar’s oldest (76 years!) and most cherished traditions – Intercollegiate Day.

The Michigan Wolverines, LSU Tigers, Clemson Tigers, Tennessee Vols and Wisconsin Badgers were set to compete (by Division) in tests of skill, accuracy,  quickness, agility, teamwork, song and fun. IC Day Director Nick Shep crafted an event-filled day, where participation from everyone was the standard, in some non-traditional ways. There was Newcomb and Beach Volleyball, 3v3 Blacktop Hoops, Steal the Bacon, Team Gaga, World Cup Soccer, Buoy Ball and Pickleball.  Of course, classics like the Dash and the Golf Long Drive competition were most popular, with the entire camp gathering in support of their selected participants. Here’s how the day unfolded….

Just after breakfast and morning inspection, Nick called all down to the Snow Field for the official start of IC Day 2024.  The first event was the much-anticipated Dash.  One runner for each team with a race in each of the eight Divisions.  The first two ended in photo-finishes.  Congrats to the winners – Everett K and Lionel (Michigan), Luke McD and Max P (Wisconsin), Jackson (Tennessee), Alex Sw (LSU), and Clemson’s Will A and Cosme (‘the fastest man in camp”)!

Each Division then moved around to venues all over camp.  From the Pickleball courts to the Fred Pierce Field and everywhere in between, points were scored and tallied for their respective teams.  The action was non-stop right up until we broke for lunch, and the cheers could be heard reverberating from the Gaga Pit to the Volleyball court. Camaraderie and team spirit were the name of the game, and smiles filled the morning activities at every site.

Last night’s brief downpour had cooled us off a tiny bit, but the glorious morning gave way to another afternoon of steamy heat and humidity.  So Nick adjusted the after-lunch schedule to allow for some rest and a Songs and Cheers rehearsal.  The whole camp gathered together under the shade of the Rec Hall porch and Big Tree to watch the Long Drive Competition among the Seniors and Stars.  Bode G (Wisconsin) flew his tee shot well past the other Seniors, and Jared R (Clemson) launched one nearly 300 yards to win the Stars Division.  Then, all Divisions had a chance to rejuvenate down at the Pond until just before dinner.  Waterfront Director Peter and his full lifeguard staff gave all competitors a much needed respite from the heat and allowed the magical water of Trickey Pond to do its thing. Feeling refreshed, the teams headed to dinner, then a final rehearsal before IC Day’s culminating event – Songs and Cheers.

The team leaders have actually been working for a couple of weeks in preparation for tonight’s big show, putting in countless hours after Taps for several long nights in advance.  It’s not so easy to pick tunes and write fresh lyrics, and then spend just a few days teaching and rehearsing a group of boys aged 7 and up for tonight’s onstage performances. Judges LJ, Blake and Beags would have a very tough job as well, deciding which was the best. The teams were tasked with performing a set of 5 songs (Team Cheer, Camp Cheer, Team Fight Song, Old Camp Song and Original Camp Song), and that they did. One after the other, each team took the stage and impressed us all with the results of their efforts.  A tough choice indeed.

The judges returned and Nick quieted the boisterous crowd.  The winner of Intercollegiate Day 2024 – the Tennessee Volunteers!

Oh, the heat.  It’s so hot here you could fry an egg on a sidewalk.

So we tried.  But the egg frying experiment was an epic failure.  It just makes a mess on a basketball court.

We’ve gotten used to scheduling in high heat over the past few days.  Barney now puts the court sports  in the morning, and then puts the slower-speed and the in-the-shade activities in the afternoon.

Some weather appropriate trips went out today.  The older guys went to Sebago Lake State Park.  That’s a public beach not too far away.  The water’s very shallow, so it’s fun for tossing a football or a Frisbee.  If you’re lucky, a girls camp will be there at the same time.  No matter what, the snack bar’s always a hit.  Once again, paying cash for an ice cream sandwich makes it taste much better than the same one here.

The Tigers and Freshmen cooled off with some air conditioning!  They went to Smitty’s Theatre to see “Despicable Me 4”.  It’s the kind of place where you sit at tables and there are waiters to serve the food.  As expected, our group was well-mannered and made us proud.  Best of all, counselors had the opportunity to shut their eyes for just a couple hours.

Some of those who really love golf headed to Bridgton Highlands Country Club, despite the 94 degree temps.  From what we hear that’s not anywhere near as hot as some places in the country.

For us here at camp, the best place to be is Trickey Pond.  In fact, the ski dock’s been so busy this summer that we made the decision to add a fifth boat to our fleet.  It’s a Mastercraft NXT, and we call her “Big Blue”.   Also new this summer is a pontoon boat, that’s big enough for a cabin of kids.  It’s perfect for Pontoon Parties and exploring the other side of the lake.

Tonight was to be the first big play of the season, “Tarzan”.  Those in the show have been working hard for days, practicing lines, songs and dances, all in the hot sun.   The dress rehearsal was so successful this morning that Suzie gave the cast the afternoon off.   By 7:30 the lights were up, mics ready to go, all the actors were in costume and face paint and then…we were warned of a potential big storm.  Since the show was to be on the outdoor stage, we made a last-minute change.  Instead…it’s movie night!  Bunks 1-14 watched inside the Rec Hall, and 25-30 were in the Lodge.

Of course the show will go on!  We look forward to watching an amazing performance later in the week, featuring Ari, Luke P, KJ, Cooper E, Barron, Campbell, Henry M, Sawyer, Nolan, Ethan K, Max A, Henry Z, Ethan V, Max P, Levi, Alexander D, Charlie F, Theo Q, Noah P and Lincoln.

Skylemar campers have won the jackpot when it comes to their parents.  There are no boys in the world who could ever be more loved or better cared for.    When your son is happy, you are too.  When he struggles, you are the one who feels the pain.  As his greatest cheerleader and trusted confidant, you have a special way of turning things right when they go upside down.

You are the best.

Some say that parenting is difficult.  Then again, no one ever said it was easy to be the one in charge.  Typically, there’s a reason why those at the top make a high salary.  A parent’s year-end bonus just happens to be far more valuable.  You get love, hugs and pride-filled moments.

As the boss, wise decision-making is based on what’s best for the company.  For a parent, that’s the family.  Like a boss, a parent’s job is to make decisions for those who don’t have enough experience to do so on their own.

It all starts with hiring the right people.  Your best acquisition came about the moment your son came into your life.  As a great boss, you see potential and do what it takes to develop talent.

Strong bosses like you are the motivators.  They build the team up, without tearing them down.  They understand that fair is not necessarily the same for all.  Fair is what a person needs to succeed.

The job of both a boss and a parent is to listen to complaints and consider all the factors and ramifications.  They understand that the best “fixes” don’t necessarily come about through elimination.  Sometimes it takes a little extra time, understanding and sensitivity to work through a situation.  And of course…the boss knows that every once in a while, a tale may be told with some extra embellishment.

The best bosses are clear on goals and know what it takes to get there. They set high but achievable standards and are ready to pivot when the unexpected comes along.  They understand human nature and accept that even though 100 positive things happen in a day, the two not so good are what one remembers.

As for feedback, that’s a little bit trickier.  No matter how it’s packaged, no one likes to be criticized, especially by the boss.  But a gentle conversation goes a very long way.  A caring boss opens the door by asking, “what do you feel went right?” and “what do you feel needs improvement?”.

Respectfully and with understanding and compassion, the boss is not afraid to say no.  Sounds hard, but it’s not.  It’s a rule to remember.  When in doubt…just say no.

The best bosses are forever adored.  They are who we look up to and aspire to be.  How lucky your son is, to have the greatest in the world.

It’s the Polar Bear Swim!

76 campers in Bunks 1-15 signed up to swim across the lake this morning.  They woke up at 6AM, and the first group was in the water by 6:45.  30 staff members also woke up early to accompany them for safety, swimming with the kids and in boats.

It was a huge accomplishment, especially for the younger half of camp.  They ended up at Bunk 71 (aka The Fink’s House), where a donut and a really cool Bunk 71 bracelet awaited.  Boat rides back, and all are ready for breakfast!

Congrats to Anton, Fernando, Paul, Julian, Lincoln, Charlie, Billy, 2 Everett’s, Jonah P, Theo Q, Micah, Benny, 2 Seths, Brantley, 4 Alex’s, Morgan, Eli W, 3 Henry’s, Max W, Quinn, Federico, James P, Max R, Noah W, Connor N, Liam, Isiah, 3 Dylan’s, Levi, Dae, Hendrik, Tiago, Robbie, 2 Luke’s, Marcus, Mac, Diego G, Emmett, Logan, Grant, Royal, Elijah, Ka’Mari, Aiden, Lionel, Declan, Cambell, Ezra, Jack, Spencer, Hunter, Grady, Mason, Colin, Solo, Miles, Oliver G, Dash, Elliott, Jacob W,  Noah L, Leo V, Max A, Ari, Barron, Ethan V and Bash.

Bunk 16 and up swim the Polar Bear tomorrow!

Clinic Sign-ups were just before lunch.  Commercials were funny as usual, with lots of guest stars.  SkyDeck and SkyPines combined to make SkyDines.  That’s cooking on the open fire.  Down at Trickey, the Ski Dock will rock as the “Wake Dock” specializing in wakesurfing and wakeboarding. “The Monster Challenge”, another perennial favorite at the Swim Dock, is a real test – a course that includes jumping off the Pontoon tower and conquering the Iceberg and Beast in a race against the clock.   The Sail Dock will add a little something extra to its kayaking, paddle boarding, and sailing – the pontoon boat will drop anchor in a few special Pond spots for snorkeling.

SkyTennis will work on how to close out matches with an improved overhead smash to finish off points.  Our Basketball guys will focus on dribbling and ball handling skills.  Football will expand those skills dependent on the legs – route running and being elusive with the ball. “British Open” Golf, “Anything Volleyball” and “El Jefe” Hockey will allow for further development (and fun) in each of those regimens. Track and Field will concentrate on building overall athleticism and introduce plyometrics to the equation.

Shep’s Great Adventure is a backstage tour of all the places that campers typically don’t go to at Skylemar.  They’ll learn about the water system, freezers, basement and costume attic. The Lax group will play a 3 v 3 Mini-Lax tourney and Baseball will prep for upcoming Intercamp action.  The “Lippy Zippy Zipline” clinic down at SkyRopes sounds like a lot of fun.  “Recyclateria” was advertised with guys wearing “Boxbot” costumes made out of boxes.  They’ll make sculptures and games out of recyclables. DMan’s “SkySportsCenter” hopes to have the kids produce an episode like ESPN’s own broadcast, from start to finish.  Quite a week 3 lineup!

The Ring of Champions Campfire was one of the greatest tonight.  The highlight was the Stars doing a skit called Roman Water Ritual.  They dressed up in togas, played Zen music and looked serious as they circled the crowd.  Then they’d stop, take a sip of water, and squirted the water in the air.  It was kind of like a human water fountain.  When Adventure Man came, he made a point of reminding us that it’s only ok to spit water if you’re in a skit — kind of like a “don’t try this at home” warning.  Then he taught us what to do in case of a nosebleed.  He also pulled out the Applause-o-meter to measure the cheers as to what’s more helpful…duct tape or zip ties.  Which is your favorite?

You have to change your sheets.

It’s one of those things that most boys can’t wrap their heads around.  Saturday is sheet-changing day, and one boy asked, “but if I did it last week do I have to do it today?”.  Name withheld to protect the adorable.

This time we had some leverage.  If you wanted to go to the all-camp social tonight, you needed to change your sheets.  That incentive got the job done.

The once-again sweltering hot day included the full variety of activities on land and water.  Those at the Olympic Training Center (aka The Gym) never gave up, despite the high temperatures.  Coach Mitch, our Strength & Conditioning Director, runs an outstanding and age-appropriate program that the boys love.

They also look forward to a special period called “Chocolate Factory”.  The activity has four parts: learning, cooking, eating and giving.  The learning part covered the history of chocolate, and they queried how the Mayans and Aztecs ever thought of turning cacao beans into something delicious. They did blindfold taste-testing of chocolate with different percentages of cocoa.  That was easy – the tastiest had the lowest cocoa and highest sugar.

The cooking part involved melting the chocolate, and then dipping strawberries, pretzels and Oreos into it.  They made some for themselves, and then some for another bunk as a surprise.  That’s the giving part.

Meanwhile, a Swim Meet covering all age Divisions, and tourneys in 15U Volleyball, 11U Baseball, 10U and 13U Soccer, and 14U Lacrosse had many traveling in and out of camp. The 13U boys swept through untarnished and brought us another Championship trophy, but all teams represented Skylemar well.  Our Intercamp athletes are especially proud to wear the Red and Gray…. and we’re proud of them all too!

We were especially proud of our gentlemen tonight at that social mentioned above.  It was the Fernwood/Skylemar All-Camp, which has become an annual event over the years.  Each summer we alternate locations, and this time we got to make the trip to Fernwood.  The kickoff was a counselor contest, and our team was out to impress.  It was a happy night of dinner and hanging out together.  Or in many cases hanging out separately but looking at each other.  (wink!)

What do you do if you’re getting married, but the guest list is 300 over the limit?

You host a Rehearsal Wedding.

Directors Luci and DT (aka Danny) got “hitched” tonight, which was a first in Skylemar history.  The 46 campers in the bridal party (it was a signup, just like intercamp) made up a magnificent team of bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls and ring bearer.  It was a very fair system… you told Suzie who you wanted to be.  The rest of us got to watch them being silly, which is especially fun at Skylemar.

The Ring of Champions was the location of the ceremony.  The attire was “sporty casual”, although the bride herself wore the finest of couture, designed by campers at Chilltop.  The groom wore an especially sharp basketball jersey.

Barnicus, Skylemar’s Warrior of Clean, officiated.  Repeat after me vows were for better and for even better, in hot days and rainy, for as long as they both have GACU duties plus lots more hilarious stuff (but you have to be a camper to get the jokes…sorry).  Then the guests repeated vows too, promising to be Luci and DT’s lawfully wedded best friends.

The couple exchanged Ring Pops, kissed and the audience went wild!

Then it was time to get up and dance…IT’S A WEDDING BLOCK PARTY!

Dr. Barter’s four-piece band rocked the Skylemar stage.  They were super great, and it felt like they enjoyed the lively vibe.  Not every wedding has a dunk tank, but ours sure did.   (Note to counselors:  If you agree to get dunked, go early in the line-up.  The water’s a whole lot cleaner.)

There were bubbles and axe throwing (deep breath – plastic axes), cornhole and badminton, Kan Jam and Spikeball, photo booth and video messages.  Especially exciting was the “gift table”.  That’s where campers could decorate a set of king- sized sheets that was the wedding gift for Luci and DT.

Catering was superb and very kid-friendly.  Pigs in a blanket, mozzarella sticks and good old chicken nuggets.  Signature Mocktails (Shirley Temples, Fauxmosas and Mock-Jitos) were refreshing on such a humid night.  One drink used mint that was grown in the Sky Garden.

Time for dessert!  Chef Junior and Chef Benjamin worked hard to build the 6-layer “pyramid of cake”.  We added fresh flowers from Kristen’s Gardens to give it the wedding glow.  The boys waited patiently while Luci made the first cut, and then they fed each other a bite.  They were the good kind of bride and groom – no smooshing cake in the face.

A final round of hugs for the new couple, and it was time for Taps.  What a perfect way to celebrate love at Skylemar.

July 11 is Shirley Day at Camp Skylemar!  Shirley was Lee’s wife, who truly lived by the Cool2Care motto.  She loved people, Skylemar and ice cream.  Each year we celebrate her life with a spectacular spread of make-your-own-sundaes, and today was the day.  We’re grateful to have her watching over us from above.

It was exciting to welcome our Special Guest Coach today to the Skylemar gridiron.  Greg Pyke is a second team All-SEC lineman from the University of Georgia, who then signed to play with the Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals.  He finished his NFL career in 2018, and now is a teacher and coach at Boys’ Latin School in Baltimore.  Best of all, he’s a super great person who ran an outstanding program today at Skylemar called “NFL Prep”.  The guys really focused on practicing Greg’s unique set of drills, despite the high heat and humidity.  They had lots of questions for him and were thrilled to get autographs.

Bunks 8-10 and 16-17 cooled down at the ice rink that’s located just 10 miles from camp.  It’s especially fun to have the whole rink to ourselves.  Some have skated before, but for others, it’s a whole new sport.

Meanwhile, the Stars Division went to Portland for a community service project.  They spent the morning cleaning up a beach.  They definitely made a positive difference, and many were grateful for their help.

The Cubs went to the Ossipee Valley Fair.  They learned a lot about cows, but most important to them was that they got to spend $10 on food.  Somehow the chicken nuggets taste better when you use your own money.  Most important to us was the compliments Blake got about the manners our little guys have.

Lots of Intercamp activity today too.  Sky Tennis in three age groups headed out for an all-day tourney with several other camps.  Outstanding matches all around with several players moving on to the latter stages in each group. Oscar, Coop (14U) and Asher (12U) advanced through their draws, and our youngest group produced an all-Skylemar final in singles with Diego LP capturing the title.  In the 10U doubles, Max R and Federico came close in a hard fought final but still proved to be a formidable pairing.

Our 12U Hoopsters also hit the road as well with mixed results. However, more than any individual performances of note, Coach Myke was most impressed by the improvement shown by this team in just a few short weeks.  This game was their best effort of the season.

Hockey tournaments both home (15U) and away (13U) brought more Championship hardware to our mantle. We hosted the 15U event where our most dominant group showed why they’re the best amongst all camps — ready to take on all comers with a resounding 10-4 title game victory. Shout-outs to each member of this team from Coach LJ.  He couldn’t help but get a bit emotional (like a Proud Papa) as he remembered them as little ones when they first walked into our rink.

The 13U squad used their 6-1 semi-final win as a springboard for a great performance in a very hotly contested final. Ignacio completed the hat trick, scoring the lone 3^rd period goal to break a 2-2 tie.  Netminder Thomas L, the defensive MVP, shut the door to win the Cup, 3-2.

Dinner tonight was by Band of Brothers.  It’s really fun to change it up every so often and be with our Band.  We even stuck together during 7^th period.  The Loons and Wolves had Free Swim at the Waterfront, the Bald Eagles, Bats and Deer had Country Club Special (Tennis, Golf & Pickleball), The Bears and Cubs had Bunkline Bonanza (Lacrosse and Soccer), the Owls and Foxes had Court Sport Special, while the Moose, Dock Spiders and Lobsters had Yard Games.

We got the low down from World of Change today.  Our combined contributions came to $1,187.54!  This will provide more than 1,200 meals for those who don’t have enough to eat, 4 backpacks filled with essentials, three beds and pillows for kids sleeping on the floor, plus partial support for a pet therapy program.  That’s a lot to be proud of!

Two Jack Ms were coincidentally awarded the Cool2Care Chain (Bunk 11 & 20) at Spirit Night.  Both are two of the nicest people we know, who never have an unkind word to say about anyone.  Congrats!

Naples, Maine certainly has its place on the map.  But did you know the quaint little town is also home to the only gambling casino in the world where the house never wins?  Wish you could come, but you must be under 18 to enter.    Plus, you’d have to act quickly.  This gaming establishment is only open one night a year.

It’s SADE’S PALACE!

Wheels of Fortune, Dice Games, Blackjack, Roulette.  Poker, Horse Racing, Bingo and Craps.  Best of all, Sade’s knows how to treat a customer… they give away cash,   $100 in Skylemoney, for all big spenders.

What a star-studded night for the paparazzi.  In attendance was Jayson Tatum, Kaitlin Clark and a couple of boxers from the US Olympic team.  There was the cast of Scooby Doo, Toy Story, Harry Potter and Baywatch.  The Incredible Hulk, Spiderman and the real Superman stopped by.  Also Kevin Hart, Captain Jack Sparrow, Janis Joplin, Bob Marley, William Wallace from “Brave Heart” and Buddy the Elf.  Mrs. Claus and a Reindeer, Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz”, Barbie, Cleopatra and Happy Gilmore were spied.  Couples included Tarzan and Jane, Peter Pan and Tinker Bell, Thing One and Thing Two (who brought along baby Thing Three).  A seemingly youthful President Biden made an appearance, along with his Secret Service.  The White House visit did place heavy demands on Sade’s Security Team.

The cameras didn’t stop clicking at the Step and Repeat.  You might even know some of the a-list celebrities personally.  Rumor has it — at least one has had dinner at your house.

Speaking of food…the grill had it all.  Burgers, Hot Dogs, Salads and Ice Cream.  We overheard Seth R (of the famous Bunk 7) proudly say that tonight he had his first root beer.

Tiago won the lottery!  Thousands of dollars went to him, which came in handy when he went shopping later that night.  Ethan P (of the prominent Bunk 1) won the “Guess How Many Jellybeans” in the jar — $2,543 went to him, along with a lifetime supply of toothbrushes.

As the evening grew late, Harry Winston’s was kind enough to share their newest line of glow-in-the-dark jewelry.  Of course these pieces were only on loan…

Every big winner had a wad of cash to blow at Sade’s Gift Shop.  There were yo-yos and squishy balls, splat eggs and whoopee cushions, inflatable balls and all types of sunglasses, basketball hoops and fuzzy dice.  Anything and everything!

Well, that’s a wrap for Sade’s 2024.  Special thanks to Maria Von Trapp (aka Suzie) and the amazing personalities who made the magic happen.  See you next year!

There’s nothing more joyous than a Skylemar Talent Show.  There were 39 brave participants, some with talent, and some not so much.    No matter how silly or how many “wait, let me start overs”, the audience responded with cheers, whistles and claps.  Each performer is rewarded with a trinket from the Super Prize Bag.  Not bribery, just an incentive.

Levi (B5) kicked off the show with his Griddy dance.  Not sure why he had his shirt pulled over his head, but it was really funny.

Charlie F (B2) impressed us all with his headstand.  MC’s DMan and Caleb were ready to catch him, just in case.

Jacob W (B14) screamed.  Yes Dad, that’s what he did.

Theo R, Henry Z, Sawyer and Jonathan L from B15, along with Dash H and Alex S (B13) did the Slow-mo World Boxing Champion skit.

Liam S, Connor S and Bash of B5 did something with their thumbs.  Robert T (B25) laughed into the microphone.

Theo Q and Jonah P of B2, along with Paul M (B1) did push-ups.  Barron and Oliver G drank four cups of water in 30 seconds.  Also on the time clock was Lajuan G who did the Rubik’s Cube in 93 seconds.

Dae, Tiago and Robby G did a Shadow Boxing skit.  Isaiah A and Dylan S were outstanding Shadow Boxers as well.

What would a Skylemar Talent Show be without an arm-farting routine?  We can thank Jack M (B11) for that, and Dylan R as well.  Dylan held the microphone.

Max W (B4) played beautifully on the piano. Brantley played “Old McDonald”, and the audience sang along.

Seth F (B3) played a Skylemar song on the electric guitar.  Really impressive!

Also impressive was Ethan P (B1) and Micah (B2) who sang the Rainbow Friends “Purple” song.   Ethan V (B15) sang “We Will Rock You”, and we all sang too.

Beckett, Alexander D and Henry M of B4 did some breakdancing.  Oliver G played the harmonica on his knees.  Not sure about the knees, but he definitely has some talent.

Another Skylemar staple are the magicians.  Tonight was Campbell and Emmett L who each had a trick.  The audience loves being asked to volunteer.  Lots of tall hands go up, along with “oooooh ooooohs” in hopes of being selected.

Nolan B (B18) was the big winner of the night, playing and singing “Soul Sister” on the ukulele.  He was fantastic.

There were some other big winners today…

The most anticipated Intercamp action of the summer took our boys on the road, but this year’s 15U Lax squad had the added pressure of defending the crown won at last year’s tourney.

This annual event has become the most talked about Lacrosse tournament of the New England camp scene for many years, and last year’s triumph had been a long time coming.

After a slow start, the Skylemar attackman got it going and eased by their first round opponent 10-2; then let the defense take over in a convincing 9-3 semifinal victory, sending us to the Championship game.

In the final, twins Will and Harry once again led the way and showed why they might be the best and most talented tandem of Sky Laxers ever.  Once we had the lead, Zane B wreaked havoc all over the field, disrupting any chance of a comeback, while defensive MVP Henry B was spectacular between the pipes.

Lucas V and Leo chipped in with added scoring and all-around hustle. Coach Nick lauded the entire team for their effort in bringing back another Championship trophy.

The on-field celebration carried over to Skylemar when the boys arrived back home.  The team bus was swarmed as kids came running from everywhere to greet the Champs and let them know just how excited and proud we all were.  Then, to cap it off, a wild dash and splash into the rewarding waters of Trickey.  Yes, even this camp director jumped into the fun.

It was so hot today we had to take it sl-o-o-o-o-o-w….

We did our best to keep activities in the shade, and took water breaks every 20 minutes.  By afternoon it was sweltering, so we canceled the schedule and switched to a Wacky Water Afternoon.

Lucky for us, we have Trickey Pond.  Skylemar has well over a mile of frontage, so we have access to the lake at several points.  First, there’s the Sky I Waterfront, where most of the action takes place.  In addition to swimming in the lanes, there’s all kinds of toys to play on.  There’s an assortment of giant inflatables – things you climb up, slide down, jump off and bounce on.  Peter and his amazing staff offer stand-up paddle boards, kayaks, canoes, sailboats, water basketball and all kinds of creative games and challenges.

By today’s standards, there really is no difference between what’s called a lake vs a pond, at least in Maine.  Trickey is about 2 miles long, and a half mile across.  It’s very deep (30+ feet in the center), which is why we wear life jackets when we play on inflatables, and of course we need them when using a boat.  That way everyone can have fun, no matter their swim level.  What’s most amazing about our Trickey Pond is the clarity.  It’s incredibly clean, and you can see right through to the bottom when you look over the dock’s edge.

The Sky II waterfront is located at Sky Pines, on the other side of camp.  Here the water is shallow for quite a distance, sort of like a sandbar.  This area is ideal for fishing, and snorkeling’s great here too.  Today’s group used the Corcls, which are circular orange boats, kind of like a flat kayak but round.

The older guys had Hillbilly Hot Tubs, Ice Baths and Yard Games.  And what is a Hillbilly Hot Tub you might ask?  It’s when you put a giant tarp in the bed of a truck and fill it with water.  Definitely a first for just about everyone, and loads of fun, too!

Ice Baths are large bins and baby pools filled with water and ice cubes. They fill the boyish desire to “see how much I can stand”, like when they eat hot peppers or a lemon and tell their friends that they like it.  Today it was about how long they could stay in the icy water.  Quite a while for most!

Back at Sky I, there was Water Warships.  That’s when there’s a giant tarp hung between two teams, and the game’s played sort of like Battleship with spongy water balls tossed across to make the plays.   The game went well for the first half hour, and then everyone just started throwing wet balls at the counselors.

One group had ice-cream making, followed by crafts at Chilltop.  The ice cream, made with whipping cream, sugar and flavorings, was surprisingly delicious.   The craft was sand art, which is always popular.  That is, until the cap comes off the bottle.

Another group had Hose Games and snow cones.   It’s super joyful stuff – squeals of laughter from all.  As for snow cones, “blue” (blue raspberry) is definitely the most requested.  We’ve been trying to get rid of what the kids call “cream-de-men-they” (mint flavored but the label says “Cream de Menthe”) for a long time now.

Forever the favorite hotspot is the Sky Water Slide, which runs down the hockey court hill.  It spans quite a distance, so you definitely get a good ride.

To top off the fun, each location got a visit from the Sky Ice Cream Truck.

Once again, we’re exhausted.  Crossing our fingers that all get sleep tonight.  More hot tomorrow!

It’s a boy!

The “gender reveal” for Nick and Sarah’s baby was celebrated with 200 boys and 140 staff this afternoon.  Now that’s a Shepherd kind of party.  Your camp directors opened the sealed envelope and there it was – the blue card!  THE CROWD WENT WILD!

“I was hoping it would be a boy so he can be a camper with us!”, said Myles F (B13).

After congratulatory red and blue Gatorades, everyone was invited to fill out a card with their recommendation for a baby name.   Lots of Herbs, Lees and Skylers in the mix, plus some really clever ones too.  We’re excited for the little guy to be welcomed home this winter.

Of course, a girl would have been just as great.  It was fun to have some “in the house” when our sisters and cousins from Camp Fernwood came for dinner.  The brothers here were perfect gentlemen.

Ring of Champions Campfire for Evening Activity.  It was one of the best!  Everyone loves the “Boom Chica Boom” song, and this time there was a new verse about the Sea Dogs.  Five counselors did the “Wee Skit” that had everyone laughing.  Ask your son about this one.  Eli K led an amazing rendition of the “A Roosta Sha” song, and we all did the actions.  Beags did a dramatic reading of “Sweet Caroline”, and then everyone sang a verse.  Somehow this song has turned into an annual favorite here.  Adventure Man used inflatable lobsters to teach us what to do if someone is choking.  The “musical snack” featured Cory on the guitar playing “Country Roads”.  It’s heartwarming to see the guys lock arms without anyone telling them to do so.

It’s been a steady roll of steamy hot weather.  No complaints about that, but we’re definitely exhausted.  The Bunkline’s quiet tonight, so hopefully the guys are getting some much-needed rest.  Like we said…hopefully.

Let the intercamp games begin!

Soccer…Lacrosse…Hoops…Tennis…Baseball!

Some games are home; some are away.  It seems like every day teams in different age groups are coming or going.  You can sign up to play in a U12 Baseball game on Monday, a Tennis tournament on Tuesday and then a Lax game later in the week.    We play to win, but always keep it classy.

The coaches on Skylemar teams stand out from the rest.  They’re motivational, strategic and they help each player to feel good about themselves.  We’re not the “participation trophy” type of place.  Instead, our counselors take tremendous pride in building our athletes.  They instill the necessary skills while always keeping sportsmanship front and center.

Sometimes the coaches on the other side make us wince, but you can count on those from Skylemar to encourage, support and stand by our boys whether or not things go our way.

Occasionally we’re asked how we hold our own as a camp of 200 boys playing against those with several hundred more.  We do so by knowing the kids and remembering the sage advice of one of our directors, Joel S:  “Be the hardest worker and the one having the most fun.”

Today was the U10 Steal-the-Bacon tournament on our Hejduk Field at Sky II.  Four camps participated, and “Bacon Fest 2024” dominated this stifling hot afternoon.  Coached by members of our Stars Division, these little guys truly gave it their all.  Special shout outs to Alex K (Bunk 10), Grady A (B12), Lionel Z (B9) for sportsmanship, and Aiden Q (B9) for MVP.  Caidyn (B8) and Max A (B15) were key players, despite having just learned how to play the game.

Not sure how to play?  Just ask your son.

Evening Activity was Spirit Night, led by Bunk 22.  That’s when we slow down and join together in a night of appreciation.  You might call it a non-denominational service, which includes some traditional songs, an opening poem, a prayer for our country, a time when we send thanks out to those at home and an Apache blessing.  Shep shares a reading, and tonight’s was written by someone he knows – Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.  She’s the niece of President John F. Kennedy, and she wrote about some of the beliefs that JFK stood by.  For example, he knew that there’s far more that makes us the same, as opposed to different – we breathe the same air and live on the same planet.  He also believed in citizen involvement, no matter how old or young you are.

Counselor Luke S gave an incredible sermonette, in tribute to his cousin Mariah Wilson who passed away.  She was an extremely accomplished athlete, who not only graduated from Dartmouth with an engineering degree, but  had the courage and strength to train in her sport of cycling as a sponsored professional.  Luke’s message to Skylemar was to be a Mariah:  When you have opportunity, take advantage of it with everything you’ve got.  Do everything in your power to be your best.

Nick Shep gave his Cool2Care message.  He explained that if you care for yourself and care for others every day, you’ll have a fantastic summer (as well as a fantastic life!).  Two campers were introduced as the recipients of the Cool2Care chain for the week.

The first was described as an expert at doing the right thing when nobody’s looking.  He’s kind.  He’s fun.  He’s embraced his Band of Brothers already.  This recipient is Noah K (B27).

The second is a new camper, who has incredible manners that makes us all feel honored and appreciated.  He’s a shining light at Skylemar, and his name is Luke McD (B6).

Spirit Night wraps up with popsicles, and a big round of camp songs.  This activity serves as a good reminder of how we are one giant Skylemar family, and we’re the luckiest people in the whole wide world.

Here’s the recipe.  You crack and scramble 1,080 eggs, flip 974 pancakes, make 8 gallons of oatmeal and then you’ve got breakfast.

Lunch could be 200 pounds of chicken tenders or 980 grilled cheese sandwiches.  Of course, there’s a salad bar too, so that’s another 40 heads of lettuce, 60 cucumbers (our most popular vegetable), 50 green peppers, 40 carrots plus a case of kidney beans.  And don’t forget the WB&J’s (Wow Butter and Jelly) – there’s 152 of them made at this meal alone.

Turkey dinner takes 22 birds, 120 pounds of mashed potatoes, 9 ovens filled with stuffing, and just two pans of peas (not too many pea fans here).  Spaghetti requires 100 pounds of pasta along with 1,800 meatballs in Full Red Stanislaus Marinara (a restaurant brand), 126 loaves for garlic bread, and 150 heads of romaine for Caesar salad (the fan favorite).

And then you have to clean the dishes.  And pots.  Three times…every day.

Head Chef Junior is the maestro of the Skylemar kitchen orchestra, and definitely our camp MVP.   There are 350 hungry people counting on him, and he truly delivers.  Along with his staff of loyal assistant chefs and dedicated crew of 10, together they have over 140 years of Skylemar experience.  As they say, practice makes perfect.

Talk about perfect.  It’s kind of magical how he gets everything out, piping hot.  For example, Junior makes 800 pieces of grilled chicken, and each is cooked to perfection.  Not a single piece is the least bit dry.  His secret weapon is called a “proofing cabinet”, which is a large holding box that’s 115 degrees with added humidity.  For a meal served at 5:30, he starts grilling at 2pm.  The pieces grilled early are not fully cooked, because they’ll be in the cabinet for several hours.   It’s all about the timing.

A home version of a proofing cabinet could be a winner on Shark Tank.  It’s much more practical than an air fryer.  If you put a chicken dinner or lasagna in the box before taking your son to his soccer practice, by the time you got home it would be hot and ready… not the least bit dried out because of the moist air inside.

Each winter we get a few emails saying that a boy will only eat something the way it was made at camp.  “How do you make it?” they ask.  Just in case that becomes you, here are some tips, straight from the chef:

– Caesar Salad:  Sprinkle chopped romaine heavily with garlic powder.  Pour on Ken’s Pepper Parmesan dressing (never use bottled Caesar).  Toss with parmesan cheese and homemade croutons. Best croutons are made from leftover grilled cheese sandwiches.   

– Perfect rice is made in the oven, as opposed to the stovetop.  Boil water and pour over rice in the standard ratio.  Cover pan with foil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  No stick and a much easier cleanup.

– How does he get the ground beef so fine for tacos?  “Wash it” before it goes in the skillet.  The extra water in the beef is what makes it crumble perfectly.  Then drain as usual. 

Oh, yes – one important piece of advice.  Don’t ever run out.  After all, they’re hungry!

Here’s a follow-up on yesterday’s Cool2Care/World of Change effort…

Camper X is an especially picky eater.  Mom suggested a reward system of paying him a dollar for every time he eats whatever is served.   “Hmmmm,” says Camper X.  “I don’t really need the money.”  He contemplates and then says, “But I could give the money to World of Change”.

His response made us smile, but also got us thinking.  It truly is a gift to be able to give to charity.  And it feels whole lot better to give a dollar than to get one.  Maybe a twist on traditional “allowance-giving” is something to consider… like this: When you contribute to the household, mom and dad will give you the gift of being able to help someone else.

The sun shines on!  We’ve been on a roll of fantastic, warm weather.  Even though we didn’t get back from the Sea Dogs game until 11pm (yikes!), our guys ran and swam just as usual.  Periods like Yellowhorn (outdoor science – they’re making scented slime) and Chilltop (crafts) were a welcome respite.

We took care of a couple of important things today.  First was a “Safety Exercise” following breakfast.  That’s when we practice listening well and moving together with our counselors in the event that Shep, Arleen, George or Nick ever tell us to do so.  We keep it that simple.

Second most important was GACU!  That stands for Great American Clean Up, and what better day for that then July 4.  That’s when each camper goes to “The Spa” (Garden Cabin porch) for nail clipping and feet washing, and then on to the Infirmary for a meeting with the nurses.  Special thanks to the loyal staff members who gave the pedicures.  Now that’s dedication.

We spent the evening at Trickey Pond for our own fireworks show.  Shep meticulously arranged a perfect viewing spot for each Bunk – on a dock, in a ski boat, on the beach and so forth.  The warmup for the show was the Counselor Belly Flop Contest.  Counselors of all sizes, shapes and abilities did whatever it took to make the kids laugh.  Most impressive was RayAnn. She absolutely blew our minds with the most graceful cartwheel off the dock, rotating into a perfect horizontal flat position as she splashed into the pond.  Definitely the Skylemar winner!

We’re especially fortunate to have wonderful neighbors on Trickey Pond.  We work together to keep our lake healthy and clean (check out www.trickeypond.org) and stand ready to lend a hand when anyone’s in need.  It was fun to see these friends forming a boat parade passing by our waterfront.  Greg from across the lake was the “fireworks master”.  He put on a spellbinding show!

There’s always something to celebrate at Skylemar.  It could be that “the Wed Sox beat the Wockies”, as reported by an adorable voice on The Morning Show that’s blasted over the PA system.  Or maybe that it’s Laundry Day, or it’s chicken tenders for lunch or that a friend got up for the first time skiing.

The best celebration comes if you’re lucky enough to have a birthday boy in your bunk.

It begins with Morning Announcements, when Drama Director Suzie shouts out, “Hey Camp Skylemar.  Today’s a very special day because it’s _____’s birthday.  Let’s all wish him a happy birthday… (and then the camp responds with) ALL DAY LONG!    A rockin’ birthday song plays, we all cheer and the birthday boy takes a lap through the Pavilion for a round of high-fives.

Lunch is a “Private Party” in the Garden Cabin – bunk members only.  Pizza, treats and goodie bags.  At dinner the whole camp sings the traditional birthday song and there’s cupcakes for the bunk.  It’s sweet to have a friend born June 29 through August 10.

Today we also celebrated doing the right thing.  Remember the money bags we sent in the winter?  They were to hold the coins collected for the charity “World of Change”.  The director of this non-profit, which collects loose change to fund programs for impoverished children, came to see us today.

WOC’s Director Matt told us that when you add it all together, there’s at least 10 billion dollars of spare change that’s not being used.  People throw away approximately 62 million per year!  One out of every five kids doesn’t have enough to eat, but just one jar filled with coins amounting to $70 represents 280 meals in a food pantry.  For the price of a video game, 93 children can have breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Matt brought his special truck, that’s set up sort of like an old fashioned toll booth.  Each camper got to pour in change, and could designate it either for food, housing or beds for those in need.  The kids were incredibly generous.  In fact, camper Tim C. donated $248.  That’s 1,000 meals!

We’ll collect the change leftover from cash given out on trips and donate that to WOC.  Counselors have already donated $65 in change from the staff soda machine.  We don’t charge them for the sodas, but instead ask that they donate $1 to WOC each time they take one.  Although we don’t know our total donation yet, if you consider the leftover Sea Dogs cash, it should be quite substantial.

Speaking of Sea Dogs, the entire camp loaded up seven buses this afternoon and headed to Portland to watch the Sea Dogs play the NH Fisher Cats.  Camper Ethan V (Bunk 15) won the lottery and was selected to throw out the first pitch.  His many fans in the stadium cheered wildly as he threw a perfect strike.

It was a sensational game, and the fireworks afterwards were spectacular.   In fact, the game itself had its own share of fireworks (including a couple of ejections) as the Sea Dogs came back with a late-inning grand slam to win 8-5!

Come as friends, leave as brothers.

That’s how we roll at Skylemar.

It’s cool to care about each other here, and we’re totally good with saying “I love you”.  Of course we say it with some swagger, like a chant -”LOVE ON TWO, ONE TWO (clap)” – or we give the sign language symbol (index and pinkie up, ring and middle finger down) without thinking twice.

Of course we’re not 100% on point – no human is.  Occasionally we neglect to be kind, and sometimes it takes another person to remind us of this.

What makes us most proud about the Skylemar culture is how great the older guys treat those who are younger.  This year we’ve expanded and formalized the opportunity for those of all ages to really become unified with a program called “Band of Brothers”.

As you know, age groups are called “Divisions” (Cubs, Lions, Tigers, Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors and Stars).  Two or three campers from each Division are assigned to a particular “Band”, which is led by our Sky II campers.  Each Band is named after an animal native to Maine:  Wolves, Bald Eagles, Moose, Owls, Loon, Lobster, Bears, Deer, Dock Spiders, Foxes, Bats and Otters.

For example, on the Moose Band there would be a Major (a Senior Staff member), two Leaders (14/15 year olds), and then two or three boys of each age (7-13).  About twice a week we’ll come together in Bands for an activity or meal.

At tonight’s Band of Brothers Kickoff, there were super fun and silly races — a wheelbarrow relay, an over under relay along with some hula hooping… lots of cheers, laughter and high fives all around!

Another special opportunity came today for those who were at Sky Pines.  It’s a beautiful spot on the water’s edge where we do campcraft activities, fishing and snorkeling.  It’s also where we do overnight camping.  Some of the guys were there for fire building (they learn the different styles, like log cabin, teepee, etc.) and on their way through the trails, they saw the most beautiful owl!  We often hear owls, but it’s quite a rarity to see one.

It’s a happy thought to think that this owl somehow could be Herb, one of the founders of Skylemar, who passed away many years ago.  Herb and Lee (who we like to think of as the Bald Eagle who soars over camp) were the first Skylemar Band of Brothers.  They were best friends, although several years apart in age.  Maybe, just maybe, our owl came in view as if to say, “Keep up the kind work.  You’re doing this right”.

Heard this today…

Setting:  At Chilltop, working on a craft project with Bunk 1

Mary Beth:  It would be great if you would add some more detail to that etching.

Bunkmate:  What’s detail?

Fernando:  I know!  Detail means you need to add good things to something.

Only at Skylemar.

(Clap)(Clap) Clean! (Clap)(Clap) Clean!

The chant spreads throughout the Pavilion, and in they come…

Barnicus and Laundricus, the Warriors of Clean.

The two warriors are our mythical characters in charge of cabin cleanliness.  They explain that after breakfast each camper makes their bed, and then does a chore that’s assigned with a turn of the Job Wheel.  There’s sweep, dustpan, sink, porch, clothesline, and yes, even toilet cleaning.

Barnicus directs the Inspection challenge, where each bunk competes for the highest score.  Laundricus, as you might guess, is in charge of clean sheets on the bed, and laundry in the bongo-hamper.  The warriors remind us of the importance of keeping things straight when 8+ people are living in one room.  But don’t worry about the toilet, mom.  Secret is that Mary, Betty and Vicky (our super-star housekeeping team) sneak in while the kids are at activities and re-do the bathrooms.

Beautiful weather means lots of action at Trickey Pond.  Waterfront Director Peter has an amazing staff who teaches swimming, diving, sailing, kayaking, canoeing, fishing plus all the accomplishments you can master behind one of several motorboats.  After working on swimming and boating skills, there’s always time for simply having fun in the sparkling clear water.  There’s The Beast, which is a giant inflatable sliding board.  The Iceberg has a climbing wall on one side and a slide on the other.  There’s the Trampoline, Pontoon Tower and a giant wobbly thing that lots of people can climb on at the same time.  We call that the UFO.

All these giant toys are super fun to play on, but the water is 30’ deep in Trickey.  That’s why we all wear life jackets, just to be safe.  Then everyone of all abilities can have a great time together.

Activities up top today included Football, Track & Field, Golf, Hockey, Soccer, Yellowhorn (outdoor science), Baseball, Hoops and Tennis.  Some had Porch Time with Shep.  That’s when you hang on Shep’s porch and talk about important stuff while eating Scooby Snacks.  Today’s topic was about everyone having the right to have fun here, and if you see someone being treated unkindly you should stand up and speak out.  Everyone discussed and signed the Skylemar Code of Honor.   Here’s what it says:

Skylemar is all about being together with friends, enjoying the outdoors, playing games and showing kindness.

At Skylemar, I promise to be the best person I can be, and agree with the following:

The Directors, Counselors and Staff are responsible for my safety. I will do my best to listen to them when they ask me to do or not to do something.

I will do my best to treat everyone kindly– the way that they wish to be treated.

Everyone is entitled to have fun. I promise not to ruin someone else’s fun.                             

It is my responsibility to tell Shep or Arleen if something is wrong. It is also my responsibility to politely remind others to be kind if they forget.

I will respect other’s property, as they will respect mine; this includes body and belongings.

If someone asks me to “stop”, I will.

Skylemar is about people, not about electronics. I promise I do not have a cell phone or any electronic with internet access or video capability.

I understand why we have these rules at Skylemar and agree to follow them.

No matter your age, it’s a Skylemar plan that all can agree on.

Lots of early risers at Skylemar, especially the first day — we call them the “Sunshine Squad”.  Beginning at 7 AM, campers have their choice of an assortment of activities like Tennis, Basketball, Gaga, Soccer, Mini Golf, Yard Games and Dog Walking.  Meanwhile, others still have an hour left to sleep.

Pancakes, yogurt, oatmeal, cold cereals, peaches and bananas for breakfast.  Along with the buffet comes the morning paper.  Just like The New York Times, this paper is packed with all you need to know, and it changes every day.

It’s called “The Daily Schedule” – and determines where each person at Skylemar is to be, at any one time.  As you see on today’s that’s posted below, across the top are the bunk numbers (1-30).  Down the left side are the seven periods.  It reads that Bunks 1-12 had Waterfront for first and second period, while Bunks 13-15 were at the Challenge Course.  Bunks 16 and 17 had Soccer followed by Baseball, 18 and 19 had Hockey followed by Volleyball, and so forth.

Third period is our weekly elective called Clinic Period.  This is the opportunity for each camper to independently choose an activity that they’d like to focus on for a full hour, for a five-day cycle.  Today, the whole camp gathered in the shade to for the Clinic Sign-ups.  That’s when the counselors get a chance to advertise what they’re offering this week — performing skits we call “Commercials”.

For example, there was “Slapshot” Hockey, “Shoot the Juice” Soccer, “Bump Your Skills” Volleyball and “King of the Court” Tennis.  There’s plenty of offerings where skills and fundamentals will be sharpened with the help of individualized attention from our amazing Football, Baseball and Basketball staffs.  There’s “Splish Splash” at the Waterfront, where you get to play on all the inflatables… plus “Pirates of the Caribbean” Sailing, too.  We saw ads for “Intercamp Prep” Lax Clinic, “3D Tech” Golf, “Master of the Challenge” Course, “Fire Building” at Sky Pines, and even making a “Skylemar Sports Center” video.  At “Take Me Out to The Ballgame” Crafts, kids can make signs and t-shirts for the upcoming Seadogs Baseball Game trip. SkyDeck Cooking will focus on cuisine from the Mediterranean culture.  The “Ski Dock Will Rock” as always, with wakeboarding, skiing and surfing.  If you want to slow down, there’s “Reading Rabbit”, when you just get to relax with a good book.

The Schedule may look confusing to an outsider.  But it’s easy to follow for us because every period change is announced over the camp-wide PA system.  What makes the paper version especially important is that it provides pertinent information for the counselors.  Their names are written by every activity that they are teaching, both on and off the field.  For instance, staff are assigned Foot Patrol periods.  Foot Patrol is part of our security program, which divides our 200 acres into “zones of awareness”.  Extra sets of eyes go inside and outside buildings, making sure everyone is safely where they’re supposed to be.

7^th period is another part of the schedule that the boys are excited to see.  It comes after dinner and is typically a more casual time.  Campers can choose any one of at least 15 activities each and every day.

Tonight’s Evening Activity was a Skylemar favorite…The Ring of Champions Campfire.

The night featured lots of traditional tunes, chants and repeat-after-me songs.  “60’s Party” and “The Burrito Song” are Skylemar classics that everyone loved.  The “Dating Game” and “Mama Bear” skits had all of us laughing.  Adventure Man made an appearance as he does every Campfire, teaching us survival skills in his own unique way.

While we enjoyed s’mores, Nick introduced “Cool2Care”.  It’s what we call the Skylemar vibe, focused on caring about ourselves, others and the world around us.  Members of our oldest Division, the Stars, shared with all what Cool2Care means to them.  It’s super inspiring to listen to 15-year-olds who truly are outstanding gentlemen.

9 PM and it’s time to turn in.  Phew…a whole lot goes on in a Skylemar day.  When the sun rises, we’ll be back at it again.   Thank goodness we have our Program Director “Barney”.  He’s the one who spends many hours creating this daily masterpiece.  He accomplishes what no computer can do, taking into account factors like the distance to walk between activities, personalities of the counselors, an equal distribution of staff duties, a variety of activities for campers, and the weather of course.  It’s a much harder puzzle than any Sudoku or crossword.   By midnight, the paper is published, just in time to come hot off the press and into our hands once again!

It’s renewable energy at its best…

There was a solar field of smiles at Camp Skylemar, when 200+ boys from around the country and abroad finally connected.  Old and new friends embraced and high-fived, while counselors did their very best to make sure that all felt comfortable and at ease.   For many, especially your camp director, this was the happiest day of the year.

After a visit with the SkyMedical Team, it was time to check out the bunk.  Welcome signs were fun to come home to, especially because the counselors tried their best to make them special.  You’d be surprised to see how artistic college athletes can be.   The counselors have been training for this important “game day”, and even had beds made and clothes put away for each member of their new household.

In between yummy meals of chicken tenders (with Chef Junior’s Special Sauce) and spaghetti, there was time to get on the fields and courts.  The rain cut the games short, but there was plenty to do inside the cabin.

The official “Kickoff” of the 76^th season of Camp Skylemar was inside the Rec Hall, with the entire camp gathering as one big family.  Counselors were introduced with claps, cheers, stomps and raps.  Here’s a sample of one by Nick Shep.  Turn on some music and give it a try.  Don’t worry – your son isn’t watching!

Welcome to Skylemar, 2024,

Campers are here and ready to soar,

Friendship and kindness we got it and more,

Skylemar fam forever hardcore.

Frog on the field, football plays,

Breakin’ tackles, leading the way → quick

Beags on the water, skiin’ all day,

Jumpin’ those wakes, making a spray.

Myke on the court, hoops in sight,

Dunkin’ and shootin’, through the night,

Adam at Skydeck, cookin’ up right,

Delicious creations, every bite.

DRC’s tennis, swingin’ the game,

Forehand, backhand, buildin’ the name,

Mason with baseball, bringin’ the flame,

Home runs and strikes, knowin’ no shame.

Mitch in the gym, strength and fitness,

Liftin’ those weights, trainin’ with quickness,

Dox on the ropes, adventure is sickness,

Climbin’ and zip, pushin’ the limits.

Suzie with plays, actin’ on stage,

Drama and laughter, for every age,

Rook with lax, balls in the cage,

Stick skills sharp, we engage.

Shannon with photos, snappin’ the days,

Josh on the green, golfin’ in ways,

Shep with the hats, leading the craze,

Barney’s schedule, guiding our plays.

Luci and DT, wedding bells ring,

LJ and George, morning show kings,

Counselors, campers, all in the swing,

Skylemar fam, we do our thing.

From sports to fun, and all in between,

Camp Skylemar, living the dream,

2024, we shine and gleam,

Skylemar, the ultimate team.

Bittersweet, they call it.  One part terribly sad, and another part wonderfully happy.  August 5 is that kind of day at Camp Skylemar.

After a week of Color War intensity, followed by traditional end-of-season Evening Activities that run way too late, the boys are exhausted.  Last night’s Final Banquet, one of the most loved nights of the year, was especially memorable.  Without being asked to do so, the boys “dress up”, which for the most part means a polo shirt with whatever on the bottom, that makes for a very handsome camp.  The food is what they like best – burgers, barbecue chicken, corn on the cob, Caesar salad and brownie sundaes.

Speeches, awards, camp songs, laughter and comradeship make the Banquet special.  The very best part is “Retrospect”.  It’s a multi-media show projected on a 10’ foot tall screen, which highlights the entire summer.  It’s produced by Skylemar’s best friend, alum Bruce Finkelstein.  Bruce, along with his photography and video crew (Shannon, Leslie, Rachel, Nate, Josh, Bo and Joe) spend weeks putting the presentation together.  You’ll be able to see a version online, but there’s nothing like watching it in the Rec Hall.  350 people cheering as they watch those they love on the screen makes for a one-of-a-kind experience.   The standing ovation given at the end said it all.

As for this morning…it was one of those times which words can’t do justice. Even the most masculine, no matter how old or reserved, could not hold back tears.   Campers and counselors from across the country and abroad, who never would have met each other if it wasn’t for our little slice of heaven here in Naples, Maine, were heartbroken to say goodbye to each other.  At the risk of invading their privacy, these photos will give you an inkling of what the best men are made of.

Our heart overflows with love for these guys, and we are forever grateful to you for sharing them and for entrusting us with their care.  There is no greater gift than this honor.  It is you, our amazing parents, who make the Skylemar machine possible not only for your own child, but for others less fortunate as well.   We are thankful that you’re part of our team who demonstrates that we can make a positive difference in the world, one kid at a time.

A special heartfelt thank you goes out to our loyal and dependable staff members, who have chosen to be a part of our world.  Because we are surrounded by people who care, we are the richest in the world.  Leslie, creator of our most soulful photos, and Aaron, this director’s trusty editor amongst other things, are two who work only for smiles.  Speaking of Aaron, you didn’t really think I knew how to write like a sports commentator, did you?

Now that all are at least up in the air on their way home (except for Logan who had to turn around until tomorrow), is the sweet part of the day.   We know that the joy each parent and their son feel as they embrace for the first time in a while is the greatest of all.  No doubt, Skylemar boys have won the jackpot with parents like you.

Don’t be surprised if he sleeps for three days, lays on the sofa and doesn’t say much.  Just give him some time and the stories will flow.  When it comes to closing the toilet seat and such, he might need a reminder that he’s no longer in an all-boy world.  But we’re confident  he will remember manners and kindness, and certainly how to make his own bed.

We know you will, but just can’t help but say it:  Take care of him for us. We miss him already.

The 75th summer of Camp Skylemar was a tremendous success, thanks to the greatest guys in the whole wide world.  We love them all, to the Sky and back!

See you next year!

What a magnificent weather week we’ve had.  It’s often said, “it’s not how you start, but how you finish.”  As it turns out, that’s not only applicable to this summer’s weather, but certainly this Color War as well.

Red had shaken off the disappointment of last night’s results. By the time they gathered for some last minute inspiration this morning, the positive vibe emanating from them told of a confident Red Team.  Gray had weathered every Red storm, and still remained ahead. Their Leaders asked them for even more, knowing Red would fight to the end.

And fight they did. After Gray dominated Sophomores Soccer 5-1 and blew out the Red in both Juniors Football games, Red fought back with a pair of double digit wins in Stars Basketball, and a victory in Tigers Golf and Bocce. At the Hockey courts for a pair of games, Coach Jim touted the first one as the “best game” of this Color War, a very hotly contested, clean, well-played 1-0 Gray win.  Red came right back in Game Two by scoring four first period goals, but barely escaping with a 4-3 win.  Only the Lions Baseball game had not ended yet, so the rest of the divisions’ competitors surrounded the Middle Diamond and watched our littlest guys once again produce the drama that set the tone for the fantastic finish to come.  Down 1-0 since the very first inning, Red’s Lions pushed across two runs with two-out in their last at-bat to walk-off a 2-1 win, erupting a volcano of Red support as the week of Color War athletics came to a close.

The all-camp Archery point went to Gray (only a few points separated the 219 archers).  Finally, all activities were complete as we headed to lunch, and a much-needed rest.  There was just enough time to rejuvenate for the greatest finale in all of sports  – TUGS of WAR.

It’s a simple event.  Each team, by Division, takes a side of the rope, and tries to pull the other over the line.  But at Skylemar during Color War, it’s the most electric, emotionally charged moment of every summer.

Shep called the Captains and their teams to the Snow Field, a perfect arena for this final chapter of Color War 2023.  It would take winning 2 out of 3 tugs in each Division to win the points available – 7 Divisions in all, beginning with the Lions and working our way up to the Stars.  At stake… winning Color War and Tugs would decide it.  The Gray lead established over the past five days had put them in the enviable position of only needing to win 3 of the 7 divisional tugs to win it all, whereas Red needed to win 5.

To watch Tugs is an incredibly emotional experience for an onlooker.  Few adults would expect such a  demonstration of strength, grit, endurance and sheer exhaustive effort.

As the teams lined up side vs side, each in strategic order, Shep bellowed, “Tuggers take the rope!”  They planted feet, gripped tighter than tight, the whistle blew and….

PULL!!

Their Captain hollered, “HARDER!”  The crowd cheered, “PULL!”   They felt it from within.  PULL HARDER!

Muscles bulged, eyes popped, faces contorted.  Each Red and Gray man pulled with all his heart.  He wanted more than anything in the world to WIN THIS TUG.

The crowd was blown away by how intent each side was on winning.  Many eyes watching filled with tears, just because THEY TRY SO HARD.

As the flag ultimately crossed the line, George blew the whistle and it’s done.  Next Division headed out.

Round after round, until finally…  GRAY TEAM WINS COLOR WAR 2023!

The Snow Field was immediately drenched with emotion … a celebration filled with tears of both joy and despair.  Big kids hugging little ones and vice versa, high-fives and chest bumps, many leaping in the air with happiness and a few collapsing to the ground in disappointment.

Within minutes, the Captains were hoisted onto the shoulders of their First Lieutenants.  Both teams gathered together and headed down to Trickey Pond as one Skylemar family.

Now for the magic:  As Red and Gray friends leaped into the crystal-clear waters, the competition was washed away.  Skylemar is now one.

Tonight was to be the 75^th anniversary of our favorite tradition:  Waterfront Ceremony.  The light drizzle, blowing winds and uncertain weather forecast led us to modify a bit, and instead we moved to the Ring of Champions.  This way, if the weather turned, we’d be close to shelter.

Wearing the colors of the opposite team as a sign of friendship, the Captains led the torch-lit procession.  As they passed each cabin, bunkmates joined the line, and all of Skylemar headed together in darkness to the Ring of Champions.   There a glorious campfire roared, and everyone felt good just being together.

Following a moment of silence to send positive thoughts to those we love at home, the Captains each spoke, providing words of encouragement and expressions of gratitude.  Shep then shared the legend of Skylemar.  Usually on this night, we each place a boat in Trickey Pond.  If we make a wish for someone other than ourselves, the wish just might come true.  Tonight, the legend will hold true by tossing a piece of birch bark in the fire while making the wish.

Following the ceremony, each Division had their own special campfire and pizza party.  It was a beautiful night, which we’ll all remember forever.

Another picture-perfect day greeted the boys this morning.  Gray had defended the lead, although slim, for the better part of the past two days.  Red was even more determined to at least draw even, and with tonight’s Songs & Cheers activity would come lots of opportunity to do so.

The morning “hype-up” meetings were still quite animated, but not quite as loud as the first couple of days – all in the name of voice conservation (remember tonight’s activity), at least for the moment.  Once the games began, the intensity of each event seemed to increase, and with it the decibel level all over camp as well.

The Red Lions came out smokin’, putting up 85 points of offense amidst the shrieks and shrills of our youngest participants in a pair of wins. Alex D and Bennett starred at QB, and little Benny scampered in with a couple of first-ever TDs.  Again Gray responded with a strong performance on the Hejduk Pitch and a 4-2 Seniors Soccer win.  The Sophomores split the Tennis point and Gray outlasted Red in the always competitive (and very boisterous) Stars Bocce match, played in the Garden, around the Lighthouse and on the Bunkline.  Then, after the Gray Freshmen won at the Waterfront, Red broke through with a pair of 4^th quarter goals to win Tigers Lacrosse, and inch a bit closer….and even closer when word of their Stars Golf win spread.

The morning’s most dramatic moment took place on the Sky II Baseball Field. The first game of the double-dip was the most well-played at Skylemar this summer.  There were web gems all over from both sides, without an error anywhere as both teams fielded flawlessly. Red scored twice in the opening frame, then all goose-eggs on the board til Gray pushed 2 runs across to tie it in the top half of the last inning.  Then Red hero Will O hit a two-out, two-strike, walk-off base hit to knock in the game winning run.  Red then completed the double-header sweep to close out the morning.

The Red run continued on the Links in the afternoon when their Juniors won 6 of 10 matches to carry Golf.  Gray once again countered by winning another extended Bocce match and Sophomores Lacrosse convincingly.  On the Hockey courts, Gray took the point with a pair of matching 2-1 victories, then came back from a 5-run deficit with five of their own in their last at-bat to split Freshmen Baseball.

It looked like Gray had weathered another Red storm, but Red finished off the PM contests by winning both Lions Soccer games (5-0, 2-0) as well as both Seniors Hoops games (39-29, 25-15).  Back and forth they went…still very close as they headed to the night’s Songs & Cheers competition.

After a few days of rehearsals, it was time for the show.  Each team was tasked with performing a Team Cheer (½ point), Camp Cheer (½ point), Team Fight Song (1 point), Old Camp Song (1 point), Original Camp Song (2 points), and a Production Number (3 points).  A total of eight huge points were up for grabs in a Color War where so few points separated the teams.  The Production Number themes were clever – South Beach for the Red and Retrospect (our annual Banquet night media show) for the Gray. Under the light of a beautiful, star-filled Maine sky, both teams rocked – singing and dancing their way on, around, across and beyond the Rec Hall Porch stage.  When it was all over, Gray carried the night and padded their slim lead a little bit more.  This one is far from over….

Tomorrow, a morning of sporting contests still left to come before the most exhilarating, emotional traditional finale decides it.  Can’t wait to see what happens!

Nothing better than waking to another spectacular Maine day.  Partly to mostly sunny, low to mid 70s, no humidity.  Ideal for the Color War competitive arena and the great sportsmanship on display here, which is a hallmark of this annual competition.

As we approached the mid-point of Color War, Gray held a slight edge, but the taste of yesterday afternoon’s results remained fresh. Tuesday also marked the start of “songs & cheers” as the teams began a series of rehearsals in preparation for the most impactful evening of Color War, but more on that later.

At his team’s morning rally, Gray Captain Sam took the high road: “We’re still ahead.  I believe in each and every one of you! Dig deeper!  Continue to play smart and as hard as you can!”  On the Red side, Captain Michael and his gang still trailed, but their confidence was flying off the charts: “We came back!  Keep the pedal down!  They feel us coming and we can’t be stopped!”  Gray was determined to squelch the uprising and stay in front.  Red now had the lead in sight and seemed set on making their move to the top today.

Gray got on the board quickly when their Lions made fast work of the Red in both Golf and Bocce, widening the margin.  Red responded by dispatching the Gray just as easily in Juniors Tennis, then took a bit longer to claim victory in Sophomores Waterfront down at Trickey.

On the Upper Hoops Court, Gray Tigers won a nail-biter in Game One after Red’s last second shot to tie it went in and out and around the rim a few times, but did not drop.  At the same time and just above on the Bunkline Gridiron, Red Freshmen were pouring it on in one of the two Football games, highlighted by a most spectacular, leaping one-handed TD catch by Sam P. Then moments later on the Rec Hall field, a few missed 2-point conversions were the difference as Red completed the Freshmen Football sweep with a 56-52 win.  For the moment, only one-half (1/2) point separated the teams, with Red poised to grab the lead.  But then Eli W highlighted a strong second half on the Lower Court, and Gray dominated the 3-on-3 game in the Gym to complete their own sweep of Tigers Basketball and keep Gray ahead.

Over at Sky II,  the outmanned Red Stars were no match for Tosh and the talented Gray laxers despite the Herculean efforts by Jesse, who is already one of the best lacrosse goalies to ever play on Skylemar soil. The Seniors then played to a couple of draws in the most evenly matched contests on the Hockey court this year. Skylemar’s best, Jacob R, scored both goals for Red in the 2-2 first game tie, then watched teammate Henry S offset the early goal by Gray’s Will D to tie the 2^nd as well, 1-1.

Red had come within an eyelash of the lead, but the resilient Gray held on as we broke for lunch/rehearsal and some rest.

The boys hustled back out to the fields and courts, with the Stars headed to Trickey where the teams split the Ski and Boating elements, and let the Swim Meet decide it …or not.  After multiple individual races and a couple of medleys, the score ended up tied, resulting in the rare Waterfront split.

Gray golfers won 7 of 10 matches on the Links to win Freshmen Golf, but Red won Bocce in the Garden, the 4^th straight Division match that went the distance.

In Seniors Lacrosse, twins Will and Harry faced off against each other and led both teams in the scoring column as Gray prevailed 9-5. The Gray Team also won both parts of Lions Tennis, then followed up with wins in a trifecta of Sophomores Basketball games.  They rained several 3s to edge Gray in a tight one on the Upper Court, came back in the 2^nd half on the Lower Court behind the rebounding and aggressive play from Judah, then cruised in game 3 in the Gym. (Gray went 6-0 in Hoops today…now that’s a wow!).

Down on the Snow Field, Red exhibited great team play in handling a talented Gray squad, 3-0 in Tigers Soccer.  MVP goalkeeper Javi was sensational, stopping more than a few Gray breakaway chances in securing the shutout win.

And finally down at the Hockey Court, Red’s Juniors kept them right in the thick of it by winning both games.  Will G (hat-trick) and Anders provided all the scoring to win the first, 5-2.  Game Two had most of camp watching after all other events had been completed, creating an arena filled with Color War spirit and intensity from both sides as Red survived 2-1.

Gray remains slightly ahead now just past the midpoint, a perfect time for a break from the pace of the past few days.  What better way to kick back and be entertained than by Suzie, Grace and the Skylemar Theatre Company production of “We Will Rock You”.

It’s amazing how those in the play figure out a way to learn lines and rehearse straight through the middle of Color War.  There were over 25 actors and 30+ in the stage crew.  It all happens because Skylemar has the greatest Drama Directors in the world, Suzie and Grace.

Special shout-outs to those who learned the most lines, and had the songs down perfectly: Sawyer, Hayes, Eli D, KJ, Cooper E, Ethan K, and Jake P.  It was an incredible show!

Both teams looked refreshed as they went through the usual morning ritual (breakfast/inspection/psych-up meetings).  Another breezy, cool day for play on tap – just perfect!  Ever since lunchtime yesterday, Gray seemed to cash in on every opportunity, reversing the early trend and looking for a bit of separation.  Red Team leaders encouraged their boys to stay positive and continue to give it their all. Good things will happen, they repeated, with continued maximum effort.  This was their formula to come back as well as their key to success!

And the opportunities were out there too for the taking.  On the Basketball Courts and Gym (Lions triple-header Hoops), at the Hockey rink (Tigers double-header), over at the Hejduk (Freshmen Lacrosse), both Football fields (two Sophomore games), the Middle Diamond (Seniors Softball), both Sky I and II Tennis Courts (Stars) and at the Waterfront (Juniors).

The Red Lions got it started with a “statement game” blowout on the Upper Courts, but then Gray answered with a late bucket by Henry M to tie Game Two, followed by a big Gray win in Game Three to split Lions Hoops.  On the outdoor courts, Red’s Aiden Q and John R led the way, while Spencer S dominated for Gray in the Gym.

The Freshman Lax contest seemed a bit one-sided on paper, but a valiant effort by Hayes (offense) and Dillon F on D kept the outcome in jeopardy til late in the 2^nd half, when the talented Gray squad found their footing in a 13-7 win.  Turbo, Gray, Nate F and Sebi all chipped in with goals for the winners.

Down at Trickey, although Red won the Ski Dock, wins in the Swim Meet and Boating elements carried the point for the Gray Juniors.

Both Football fields lit up the scoreboard, and again, both went Gray’s way.  56-32 in front of the Rec Hall was impressive enough, but Gray exploded for 70 points on the Bunkline Field, highlighted by about a dozen or so highlight-reel receptions by our own Tyreek Hill, Lucas R, who made one spectacular catch after another.

On the Middle Diamond, Eddie had a multi-hit, multi-RBI game at the plate while his defense turned in some stellar play in limiting the Red to just a pair of runs in the Gray Seniors 9-2 Softball victory.

Red’s hopes for a comeback had begun to fade when their Stars quickly dispatched of the Gray on both sides, winning the Singles/Doubles matches and dominating the Stroke Skill competition to win Stars Tennis.

At the Rink, Chase hit the back of the net four times in the Red Tigers shutout win in Game One. Then, despite the efforts of Gray netminder Ethan V and all-around play from Emmett, Red’s Ari F displayed sheer grit and determination from the first “puck” drop til the finish, not to mention scoring the game winner (his 2^nd) in the 3^rd period for a 2-1 win and sweep of Tigers Hockey.

Gray had added to their lead as we broke for lunch and again, a well-deserved rest.

The late morning Tigers victory had Red hoping to carry the momentum into the afternoon and take a bite from Gray’s lead.  When the first of three Junior Basketball games went Gray’s way, the climb seemed a bit tougher. DJ showed some great court sense to lead the way supported by a deft scoring touch from Isaac C on the Lower Court. However, Nick P starred on the Upper Court and their all-around team play in the Gym was enough to win the other two games and snare the Junior Hoops point for Red.

Gray answered with a win in the first of a Sophomores Baseball twin bill over at the Hejduk Diamond. Southpaw Cooper E was terrific on the mound and had a pair of 2-run doubles, but then Red won the “nightcap” 4-0 with Ben W on the mound.

The Seniors Football game in front of the Rec Hall seemed like a blowout win for Gray. But Red stormed back from three TDs down to trail by three late in the 4^th with the ball and a chance to take the lead, until Elias stepped in (with a great pickoff) to save the day, and the win for Gray.

Red Tigers kept the pressure on with a win at the Waterfront.  Director Peter was so impressed with the group of “butterflyers” that he shouted them out as the best he’d seen in his decade on Trickey.  Also most notable was the personal best backstroke win for Gray’s Myles!

Red’s comeback hit full stride when Toby found the net on a long direct free kick to break the scoreless tie, enough for  keeper Jacob, Burnie and the Red defense to win Stars Soccer.

Our littlest guys always provide the spectators with lots to cheer for, and this double dose of Lions Lacrosse did not disappoint (though the Gray may disagree).  Red continued to rebound when Alex K dominated the opener, then a sizable crowd watched Elliott break open a 2-2 game with four straight goals in the 4^th to complete the Red sweep.

To cap off the rally, and cut the Gray lead even further, Red swept a pair of well-played Freshmen Soccer games.  In the first, Nolan’s hat-trick highlighted the 4-2 win, then an early goal by Max P held up in the 1-0 Game 2 victory for Red.

Gray had built quite a stronghold by midday, but the huge Red afternoon brought them nearly all the way back.  Stay tuned, there’s plenty more to come….

Yesterday’s afternoon washout had us wondering if Mother Nature had any idea what was about to happen here.  Captains Sam and Michael had spent the day preparing for last night’s clandestine “draft” of the teams, then notified each new teammate by “pinning” a Red or Gray ribbon on their pillow well after midnight. The excitement of awakening to see which team you’re on, and who else will join you in battle for the next five days, had campers out of their cabins well before Reveille, just like the first day of summer.  And Mother Nature must have known, because she dialed up one of the most magnificent, sunny, cool breezy Maine days of the season for the start of Color War 2023.

For the next five days, all sporting events on the fields, courts, and at the lake, will be competed, Red vs Gray, within each of the seven Color War Divisions – Lions (Bunks 1-7), Tigers (8-10), Freshmen (11-14), Sophomores (15-19), Juniors (20-24), Seniors (25-27) and Stars (28-JCs).  The build-up had reached a crescendo, the buzz infectious!

But first, the annual, ever-popular “Red and Gray Breakfast Buffet” gave us all the energy boost needed to kick-off this most anticipated week. Afterwards, the boys went through their regular morning inspection, eagerly awaiting the PA call that would get the ball rolling. “Gray Team to the Pine Grove, Red Team to the Mail House.”  The Captains would rally their troops for the very first time (bound arm-in-arm in what could only be described as a circle of spirited bedlam) and the first of several team “psych-up” meetings to come.  These are meant to energize, focus, guide and encourage their “brothers” to give maximum effort in every event, every day going forward.

Shep then called both teams to the Middle Diamond (a temporary stand-in for our beloved Fred Pierce Field, which was waterlogged,  due to the remnants of a meddling Mother Nature) where the Stars Division Softball game would open Color War for the 75^th time.  As history dictates, all participants would watch the 1^st inning of the game before heading out to their own divisional contests all over camp.  The ceremonial first pitch was tossed by our own celebrity favorite, do-it-all, behind-the scenes Skylemom, Holly. Umpire Shep roared the long-awaited, traditional proclamation that starts every baseball game anywhere –“PLAY BALL” — and Color War 2023 was off and running.

In the Stars game, Red jumped on top early with a 5-run burst in the top of the first, and built an even bigger lead by the 3^rd.  Then Gray began to chip away with some timely hitting and got within 14-11 in the 5^th, before Captain Michael went deep for the game’s only HR, opening it up for Red.

The Lions moved to the Hockey Arena for a pair of games. They also squeezed their archers in between games to start accumulating points for the total team Archery point, settled after the all divisions have had the chance to shoot.  In the rink, Lionel and Alex B were unbeatable in the nets for both teams in Game 1, resulting in a scoreless tie.  Then a couple of early first period goals set the tone in Game 2, carrying Gray to a 3-1 victory.

In Tigers Football, Jacob W and Dash were terrific for Gray, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the running and passing of QB James T for Red in their 45-36 win on the Bunkline Gridiron.

The Freshmen played two Hoops games on the blacktop, and one in the Gym.  It was a triple-header of very close, well-played games.  The teams split the outdoor contests, then watched a last second shot roll around the rim and out at the buzzer, preserving the tie in Game 3, and splitting the Frosh Basketball point.

Over on the SkyLinks, Red duffers dominated, winning 6 and halving 3 of the ten matches on way to victory in Sophomores Golf.  The rest of the Sophs found their way to the Bocce Garden, where Gray extended the match to three games with a comeback of their own in the 2^nd, before succumbing in the rubber game.

The Juniors put on quite a show over at the Hejduk with two outstanding, hard-fought, very tight Soccer games.  Finley M scored twice to keep Red alive and deadlocked  in Game 1 at 2-2, before Hamish tallied two second half goals to break a 1-1 tie and seal the 2nd game and  the Juniors Soccer win for Red.

The Seniors gave us the most exciting event of the morning down on the Pond.  Gray had already won the Boating portion (kayak races) of the three elements that make up the Waterfront competition (along with Swimming and Skiing).  They were just about to close the door after building a nice lead in the Freestyle Relay that would determine the Swim Meet win, when Leo F dove in as Red’s anchor leg just a few lengths behind.   With his teammates screaming support from the Trickey docks (heard up on the Sky I ball fields and courts) and an Olympian effort to close the gap, Leo came back and touched barely inches ahead to win the relay. Red’s hopes were kept alive…. but alas, only briefly, as Zane B skied impressively and quite steadily in some very choppy Trickey waters to win the Ski element, and the Seniors Waterfront point for Gray.

What an opening morning, with action and excitement all over camp!   Red had taken the early lead as we headed to lunch.

The afternoon promised plenty more, and it sure delivered!  After a hearty meal and a much-needed rest hour, the teams gathered for another “psych-up” meeting before heading back out to venues in all corners of Skylemar.

The littlest guys were down at the lake, where choppy waters prevented the ski-off that would have broken the tie.  Gray won the Swimming element while Red took the Boating, splitting the afternoon Waterfront point.

On the Hockey court, Joaquin knocked in a rebound followed by TI’s insurance goal to go up 2-0.  Good thing for Gray as Mason tallied late to bring Red within one, but it wasn’t quite enough to keep the Gray Sophomores from holding on for the win.

Gray also won Tigers Baseball 7-3, doing most of the damage early before giving up a few late runs.

When word spread of the Gray Juniors win in the first Lax game over at the Hejduk, it seemed up to the Red Juniors to put a stop to the Gray afternoon run.  They controlled much of the Game 2 action, but Harvey‘s debut in the cage was sensational, making saves on shots from all angles, preserving the 2-2 tie that gave the Juniors Lacrosse point to Gray.

It finally appeared that Red had halted Gray’s afternoon momentum when their Freshmen volleyed their way out of a deep hole created by Gray’s advantage in the Tennis Stroke Skills portion on the Sky II Tennis courts.  Red won 4 of the 6 singles and doubles matches played at both Sky’s I and II to stem the tide.  But then news of the Gray Seniors Bocce win followed (another three game, extended match that was decided on the final throws), and left a gathering gallery of fans closely monitoring Seniors Golf.  Gray led 5-4 with one match left on the course. The crowd watched intently as Noah L vs Harry went the distance, but ended in a tie, also preserving the Seniors Golf point for Gray, 5 ½-4 ½.

The most fantastic finish of the day came in the sometimes-rough, always-tough Stars Football game.  Red jumped out early, scoring the first two times it had the ball for a 16-0 lead before the teams spent the better part of the next 3 quarters trading touchdowns.  Late in the 4^th quarter, Gray, playing behind for most of the game, got the defensive stop they needed and one more possession to try to win it. A minute later, when Captain Sam went sliding on his knees to snare a long TD pass in the corner of the endzone with eight seconds left, Gray had all but completed the most improbable comeback.  But wait, Red was not done.  After the ensuing kick-off return, Red had three seconds left, enough time to get off one final play.  Then a long bomb from QB Michael was hauled in by Sam M as he lunged toward the goal line, rolled into the endzone and raised his hands high above awaiting the referee’s call. With confirmation by ‘instant replay” (sharpshooting photo director Shannon had the money shot)  the play came up inches short of the goal line, again preserving the victory for Gray.

Red had taken the morning lead, but Gray responded in a huge way, nearly sweeping the afternoon, and seizing command as the action-packed athletic activities of the day ended.

Tonight’s traditional first night event, the Ping Pong Competition would close Day 1, but no one could have figured it ending in equally thrilling fashion.  With 21 matches on the docket, it would take 11 wins to grab the Ping Pong point. The bright moonlit Maine sky backlit the tri-table arena under the Pavilion lights making for a spectacular setting.  Red surged ahead winning seven of the first eleven matches before Gray went on a streak of their own to go up 10-8 on the verge of victory. But then, Red evened it up at 10, leaving Red’s Charlie F vs Gray’s Nick N alone playing their 3^rd and deciding game (they split the first 2 of 3) in the middle of 220 sets of Red and Gray eyes focused solely on them.  Back and forth it went.  Each point seemed like it went on forever, each daring the other to miss (rarely) until finally…. finally…. Nick and his Gray Team carried Ping Pong, and at least for tonight, will sleep on the lead.  Whew…good night!

Veteran Skyparents have probably read about Elections year after year.  It’s easy to imagine the excitement in the Rec Hall as the votes are tallied, and it’s understandable why this process is so important to the kids.

But when you’re a parent of a boy on the Ballot, you see Election Night through a whole new lens.

Of course there are many who had their heart set on becoming Captain. Even those who say that they wouldn’t want the responsibility have a glimmer of hope that it could possibly be them.  Parents may wonder if their son was ok, and how he would handle the disappointment.

But just so you know, the brotherhood of 20 was totally fine after the Election.  Sure, there was a sting, which happens anytime something doesn’t go to plan.  But these guys are smart and strong, and they bounce back quickly when given the opportunity to do so.  Plus, it’s a lot easier to handle disappointment when you’re not the only one feeling it.

Most importantly, the Stars will soon learn a valuable life-long lesson.  That is, you don’t have to be chosen as the captain to be the leader of the team.  These guys all have a team to run!

No doubt, the two Captains selected are outstanding guys, who will be terrific role models for all.  But the kids look up to every member of the Stars Division, and count on all of them to lead Camp Skylemar’s Color War 2023.

By now the secret draft is complete, and the Color War magic begins.  While all are asleep, the Captains will pin either a Red or Gray ribbon to the pillow of each Skylemar camper, signifying their team.  Tomorrow cannot come soon enough!

Tonight was proof.  Even one vote matters.

Here’s how it happened…

They’ve been counting down since July 19^th.  “10 more days!”, they would chant at meals.  Then “9 more days!”, and so forth.  Until today, the one that many consider to be the most important of the year.

It was the night that our 15-year-old campers have thought about since they were Cubs.  For those of all ages, it was the most talked about and highly anticipated evenings of the summer.  COLOR WAR ELECTIONS 2023!

It’s a nerve-racking day for the Stars Division.  Each of the 22 young men have the opportunity to be selected by the camp as Captain of the Red or Gray Team.  But as we know, no one can ever be sure how a democratic election will turn out.

The Stars truly are an impressive and united group.  Even our first year camper Mel was welcomed so warmly that you’d never believe he hadn’t been here for years.  You could see the genuine love for each other at the Annual Sky II Lobster Lunch.

The camaraderie continued through 7^th period, as those on The Ballot put on their “lucky jersey” and linked arms for photo opps.  As the camp filled the Rec Hall, the Stars took their seats on the Gerhard Stage, overlooking their many brothers of all ages.

“Welcome to Skylemar’s 75^th Color War Election”, Shep bellowed.  He explained that the traditions of Color War dated back to 1948, and the foundation established by Lee and Herb is just as important now as always.

To begin with, Skylemar’s Color War is played entirely on the fields and courts.  Sincere sportsmanship is paramount.  Color War stays out of the cabin.  Inside the cabin and at meals it’s bunk-brothers as always.

Each camper, no matter the age, will cast a vote for two Stars who they believe should be the leaders of Skylemar.  On one hand, it’s a difficult decision because there are so many good choices.  On the other, each on The Ballot has the potential to be an amazing leader.

Skylemar’s Color War is competitive and fair, because the Captains secretly draft the teams by Division.  There is no adult involvement.  Captains select strategically with the goal of winning as their primary focus.  They not only consider athletic ability, but also factors like theatrical talent for Songs and Cheers as well as who they think would be best for motivating the team. Because the Captains consider the Division overall, the bunks are not divided equally.  Brothers, cousins, friends and bunkmates are not necessarily on the same team, and it could end up with just one person in the cabin on Red and all the rest on Gray.  That’s why it’s important that Color War stays out of the cabin.

Each camper should play with all of their heart.  However, win or lose, the key is to not overreact.  Be joyful when you play well, but never gloat.  Be disappointed when things don’t go your way but shake it off and keep trying.

A powerful moment came when Shep asked those in the audience who were former Captains to stand.  A small number of grown men came to their feet.  Next Shep asked for those who were on The Ballot but did not win to come forward.  For this, several dozen stood.  The point was – Red and Gray will have one captain each, but the many team members matter most.

The candidates were introduced, and here’s how it went…

The magic number was 110 tonight – representing one more than ½ the total participants in this year’s Color War, and the number of votes needed to win election as one of our two Captains.  First the candidates voted, then kept secluded away in the Garden Cabin.  One by one, each boy approached the Stage and wrote 2 names on a slip of paper before dropping it into the ballot bucket.

When all had voted, Shep then reached into the bucket and read each, one by one, as Nick recorded and tallied the votes.  The countdown was on….”10!”, “9!”, “8!”… The kids screamed as one candidate’s tally got close to the magic number until finally …”3!”, “2!”, “1!”… and….

The crowd had worked itself up in frenzied anticipation for the 1^st elected Captain of 2023:  Sam DeFrancesca!  DeFran was mobbed as he stormed through the Rec Hall doors into the arms of his constituents!

One down, one to go, as Shep then continued the process.  But no other candidate reached the magic number!  There were just too many great candidates to choose from, spreading the vote amongst them.  So a second ballot was needed (without DeFran on it), and the process started all over again.  This time the boys only had to vote for one person. Once again, after all had voted, the Sheps read and tallied the votes. The noisy countdown for our second Captain had reached a fever pitch at 109, one short of the necessary votes to win!  The crowd was suddenly silenced by the empty bucket, leaving us one vote shy of electing the second Captain.

So amazingly, a third ballot became necessary, and we started all over again.  This time, the candidate pool was reduced to only the top 3 vote-getters from Ballot Two as the only choices for Ballot Three.  Each boy voted, now for the third time before Shep and Nick once again did their thing, reading aloud and tallying the votes.  And finally…  Michael Hildebrandt was elected as our second Captain! He too was embraced in a wild Rec Hall celebration.

Once the crowd had settled, there were still a few administrative details needed to be sorted out to get set for Sunday’s Color War start, namely the selection of colors and each team’s Stars Lieutenants. After a couple of coin flips, one to determine who gets to pick color, the other to determine the picking order for the lieutenants, Sam chose Gray and selected Grant and Tosh as his top assistants.  Captain Michael chose Sam M and Jesse to help lead his Red Team.

Tomorrow night, Shep will assemble the Red and Gray team leaders well after dark to select their entire teams, setting the stage for Sunday’s opening of a most thrilling week.  Stay tuned, this is only the beginning.

It was one of those weird weather days.  Mother Nature couldn’t decide between sun or rain, so it ended up muggy with lots of back and forth.   We’d get on the courts and fields and then it would rain.  Then we’d go under cover long enough for an over-the-PA trivia game and the sun would break through.  We’d try again, and there’d be a downpour.  By afternoon we switched to a Rainy Day Schedule in the Lodge, Gym, Garden Cabin, and SkyDeck.

In the Rec Hall was a super fun game show — Thrift Store Price is Right. It’s played kind of like the TV show, but in our case the items to price come from our local Goodwill.  Lots of “junk for the bunk”, like a wooden foot massager, golf ball personalizer, hand-held pinball game, a monster riding a motorcycle, Chicago Bears wall art and a happy honeymoon picture frame.  Not exactly what they’ve always wanted, but when it comes to a competition, they feel like they need it!

Each Bunk sends up a representative to guess the price, and the two bunks that are closest get to play a “mini-game” to win the item they priced.  For example, in one game the contestants each blew up a balloon and then let the air out to push cups off the table.  First team to knock off 8 cups with air only was the winner.  In another round they put on a slinky head band, bent over and then tried to be the first team to toss their head back to make the slinky recoil.  Another game involved one volunteer with a tongue-depressor in his mouth, and teammates stacking dice on top of the tongue-depressor. Highest tower wins!

Most exciting was the Showcase Showdown, which included a blue dinosaur and a trip for their cabin to Causeway Dairy Bar in “downtown” Naples.  Price was $96.50.  This trip will head out tomorrow sometime.  Meanwhile, lots of other trips are now home-sweet-home.

The Lions had an amazing experience lobster fishing.  They learned about the process and were lucky enough to catch the biggest lobster of the season – a 3 1/2 pounder!  Afterwards they went to see where Maine potato donuts are made… and got to taste them too!

The JCs are back from their Boston trip.  After touring Harvard, they went to a Red Sox game.  It was a two-hour rain delay, but since they were the special guests of a Skylemar alum, they were comfortable and happy.  Maybe a little sleepy in the morning, since they didn’t get back until after 2 AM.

We’re especially proud of the Seniors, who climbed Mt. Lafayette in the Presidential Range.   It was an eight-mile hike up to the top, where they slept and ate in an AMC hut.  The hut was one in the series of rustic bunkhouses scattered throughout the Appalachian Trail.

There were a number of other camps on the trail, but eight (yes, they counted) different hikers said that we were the best group.  That’s because our guys climbed as a unified group, who were kind and friendly to all. The team of workers in the hut said that we were the “greatest camp ever”.

Each of our hikers was given the responsibility to be in charge for 20 minutes.  That meant they needed to encourage the group and lead the discussion about topics like demonstrating the Cool2Care concept at home.  Shout-out to Logan G for being considerate to all and especially aware of safety, Noah L for “walking the walk and not talking the talk” as well as for appreciating opportunity, and to Dylan J for an extra positive attitude which even included helping the hut crew clean up after dinner.

Our international travelers are back as well.  The Stars trip to Quebec was as memorable as always. There’s so much to learn there, especially because the primary language is French.  They explored the Old City and gained an understanding of the culture and history.  They also did lots of shopping and eating.

Highlights included the many street performers, the Plains of Abraham (historic battlefield), Chez Marie Bakery (freshly baked bread from outdoor stone ovens), Montmorency Falls (taller than Niagara), and the Shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.

Visiting the Shrine is especially memorable, because suspended from the ceilings are crutches and wheelchairs of the hundreds of thousands who have come in hopes of being healed.  It’s a powerful testament of faith that those of any religion are touched by.

Most touching for us was to hear about how the guys decided all on their own to chip in and buy the bus driver a gift.  We’re told they were polite and respectful wherever they went.

That’s our boys!

We are the luckiest.  Not only does Skylemar have the greatest guys in the whole wide world, but we also have Trickey Pond.

Designated by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) as “highest water quality”, Trickey Pond is considered to be a gem out of the 6,000 bodies of water in the State.  A couple of miles long and half mile across, Trickey Pond has exceptional clarity.  You can see all the way down 40 feet.  In fact, it’s so clean that it’s the water we filter and drink.

No one knows for sure where the name “Trickey” actually comes from.  Some say there was at one time a General Trickey (which makes sense because of the odd spelling) who the pond was named for.  Others say it has to do with the tricky sounds of the loons, and maybe the first mapmaker wasn’t such a good speller.

Trickey doesn’t feed into other bodies of water, so it’s typically quiet and serene. Those with big boats go elsewhere.  The lake is primarily enjoyed by Skylemar, some homeowners, a campground and occasional fishermen.  The fishing is awesome with plenty of land-locked salmon and smallmouth bass.  There’s also trout, splake, smelt and perch too.

To campers and staff, Trickey Pond is the favorite place for playing on the inflatables, swimming, fishing, snorkeling, skiing, tubing, paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing, sailing, wakesurfing, splashing and playing by the beach.  There’s no place better, especially on a very hot day.

To us, Trickey Pond is our responsibility.  Not only do Peter, Joel and the entire waterfront staff have the duty to keep all safe in the water, but we also have the responsibility to keep the lake as healthy as possible for our neighbors as well.  We’re committed to doing the best we can environmentally, so in addition to a mile of tree-lined shores, at the beach we’ve added erosion control mulch, water-bars and numerous plantings.

We’re proud that those across and down the lake are our friends, and we strive to be good, dependable neighbors.  It makes us smile to hear that they know when it’s time to wake or go to sleep because of our bugles, and sometimes they forget to eat lunch after the camp season ends when there are no reminders.

Also important for keeping our lake in top-notch shape is the Trickey Pond Environmental Protection Association (TPEPA).  This organization staffs boat inspectors at the boat launch to make sure that invasive species don’t enter the lake. They sponsor studies and advise all of us on best practices.  If you are able to help support this non-profit, please CLICK HERE (www.trickeypond.org).

Today was a sweltering hot Trickey Pond kind of day.  It also was a Wacky Water Wednesday in the afternoon.  While some were at the lake, others were up top playing water games and getting wet by the garden hose.   No matter what toys they come out with, a regular old hose is still the most fun.  The refreshing snack was a Lemon Stick… a soft, porous candy cane that goes into a lemon.  The stick then becomes a straw, making the lemon juice and peppermint a tasty combo.

The biggest kids, our counselors, probably had the most fun spraying and getting sprayed.  When they have fun, the kids have even more.

Time does not stand still at Skylemar.  In fact, it runs a whole lot faster.

So much is packed into every hour at camp that a day equals a week, a week equals a month and a month equals a year.  What was such a big deal three days ago has long been forgotten.

At this point in the season each cabin is in the groove.  For the most part everyone knows and accepts each other’s idiosyncrasies.  Sure, there are minor disagreements, but for the most part we’re a band of brothers.

We saw it on the tennis courts during the Camp Championships.  In between match play, the courts were filled with those casually hitting. Leopold asked his partner Cooper E for help with his serve.  Coop offered some tips and patiently coached his friend on toss and follow-through.  As Leopold followed the instructions of his 12-year-old coach, those of us on the other side of the court were impressed with the improvement.

When the tournament began, it was surprising to see that the first match was actually Cooper vs Leopold.  Even though Cooper was determined to win the match, he had taken the time to help his opponent become a better player.  Now that’s brotherhood.

Tonight’s Talent Show II was a more relaxed vibe than the first.  This time most of the acts fell into the silly category, which is as to be expected at this point of the season.  That’s because everyone’s now totally comfortable performing in front of their Skylemar family, and they know that it’s fine to giggle and the audience laughs too.  Theo burped, Ethan K and Eli W made duck noises, Jacob W screamed, Carter S whistled.  Spencer S read a page of a book, and Bunk 26 read some kind of poem.  Several others played sports, tossed hats, rapped, flipped, danced or dressed up like Spiderman.  Sawyer did an excellent impression of Shep.  Truly talented was Asher on the piano, and the Nolan-Hayes Duo.  Nolan played “Riptide” on the ukulele while Hayes sang.  Such a happy night, and the winners were especially pleased with their prize of a much-too-big staff shirt.

Love was in the air, as we said farewell to Senior Staffers Lexie and Mitch.  They will be married in just a few weeks, so it was time to head back to Wisconsin for wedding prep.  Their parting gift was a book of advice for the newlyweds, written by Skylemar campers.  There were lots of traditional suggestions like “don’t go to bed angry”, but our favorite one was far more direct:  “Please flush the toilet”.

Only at Skylemar.  After all, he did say “please”.

The top three times of the day at Skylemar:  Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

To the kids, it’s magic.  You show up when the bugle blows and poof!  There’s an elaborate buffet of entrees and side dishes just waiting to be eaten.  Of course we know where it comes from – the SkyKitchen that over the years has been recognized by the health inspector as one of the cleanest and most well-run in the state.  Plus the food is delicious!

There’s a large kitchen staff, because we recognize how important food is to a boy.   If we combine all the years that this group’s been working at Skylemar it comes to over 150!   Head Chef Junior is in charge.  He has three assistants: Juan Carlos, Superman and Mike, plus a crew of eight (Julio, Jonathan, Billy, Antonio, Avid, Byron, Jairo and Cesar) for food prep and cleaning.  Rich is our Food Service Director Emeritus, who has trained Blake to handle the daily ordering, amongst many other tasks.  RoseMaria, assisted by Jayde, are the dynamic duo of special diets, who make sure everyone with unique circumstances has exactly what he needs and enjoys.

For just one breakfast, the crew cracks 1,260 eggs.  While most chefs use a liquid egg product for such a large crowd, Junior is a purist.  He grew up on a farm, so only believes in the kind that you crack.  Some chefs might use fruit from a bag, but Junior insists on cutting the cantaloupe and honeydew melon fresh daily.  As for meatballs, most kitchens would buy them pre-made and frozen.  Not Junior – he makes them from scratch.  Before the kids even arrive, he and the crew spend days making 14,400 balls.

The quantities are staggering, and so are the costs.  For one dinner it’s 23 turkeys, 100 pounds each of potatoes and stuffing, but only 20 pounds of peas (not a fan fav…).  Served with that is 70 pounds of pasta for those who don’t care for Thanksgiving Dinner, plus 150 heads of lettuce, 200 each of tomatoes and cucumbers,  plus more.   $7K is the minimum cost per day to feed our guys.

Each year we get emails from parents asking for some of Junior’s cooking secrets.  For one, he’s a big believer in slow, moist heat.  For example, when he makes grilled chicken he undercooks just a bit, and then puts it in a warmer at 175 degrees for an hour.  A warmer equates to a regular oven with a pan of water on the bottom shelf for added moisture.  This way the chicken is never dry.

Here’s a few more tips:

Rice – Baking makes it perfect, and there’s far less sticky mess.  Mix boiling water and rice with a 2:1 ratio in a baking pan.  Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Caesar Salad – Toss romaine generously with powered garlic.  Add homemade croutons and Ken’s Pepper Parmesan or Ranch dressing.  Toss in parmesan cheese.   This is much better than Caesar-flavored dressing, but you’d think that it was.

Croutons – Cut leftover bread cubes from French bread or hamburger/hot dog buns.  Toss with olive oil, and then powdered garlic and Adobo seasoning.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.  The guys love to snack on these too.

Preparing three meals is long, hard and hot.  In fact, it’s about 10 degrees hotter in the kitchen than whatever it is outside.  Nevertheless, our dedicated kitchen staff makes it happen with a smile.  They aim to please and we are grateful.

Fantastic news! The sun shined brightly today, and the weatherman promises no rain for the next six days!

There’s such a great vibe in the air.  Polar Bears are swimming, the Camp Championship Tennis Tournament is happening, and Leagues (competitive sports played within each Division) are in full swing.  The Fred Pierce Field is still soggy, but Hejduk Field at Sky II is totally dry and ready to go for Baseball and Soccer Leagues.

Interestingly, both of those fields, along with Snow Field, were named for our very special and much loved Maintenance Directors.  Fred Pierce was before our time, but Burt Hejduk, Rich Snow and now Ed Bartlett are some of the most brilliant, talented and highly skilled people we have ever met.

Ed’s day begins at 5 AM, with a daily test of the water system.  Then it’s on to vehicle checks and a morning walk-thru.  He needs to be sure that everything’s just right in over 50 buildings on 200 acres.  His Maintenance Crew of 14 wonderful workers must all be assigned to mowing, cleaning, repairing, building and a million other things that are involved with caring for Camp Skylemar.  How blessed we are to have such a loyal dream-team protecting this facility.

Tonight Ed and his crew set-up an amazing “block party” at Sky II, with giant inflatable activities that included bungee runs, slides, obstacle courses and blow-up sports.  The music had us dancing, and the snow cones were especially refreshing on such a warm night.  It was a true community feel, as our older guys played with those much younger, and vice versa.

There are things to look forward to every day at Skylemar.  Most important one of all is just being together.

A framed quote by the Dalai Lama sits on the office shelf.  It reads, “My religion is very simple.  My religion is kindness”.

We could say the same about Cool2Care at Skylemar.  It’s our guiding principle, almost like a religion.

But here’s the thing.  Just like any core value, it doesn’t mean that it’s followed all the time.  After all, we’re human.

In any one day at Skylemar there are five hundred examples of kindness and doing the right thing.  On the other hand, there are also dozens of times that someone forgets.

“Forgetting” means not being sensitive to the feelings of others… or just plain being not nice.  Occasionally it means losing a temper.    In order for a child to learn from his mistakes, at Skylemar he’s given the opportunity to fix them.

Taking this a step further…

As humans, there are things we could do, as well as things we should do.  Our hope is to instill the value of doing what you should do, as opposed to what you could do.

For example, you could load your plate with food, take a few bites, and throw most of it away.  But should you?

Or, if someone is treating another unkindly, you could join in.  But should you?

Coulds vs shoulds apply to everyone, not just kids.  For example, consider social media.  You could post something that’s considered offensive by others.  Perhaps it’s a negative review about a restaurant you just tried.  But should you?

The Sophomore Division had the opportunity to learn about coulds and shoulds today.  While on an overnight trip, these 12-year-olds misbehaved in a movie theatre.  Of course not every boy was throwing popcorn and not all acted disrespectfully.  But the poor behavior was definitely contagious, and the kids did not respond to the counselors correction.

So…Blake had the manager turn off the movie.  The boys cleaned the floor.  They apologized to the staff. And the rest of the trip was cancelled.

Once back at camp, there was a serious talk with the Division about coulds and shoulds.  You could act in a way that embarrasses others.  But should you?

From our point of view, we could have had no consequence and just continued on with the trip.  But should we have?

In the “fixing” discussion, Shep gave the opportunity for all to speak and tell their side of the story.  It was important for those who didn’t act inappropriately to be supported, and they did exactly what the world needs more of — they spoke up on behalf of what was wrong, and explained how things should have been right.

Those at the meeting who knew that they personally had mistakes to fix were invited to stay for an in-depth conversation.  The discussion included the four steps of an apology:

• First, you need to feel sorry about whatever happened.
• Then you need to apologize to all the right people.
• Next you have to do whatever it takes to prove that you’re sorry.
• The final step is to remember the mistake, and never do it again.

In our world, “proving” means to go the extra mile at being your kindest self.  Be the one who demonstrates how to do the right thing.  Have fun, but put on the brakes for yourself and others.  Always remember that shoulds matter more than the coulds.

Tomorrow we trrrryyyyyyy again.  We’ll turn the page and start fresh, remembering how much we love these guys.  Lots of learning every day.  After all, it’s for-real here.

The Tigers went to college!

Bunks 8, 9 and 10 went on an excursion to Lewiston, Maine.  First stop was the trampoline park which everyone loved.  Funnest part was that we had the entire place to ourselves.

Then on to Bates College!  Recent grads Blake and Malcolm took the kids to some special parts of campus, like the dining hall.  It was a different kind of all-you-can-eat buffet, which included everything from fast-food to Israeli couscous.  Most exciting was the soda dispensers where you could make your own drink out of a little bit of everything.   Food scientists in the making!

After playing games on the collegiate-sized turf, they were treated to a Q&A with one of the Bates lacrosse coaches.  Interestingly, even these 10-year-olds had questions for him about the recruiting and admissions process.  Up next was the Planetarium Show, which most had never experienced before.   For the counselors, the dark room with twinkling stars was especially relaxing.

Meanwhile, other groups were out on day hikes.  The little guys climbed Douglas Mountain, while those with legs a little longer hiked Bald Pate.  Both have spectacular views at the top… and blueberries to pick too!

The Lions went to Pineland Farms in New Gloucester.  It’s a 5,000-acre working farm that also has an education center as well as recreational activities.  They learned lots about cows and their incredibly gentle nature.  The boys also enjoyed the  tour… and some great ice cream too!

It was white-water rafting today for the Sophomores.  Exhilarating… and they loved it!  After a movie they settled in at their NH campsite for the night.

Here at camp we enjoyed a perfect Maine day.  It was good-mood weather and finally the schedule went exactly to plan… sport to sport, court to court and down to Trickey Pond.  We even fit in GACU, thanks to our wonderful nurses and the crew who ran The Spa.

Evening Activity was Magician Peter Boie.  Ours is a savvy and intelligent audience, which is not so easy for the average magician.  Luckily, Peter really can pull a rabbit out of a hat.  He’s also great at including lots of volunteers, who eagerly raise their hands to be chosen.  As you know, Skylemar guys are always happy to be a part of the show.

It’s a double-power shower for this camp director!  After hitting “publish” last night and heading to bed, Moose, our Newfoundland, found a skunk.   Luckily it’s a hot, humid day… perfect for bath after bath.

For our four-legged campers, Skylemar is dog nirvana.   Here they are lavished with pats, pets and belly rubs.  They spend the day mostly in the office and appreciate the many visitors who stop by throughout any one day.

Seven dogs make up Bunk 0.  Summit the Husky is stunning and gentle, and a bit aloof.  Given the opportunity off leash, she’d run to Philadelphia.   Finn is the jolly Golden Retriever, with a warm, friendly temperament.  Billy Bob, who’s a little of this and that, is the best behaved and sticks with Catie at the Ropes Course.

Cubbie, the black King Charles Spaniel, is the oldest and is blind in one eye. The kids ask questions about this, and show genuine concern. Her sister Trix loves to be held, so she’s definitely a crowd-pleaser with the younger bunks.  Moose, the now-stinky giant, is the leader of the pack.  She sneaks into the Pavilion occasionally, and “vacuums” under the tables.

Slugger is the toddler, which in dog years converts to the Cubs Division.  His attention span is “age appropriate”, and he’s the most interested in what Skylemar has lots of – balls.  Near the tennis courts he’s like a kid in a candy store.

Interestingly, the dogs seem to know whoever belongs here.  An occasional delivery truck is greeted with loud barking, but never the regulars.  Julian, the daily UPS driver brings treats, and the dogs get excited when he pulls in the lot.  Maybe dogs really can see the color brown.

The theory that gentle dogs are good for mental health is something we totally buy into.  Research shows that petting and interacting with a dog lowers the stress hormone cortisol, and increases the feel-good hormone oxytocin.  What we see here is that a loving dog is sometimes exactly what’s needed when someone needs any kind of a boost.

Tonight was the search for other animals around camp.  It was the Wild Game Hunt.  That’s when the counselors hide, and the kids have to find them.  Each is worth a certain number of points, and they can often be found in trees or under something.  Best spot we’ve seen was right out in the open.  A counselor got inside a duffle bag that was on the office porch.  No one gave it a second thought!

Parents are the most important people in the world to their son.  But no matter how hard they try, there’s one thing they can never be — a Skylemar JC.

Through the lens of a camper, the JC’s (which stands for Junior Counselor) are pretty much the coolest guys ever.  They’re Skylemar grads, who return in sort of a hybrid position.  They live together at Hilltop and spend part of the day playing sports with the oldest guys.  The rest of the day is spent as the “big brother” to a cabin of little guys.  They’re with them at meals, Rest Hours, Evening Activities and other times in between.  What they offer the kids is the best gift of all – their time.

JCs are fun.  Take tonight for example.  It was Campfire Night, but it couldn’t be at the Ring of Champions because of the rain.  Instead we were in the Rec Hall.  Cory was as amazing as ever with her “Princess Pat” and “Banana” song.  Aiden and Sarah were awesome on the guitar singing “Take Me To Church” by Hozier, and Adventure Man intrigued by teaching all how to make a poncho out of a trash bag.

But the super funny and impressive part was when the JCs were involved.  First, they did the synchronized swim skit.  You may have seen it before, where a blue tarp is held up and they pretend to be swimming in a pool.  But this was better than usual because they set up mattresses on the other side, allowing them to “dive” right in.  Everyone loved it.

Even better was the JCs “C2C Rap” that followed.  It went like this:

[Verse 1 – Malibu Fru]

Yo, gather ’round, Skylemar fam, let’s make it clear,

C2C, yeah that’s the motto we hold dear,

It’s cool to care for others, that’s our vibe,

Welcoming all, spreading love worldwide.

[Verse 2 – Jack C]

Teaching skills, we got it goin’ on,

Passin’ knowledge, makin’ bonds strong,

From archery to arts, we share the know-how,

C2C in action, watch us now.

[Verse 3 – Eli K]

Good manners never go out of style,

Holdin’ doors, lettin’ others smile,

Respect and kindness, that’s our stance,

C2C means giving everyone a chance.

[Verse 4 – Zach O]

Jake, Jack, Eli, we’re in the game,

But hold up, here comes Grant, bringin’ the flame,

As a camp united, hand in hand, (hold up the C2C hand sign)

C2C brothers, we make Skylemar grand.

[Verse 5 – Grant N]

Skylemar’s our home, we protect and cherish,

From sunrise to sunset, we never let it perish,

Caring for our camp, in every little way,

It’s in our hearts, every single day.

[Verse 6 – Burnie]

I’m Burnie, oh yeah, the campfire’s gettin’ hotter,

C2C spreadin’, like wildfire, not water,

Camp Skylemar, oh, it’s the place to be,

Cool to care, it’s our united decree.

[Verse 7 – All]

Cool2Care, Skylemar’s motto blazing,

Caring for others, for ourselves, and Sky fam’s raising,

JC squad up here standing with pride,

Spreading love and care our way far and wide.

So remember, Sky fam, as we ignite,

C2C in our hearts, shining so bright,

At campfire tonight, let the world see,

Cool2Care, the motto that sets us free.

Campers truly look up to JC’s, and this year’s group are outstanding role models.  Over the years they’ve been a group that has continuously made us proud, and we’re glad they’re back in 2023.

Sports Highlight

Over at the Hejduk diamond at Sky II, we hosted a 12U Baseball tourney that ran most of the day.  In Game 1 of their AM/PM double-header, our squad found themselves locked up in a scoreless pitcher’s duel into the last inning.  Sam P reached base to open the bottom half of the last inning, stole 2^nd, and scored on a walk-off, head-first slide a few moments later to win it for us, 1-0.  Both Cooper’s E & F were dominant on the mound throughout, combining for the shutout.  In Game 2, the offense came alive after falling behind 4-2 early, tied it up late, then were on the verge of the double-header sweep… until the threat of a storm ended our own threat (2 on, none out) and play was called at 4-apiece.

Very, very once-in-a-while does it happen.  If you’re lucky enough to have a birthday at camp then you get to do it.  For everyone else it was during the Lip Sync Battle.  Shep actually came up with the idea.

Yes, it’s true.  We got to stand on the table.

It was last night during the pouring rain while the air was really hot.  Therefore, it made the most sense for all of us to be in the open-air Pavilion for Evening Activity.  In order for all to see the dancers and singers, Shep moved three picnic tables together to become a stage.

Each Bunk got to pick a song, which they turned into sort of a music video.  Some were hysterical and some were just silly.  But one thing’s for sure: those on the picnic-table stage had a blast.  Pretty much every song had the entire audience singing along.  The vibe was all about fun.

More performances today, but this time it was the counselors presenting the show. The Staff Talent Show was fantastic, and we especially loved how the kids cheered for their own counselors.  There were musicians, comedians, jugglers, and dramatic readers.  Pretty much everyone truly had talent.

Counselors were also on stage for Clinic Commercials.  With temps in the 90’s, we watched from the shade under the trees  — advertisements for this week’s Clinic options included “Anybody Can Play Football” and “Dribble & Pass Soccer”.  “Boating and Bracelets” combines Chilltop with the Sail Dock for those who want to make a bracelet while out on a boat.  There was “Field Games & Low Elements” to challenge you down at the Ropes Course and “Volleyball not Newcomb” as well.  “Ski Dawgs” was open to all who want to improve their waterskiing and wakesurfing skills.  “Camp Championship Tennis” offers competitive play for every age group in preparation for our own Divisional upcoming tourneys.

Coach Jim will host a “Hockey Combine” for all to sharpen their skills.  Coach Mitch’s “Baseball Fielding Clinic” will focus on defensive play, both grounders and fly balls.  Coach Peter advertised the Swim Dock’s focus – “Racing Techniques at the Waterfront” – and a chance to break some records.  “SkyDines” (a cool combo of Sky Deck and Sky Pines) offers our youngest groups the chance to learn how to cook on an open fire. “Let It Rip Shooting” on the Lacrosse field will challenge laxers to beat Bryce’s 92 on the radar gun.

It’s the “British Open” here too on the Skylemar links, offering 5-hole matches in Match Play, Scramble, and Stroke Play formats!  “Hoop It Up”  with the greatest basketball counselors of all time if you “want to play like MJ, handle the ball like Chris Paul, or score in a flurry like Steph Curry.”   Over at “Gainsville”, the focus will be explosivity, endurance and strength…to get bigger, stronger and faster.

The choice is yours!

A little bit of Mary Poppins.  A touch of the Tooth Fairy.  A favorite Auntie.  The big sister you’ve always wanted.

That’s a Skylemar Tough Chick.

She’s strong, sharp, clever and beautiful, inside and out.  She’s gentle, kind and just who you need when a hug is in order.

It takes a very special lady to work at an all-boys camp.  First, you need talent and expertise in a particular area, like swimming or health care.  Then comes the important part.  You need to feel comfortable living in a boy’s world.

For instance, you need to understand when a lacrosse game takes precedence over play rehearsal or a hard-to-get orthodontist appointment.  You need to notice when a boy wears a shirt two days in a row, remembering that counselors are big boys too.  And of course you need to find just a teeny-tiny bit of humor in someone burping the ABC’s.

Cookie baker, jibit-buyer, bedtime story-reader.  She’s tough enough to clip toenails, clean up whatever’s nasty, and go through dirty laundry in search of a missing something.  And as you know, these guys are always missing something.

She’s who you turn to for solutions.  Need a shirt for an intercamp game, just minutes before departure?  Just ask any one of the SkyGirls, and she’ll make it happen.

They help even the most timid to feel comfortable swimming, creating and performing.  They have a start-to-finish attitude every day — set up, play, clean up, repeat.  They take pride in being an influencer, making a positive difference in the world, one boy at a time.

Our heroines put the kids first.  Always.  They help to make others look good and be their best.  For instance, the boys might not even know that three fairy princesses (Betty, Mary and Solana) appear while they’re on the fields and re-clean the bunk bathrooms.

When all are dragging because of the rain, the girls dig deep and bring on the positive energy.  They go the extra mile or whatever it takes to be a valuable, fun, loyal and much loved member of the Skylemar family.

So favorite SkyGirls, we love you forever.  You’re practically perfect in every way.

They’re here!  The greatest parents in the whole wide world!

Despite numerous plane delays and cancellations, and even though a local parade stopped traffic for what seemed like forever, 400-some guests made it to Skylemar today.  Those who were able to join us were treated to a running-leap-into-a-giant hug.  Love waves were in the air, along with the heat and high humidity.

Campers proudly showed off for those they love most on the fields, courts and waterfront.  The staff truly appreciated that parents were spectators while the kids played, so that the day could be as “sky-normal” as possible.

For those not able to join us, don’t worry!  Your son was adopted by hundreds and lavished with love as well.  In fact, a few told their parents that there’s no need to come next year – Luci gives presents.

We were impressed by those who kept up with the Skylemar pace, moving from place to place, sport to sport.  All were exhausted, but as you know, boys have a way of just going and going.  Every tear was dried by the time the guys climbed through the giant obstacle course, jumped across the “Big Baller”, and tried to “dunk” their favorite staff member.   It was back to regular camp life at the Drive-In Movie, except for some little guys who fell asleep right on the grass.

Thank you for coming, and for respecting the rules of Parent Visiting Day.  OK, maybe some of you broke the one about bringing no more food than can be consumed in two days (wink wink).

But no matter what, he and we love you, to the Sky and back.

If only the parents could see this.

It’s something we’ve wished for over and over.  In fact, that was the impetus for writing this Blog in the first place.  Our hope is to give you a peek into the world of Skylemar, without spoiling the magic.

There are things you’d see that would melt your heart, like when little guys cuddle up on the lap of a tattooed, brawny football player.   Or when the fifteen-year-olds interrupt Nick Shep’s lax announcement by yelling “shout-out Mel!” in support of a teammate who didn’t make it on the field, but who nevertheless cheered with all his might.

You’d feel proud each time he tried something new, especially without your suggestion.  It could be Waterskiing or the Zipline or being on stage doing a touchdown dance.

You might be a little bit appalled if you saw the shape of their cabin at 3:30 in the afternoon.  Then again, there’s no mom, dad or housekeeper to follow up, and this bedroom holds the stuff of 8 brothers.

On the other hand, in the morning you’d be impressed to see these guys making beds, emptying trash and cleaning a toilet (well, kinda…).  They come up with ingenious ways to handle these tasks, like sweeping with socks or pushing the dirt off the steps with a dustpan (that’s your kid, Lauren S).

You’d be astonished to hear with your very own ears a “yes, please” and “no thank you” from every single boy, over and over, as they approach each server in the buffet line.  For the most part you’d feel good about the choices he makes when it comes to food.   Maybe the pasta option is something you’d prefer not to continue at home, but then again, the salad bar rocks as long as there’s croutons.

For sure you would know that you raised him right if you watched him settle an argument, take up for a friend or make a full apology. You’d sit back and smile if you saw him filling our charity box with much of his Visiting Day treats.  He knows there are kids who don’t have what he has.

For those who are able, you’ll see just a little tomorrow at 10.  We do our best to make the day as “real” as possible, so kindly follow the schedule and enjoy watching your son.  There are a number of boys and counselors who don’t have visitors, so please refrain from going into the cabin.  It’s an “outside” day, rain or shine.

TODAY’S SPORTS UPDATE:

Tomorrow’s Visiting Day marks the halfway point in our summer season, and like Baseball’s All-Star Game, our participation in the Annual 15U Lacrosse Tourney has remained a Midsummer Classic.  This year’s players signed up early in the season as Coach Nick Shep began grooming his squad back when our 1^st weekly clinics program began.  Blessed with talent from California to Florida, this year’s bunch was determined more than ever to get back the title so elusive of late.  In the semi-final, our boys fell behind by 3 goals early before the Skylemar long poles (Defran, Jack and Zane) set up shop in front of stopper Jesse R , then watched the offense gel for a 7-3 victory.

The scoring continued as we opened the final by scoring the first 3 goals.  The enthusiastic bench buzzed with passionate support as unsung hero Mel did all he could to keep the sideline energized, and our eyes on the prize. Tosh was everywhere – winning faceoffs at the X, hustling, defending and vacuuming ground balls all over the field. The offense kept clicking ‘til late in the game when it was Jesse’s time to really shine. Up by just one goal with the clock ticking down, Jesse became a brick wall in the cage, rejecting several late attempts to draw the game even including, an incredible game-saving stop from point blank range with just seconds left to preserve the 7-6 Championship win!

Victory was sweet – the celebration even sweeter!  Armed with the title, the bus pulled into camp…the news had already begun to spread.  Like arriving home after a Super Bowl win, the team and their coaches were swarmed by the excited campers who sped to the Shack.  The team then suddenly, and collectively, sprinted down to Trickey’s rewarding waters and plunged on in.  The raucous celebration continued until finally, at the behest of his club’s incessant chants, Coach Nick quickly addressed the team from the dock one final time — and hurled himself in, capping off one for the ages.

The Pac-12,  Big10, Centennial and the ACC… these are the NCAA athletic conferences well-represented today in the 75^th edition of one of our most treasured traditions,  Intercollegiate Day 2023!  Just a few days ago the entire camp was divided into 5 institutions of higher learning – Arizona, Michigan, and Southern California, as well as Johns Hopkins and Wake Forest Universities.

A full day of events packed the day with fun and plenty of activities from the Snow Field to the Gaga pits, and everywhere in between.

After the morning inspection, everyone was called to the Bunkline field.  Nick Shep welcomed all, then introduced one of IC Day’s most anticipated events, officially opening the day-long competition – the Dash.  Each squad sent a sprinter to the line to run for glory – hoping to get his team off to a great start.  One by one, 8 exciting races were run, with a couple of photo finishes to boot. Arizona’s Henry M , Alan G and Semaj, Michigan’s Hunter S, Wake’s Alex Sw, Trojan Max P and Blue Jay Elias G all broke the tape to first to win their races.  Wildcat Grant proved once again that he’s the “fastest man in camp” by winning the Stars Division for the 2^nd year in a row!

Nick Shep’s redesigned program then had all 8 Divisions rotate through 7 different activities throughout the day, competing in mini round-robin style knockout tournaments ‘til a winner for each event determined, then moving on …including our newest addition to the IC Day repertoire, Pickleball.  The oldest guys even got to go at it in a couple of sports traditionally meant for the younger guys like Gaga and Steal the Bacon.  There were 3 v 3 and 4 v 4 half-court hoops games for the younger divisions, and full court runs for the older guys (Blacktop Hoops).  World Cup Soccer, Buoy Ball (with a few new twists including a Home Run Derby) and Newcomb/Volleyball rounded out the daytime activities.  Points were awarded for 1^st place thru 5^th, and scores cumulated all day long.

After a brief hiatus of a few years (and a break for lunch and another Songs and Cheers rehearsal), the ever-popular Golf Long-Drive Competition returned to the IC Day schedule.  All 5 teams gathered around the Rec Hall Porch and Pumphouse (aka the Water Park)  to watch the Seniors and Stars jumpstart the afternoon contests. Sam D won the Stars for the Arizona Wildcats, but didn’t quite catch up to Senior Champ Zane B who blasted the longest of the day for the Wolverines of Michigan before all headed back out on the fields and courts.

After the afternoon’s events were completed, Nick Shep tallied the scores, and announced at dinner that the Wake Forest Demon Deacons had become the team to beat, building a bit of separation between themselves and the rest.  The evening of Songs and Cheers was on tap to determine the final outcome, and the weather cooperated — a beautiful night of Skylemar spirit filled the air.

Each team’s leaders had put in plenty of overtime in advance, preparing a setlist of 5 Songs and Cheers (3 of which must be original) for tonight’s performance – Team Cheer, Camp Cheer, Team Fight Song, Old Camp Song and an Original Camp Song.  Michigan went first, followed by Wake, then the Trojans from USC took the stage.  The Blue Jays from Hopkins were next, and the Wildcats closed the performances.  The boys sung their hearts out… original songs were written to tunes from Billy Joel, Ed Sheeran, Run- D.M.C., Fall Out Boy, Zach Bryan, Ice Cube, the Beatles and more…There were solos and duets, a brother trio and a quartet. When all 5 colleges had performed, everyone “patiently” awaited (well, we squeezed in a boisterous rendition of “Paddy Murphy”) the final word from Judges Barney, Suzie and DT, tasked with the very tough job of deciding the winner.  It was one of the closest calls in years, and finally passed on their decision to Shep who delivered the news:

“The Winner of Intercollegiate Day 2023 —- ARIZONA!”

Lookout, Broadway!  Here we come!

Skylemar’s first big musical of 2023 was a smash hit… Madagascar!

Drama Director Suzie once again blew us away by getting a production off the ground in 10 days.  That includes casting, rehearsing, costuming, set design and choreography.  All this while working around the actor’s requirement to shower or their involvement with intercamp games.

Speaking of choreography – this was some of the best we’ve seen on the Skylemar stage.  Suzie’s assistant Grace directed these sequences, and  each was phenomenal.   Grace waved her magic wand and turned regular Skylemar campers into talented dancers!

The part of Alex the Lion was played by Hayes.  Marty the Zebra was played by Nolan B, Gloria the Hippo was Ethan V, Melman the Giraffe was Palmer.  Jake P (B18), Luke P (B6) and Cooper E (B18) were the zookeepers.  Penguins were Sawyer, Eli W, Max P (B14) and Jagger.  Mason the zoo animal was played by Keith O.  By the way, these guys can sing too!

There were lots of friends who had several small roles, and they had to come on stage at just the right time.  That’s not easy to keep track of, and this crew stayed right with it — Henry M (B2), KJ, Alexander D (B2), Owen B, Levi W, Eli D (B18), plus counselors Ant and D-Man.  We love that Suzie’s plays feature those of all ages.

The stage crew was brilliant as well.  Many thanks to Mary Beth, Calla and all who helped paint the scenery.  George H, Nate and Ryder handled the lighting.  The crew who set up each scene included Alex K (B6), Jacob K (B6), Easton, Myles F, Baron, Dash H, Alexander S (B8), Semaj, Turbo, Ethan K (B11), Balty, Asher, Jack M (B15) and Thomas L.

The Skylemar audience is always polite and supportive, and this one was no different.  They realize that the performers have worked incredibly hard, and that the brave ones were up on the stage.  No matter the size of the part, it’s impressive to be in a Skylemar production.  Next week Suzie and Grace will hold auditions for the Second Session show.  Wonder what it will be?

To have great parents means you win the lottery of life.  Each of us at Camp Skylemar is blessed with a jackpot.

No matter how many moms or dads in the household, there could be no one more loved than a Skylemar boy.  From tackling the daunting packing process, to the overwhelming task of completing numerous forms, Skylemar parents do everything in their power to help their son to succeed.

Skylemoms and Dads believe in the value of the gift of opportunity.   They see Skylemar as a solid practice ground for skills of a lifetime, like how to forge friendships, become independent, safe risk taking, resiliency and building self-confidence.

Our parents recognize that at times they are simply the equipment manager, and other times the coach.  It all can be tricky and often it’s easier to just “fix” the problem.  Instead, Skyparents know that there are lots of stumbles and falls in the journey of life.  What matters most is that you get up and tr-r-r-y again.

Thank you for seeing that there’s tremendous value in taking a break from the comforts of home, and instead having your son join our people-powered community.  The decision to send your son to Skylemar is one that we pledge to be your best.

Tonight the wonderful mother of a former camper passed away.   Of course we feel it deeply whenever there is a loss in the Skylemar community.  But back ten years ago when Ally V’s son needed regular medical attention, instead of keeping him home near his physicians, she did what many of you would do.  She packed her duffle and came to camp with him.

As our founder Lee taught us, we will always remember to remember that you have entrusted us with your most precious possession.  For this honor we are forever grateful.

You know that universal symbol that looks like taffy pulling with your hands?  It’s the way the director tells the news anchor to stretch out the segment.  Stretching is also what a camp director does during morning announcements, in hopes that the rain subsides enough for the kids to go back to their cabins for clean-up.

Athletic Director Mitch handled that masterfully after breakfast, while Shep was down at the lake working with a diver at anchoring some new giant inflatables.   Since all the intercamp games and other outdoor events had to be canceled, (it was some serious rain today), there wasn’t too much to talk about.  So…he called on Waterfront Director Peter (who happens to be a bird-calling expert) to teach us all how to sound like an owl.  Moose demonstrated some dog tricks in exchange for scrambled eggs.  Luci taught all how to wrap a towel around your waist after a shower in a way that stays tight — the secret is rolling at the top.   The #1 stretcher was Barney and counselor Ty “shadow boxing”.  It’s definitely the in-thing so far this summer, thanks to TikTok.  Check it out, because the game seems to be a part of being cool these days.

There was no stopping the rain though, so we moved right into a Rainy Day Schedule.  Catapult Making was super-fun in the Rec Hall.  Each boy worked hard on his popsicle stick model.  There was plenty of action in the Gym, and games of Pool, Ping Pong and Foosball in the Lodge.  Egg Dropping from the second floor where the Kitchen Crew lives was really exciting.   They wrapped eggs in bubble wrap and whatever else, to see what it took for the egg to land without cracking.  There were dozens of board games played in the Garden Cabin.  Several even helped Blake order food for the kitchen.  They’re now ready to be contestants on “The Price is Right”.  The Pavilion was a hot spot for Karaoke.   Kids singing Karaoke is one of the cutest things ever for an adult to watch.

On an all-out rainy day like this one we come up with all kinds of creative ideas for those under the age of 13.   It’s really important to get them out of the bunk, so that cabin fever (which leads to balls going through screens) doesn’t set in.  Instead of relaxing when it rains, energy seems to be at an all-time high.  On the other hand, our Seniors and Stars over at Sky II take advantage of the weather for plenty of napping or perhaps some weight-lifting over at the Gym.

Good food always helps to turn around moods when the weather doesn’t cooperate.  The special surprise was Make-Your-Own-Sundae Buffet in the afternoon.  The Stars Division did the serving, while everyone else filled their bowls to the brim with candy toppings.  Don’t worry – this only happens once a season.

Our dinner guests were sisters and cousins who attend nearby camps.  We invite them twice a summer, in hopes that the girls can come at least once.  Two hours is the perfect amount of time… just enough but not too much.

The heroes of today (and every day) are our Counselors.  Think about how challenging it is to be on vacation with the kids and it rains every day.  Or even just what it would be like to have 8 kids of your own in a one-room apartment.  What about that sleepover party you host just once a year, and all that goes into it?  Skylemar counselors host a party round-the-clock, every day and night.

When it rains, the workload doubles for a Counselor.  As you know, boys thrive with space to run and play outdoors.  When the weather throws a curveball, that knocks out the running and playing.

So, it was well-deserved break time for our team of super-heroes.  While the older guys had Socials, the rest of the kids got to watch movies in assorted areas around camp.  We hope that the pitter patter on the cabin roof lulls them to sleep with the happiest of dreams.

Sunday Signups! The whole camp gathers in front of the Rec Hall, while the counselors pitch “commercials” advertising what they’re offering for Clinic periods.  It’s fun to watch them perform, and exciting to learn about all the choices for the third period of the day for the next week.

Each camper makes his own choice.  There’s Tennis Applications, where you get to put your skills to use.  Swim Dock Beach Party, Street Hockey’s Back, Beach Volleyball and Forty-yard Dash Training.  There’s Sunfish Sailing, Baseball, Gainsville Upper Body Strength, 3D Archery Course and Recyclable Art…and Waterskiing & Wakesurfing, Fruit Dropping at the Ropes Course (yes, that’s dropping fruit from way up high), and the always popular SkyDeck Culinary Arts.  Reclaim the 15U Lax Title is open to everyone ready to work hard.  Shep’s Backlot Safari takes you all over camp to places you’ve probably never seen, like the Maintenance Department and the Farmhouse attic.  Exciting stuff!

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a week since the last laundry day and GACU, but here we are again.  Any staff member that works The Spa will forever be a bigger tipper at the nail salon.  Not easy!

Great news for the Waterfront!  The all-new Beast is back.  That’s our giant slide, which had to be replaced because a seam ripped.  Now we have a brand new one, along with something else to play on called a “Rockit”.  Stay tuned for photos once we try it out.

Boom Chicka Boom!   It was Campfire night at the Ring of Champions, and that’s a favorite song that Cory leads.  The skit that followed was especially funny this time.  Barney was in the waiting room of a doctor’s office, and while there he caught what every other patient had.   This meant he was sneezing, slapping himself and continuously singing opera.  Then a pregnant lady came in, Barney realized what could happen, so he ran.  It was good, wholesome boy-humor.  Another fun part of the night was Will doing a dramatic reading of “Bohemian Rhapsody”.  DT nailed the Burrito Song, while Sarah and Bri sang some Taylor Swift.  S’mores for all, and a practical life-lesson from our friend Adventure Man.

Rain is the forecast for tomorrow.  Not to worry – there’s always a plan!

It’s a refreshing way to jump-start the day – the Polar Bear swim!

62 campers from Bunks 1-14 woke up at 6:30 AM and made their way down to the lake.  The entire waterfront staff plus many additional volunteers saw that everyone was safe and comfortable for this annual event.

Trickey Pond is over two miles in length and about a half a mile across.  Polar Bears are the brave ones who swim across, from the Skylemar docks to Bunk 71.  Bunk 71 is the summer house on the other side, owned by the Finkelstein family.

Lifeguards swim alongside the boys, and counselors kayak right behind, just in case you need to hold on for a rest.   Once you get to the other side, Aaron and Leslie are there with donuts for the tired bears.  The motor boats bring you back over, all in time for breakfast.  A special surprise while heading back to camp was seeing a family of loons, who were clearly confused by so many people in their swim area.

The weather was pleasant – not too hot and not rainy, so pretty much every activity was played.  Nate C (B28) caught the biggest fish at SkyPines.  While many were enjoying baseball, tennis, basketball and lacrosse, others were tie-dyeing shirts or painting faces.  Bunks 4, 5, 22, 23 and 24 went Ice Skating in a rink that’s just 10 miles away.

There was no 6^th period, because we’re having company!  For these guests a shower was in order, or at the very least, a clean T-shirt…or maybe, just maybe a hair brushing?

Pouring out of school buses and vans came 200+ girls from Camp Fernwood.  It was our turn to host the annual event, and we were proud to do so.  Tonight Skylemar became more beautiful than ever!

At first it was a football field with Fernwood on one side… Skylemar on the other.  Everyone stared at each other, with equal amounts of whispers and giggles.  The ladies took a few steps towards the guys, and the guys took a few steps back.  Again and again, until our team ran out of space.  Not to worry – we were saved by the siblings, who each crossed the invisible border to join the other.  This broke the ice, and for the most part, you might say we became a co-ed camp, at least for a few hours.

Following a delish dinner, Counselor Karaoke was impressive and funny too.  Staff from both camps provided excellent entertainment.  Our guys cheered wildly when someone in the SkyFamily took their turn.  From there the Stars and Seniors went to the lake for boat rides and hanging out.  The rest played yard games, volleyball, badminton, tennis, mini golf, crafts at Chilltop, and some more singing.

Speaking of singing, we were reminded tonight about how much girls like to sing.  And giggle.  And scream.  No doubt, they’d win in a decibel contest.

In the end, even those who had little to do with the girls admitted that they had a great time.  The boys who were “lucky” proudly showed others that they had gotten a phone number.  Funny thing is, both camps don’t allow phone calls.  Then again, it’s more about the “win”.

Happy Anniversary, Camp Skylemar!  It’s our 75^th year of spending the summer with the greatest guys in the whole wide world.

Part of our summer-long celebration includes a giant brass raffle drum, with a ping pong ball for each camper and counselor inside.  Whenever Nick Shep takes over the microphone after the meal, everyone hopes it’s to pick a ball which correlates to someone getting a prize.  Tonight’s winner of Skylemar swag was Barrett B (B17)!

75 years sounds like a long time, but something happened tonight that’s a first in Skylemar history.  Here’s how it went down:

It started to rain during Spirit Night, so we moved into the Pavilion.  From there Nick described this week’s Cool2Care chain recipient as one who has always been extremely respectful, kind and cognizant of how to be a great Skylemar community member.  This week’s honor goes to Coop E (B18)!

Bunk 27 led Spirit Night, which started out as it traditionally does.  Athletic Director “DT” (Danny Thomas) gave the sermonette, and talked about what he was grateful for during his 9-year run at Skylemar.  He said, “I’ve learned many things from our fearless leader Shep.  One I remember is when you speak in public and have the opportunity to shout out to your significant other, you should.”

DT then offered a touching tribute to Luci, his best friend.   “We’ve grown so much together here at Skylemar, so I think it’s only fitting that we take this next step together, along with all of you”, he said looking out in the audience.

As he took her hand, the crowd responded with giggles of hushed excitement…. “Is he gonna?”…. “Whaaaat??”….. “No way!”…. “Oh my gosh….“ Is he going to?”…. “That’s crazy!” — and then….

He bent down on one knee, pulled something out of his pocket and the audience cheered so loud we could hardly hear him say it….”Luci Shepherd, will you marry me?”.  She said, “YES” and the crowd went wild!  Leaps into the air, high fives, hugs!!  It was as if they had all won the lottery!

Then came the engagement party — mini-pizza, mozzarella sticks, pigs in a blanket and best of all, Shirley Temples! Cheers to the happy couple!  Tonight was one of those evenings so energized with excitement and celebration, that we hardly remember the spectacular Maine day we had earlier.  The brilliant sunshine found activities going on from one end of camp to the other, and everywhere in between.  The magic waters of Trickey Pond may have been the most welcoming place to be, but that didn’t stop us from hosting three Intercamp round-robin tournaments here today (10U Basketball, 11U Tennis, and 12U Soccer) and sending out three other teams as well (13U & 15U Tennis and 14U Soccer).

In Tennis, highlight performances were turned in by Toby, Ari M, Nathan A, Will G, Jack L and Sconsett.

Both Hoops courts saw plenty of 10U action all afternoon.  Lance dominated the backboards in two games, and Elijah E played great D all over the court. Spencer O provided much of the offensive spark for our club.

Right alongside on the Hockey court, JJ kept us in the first game’s defensive battle with outstanding work in the cage.  Jordans G and H led an explosion on offense in a big 2^nd game win.

And finally, the 14U Soccer team continued to show marked improvement in just a few days of play under Coach Paul’s guidance. In the opening round, Elias G and Leo F led the way, then Leopold’s debut in the net and some great defensive work by Lucas V and Ignacio held a very tough opponent scoreless after allowing an early tally in a come from behind 2-1 victory.  Finley hit the upper right corner to tie it, and then Sherman scored the game winner midway through the 2^nd half for the win.

Definitely a day and night to remember!

Intercamp action has gotten off to a rousing start with contests in Soccer, Basketball, Baseball and Lacrosse.

Paul Harrison, our Soccer Director (well, Football in his world) arrived here direct from Istanbul where he cheered on his beloved, native Man City club’s Champions League title. His impact on the 15U team (and our entire Soccer program) showed well in their first games of the season.

In a similar format, our 14U Hoops team split a couple of very close games and showed that they too will be very tough to beat.

Our 13U Baseball club played a doubleheader – with the same mixed results.  Isaac C and Jacob R starred both on the mound and at the plate, where Noah K did the most damage with a bases-loaded triple to knock in 3 runs…before Bron closed it out by striking out the side.

You already heard of the 12U Lax tourney win, a very talented young group.  Coaches and teammates raved over the tournament’s MVP, Archie, who was incredible in the goal with 16 saves in the final!  When Coach Rook gave his report to camp, the Pavilion rocked with the Skylemar spirit that already has become infectious to our newest campers.

Trip season kicked off as well, with the Tigers traveling to the Ossipee Valley Fair.   It’s an old-fashioned country fair, with lots of things most of our guys would have never seen before.  For instance, dairy clipping (shaving a cow?!), a frog jumping contest plus all kinds of farm animals.  Sawyer and Harry FC won the egg toss!

Pine Cone Auction was the surprise Evening Activity.  Because pinecones only drop once every few years, there were none to pick up.  So…we tossed colored eggs all over the golf course.  The boys scrambled to find as many as they could, as well as some golf balls that needed to be shagged.  They were worth double, since tomorrow is a lawn-mowing morning.  Extra points for the “chicken dance” too.

The big 10-hour activity for this camp director and her fantastic assistant Cory was ACA Accreditation.  Once every five years, camps who are members of the American Camping Association have to meet hundreds of standards to demonstrate that we go above and beyond to be best in the country.  The process involves a dozen binders filled with written plans and explanations, on-site interviews and many hours of physical inspection.  This is nothing we have to do but is instead something we want to do.  Proud to report that Skylemar exceeded expectations and passed with flying colors.

We woke to a big yellow surprise in the sky.  The sun!

The boys hit the fields and courts with gusto.  The schedule went exactly to plan, with the perfect combo of land and water sports.  We don’t know how Barney does it so well.  It’s amazing how he orchestrates every minute of the day, which includes precisely where each of our 300+ people need to be…and when.

From the sunshine to the dedication of staff members like Barney, today we remembered to appreciate.  In fact, a group of kids in the Cool2Care Clinic made a special treat for each counselor.  It was a Rice Krispies treat decorated specifically for each.  They were given out after the Counselor Meeting was heartwarming to watch some of the counselors take a photo of what they received before it disappeared.

Several parents have asked about the best way to show counselors that they are appreciated.  In fairness to all, counselors, by contract, may not accept tips.  But what they can accept is an email or letter of gratitude.  These are read aloud at meetings, and it’s a tremendous moral boost.  If you’d like one to be shared, we’ll pass it along (arleen@skylemar.com).

Your camp director was especially grateful when the six school buses showed up on time to take the entire camp to the Sea Dogs game.  It’s one of the favorite nights of the summer, when the entire camp goes to Portland to watch the Red Sox AA affiliate  “play ball”!  Best part of all is just being together.

Skylemar’s pretty well-known over at the Sea Dogs home, Hadlock Field.  Most of the ushers have been there for decades, and they tell us that we have the reputation of being their favorite camp.  As you know, a little bit of good manners goes a long way.

Since the beginning of Skylemar time, kids have written home to “send candy”, even though it’s not supposed to happen.  For some, letters and postcards include tidbits about the Skylemar day, while for others it’s a simple “I love you” at most.  Every so often letters can be confusing.  Yesterday he wrote that he has lots of friends, and everyone’s nice.  Today it said the opposite.  Since 1948, some things haven’t changed.

What also hasn’t changed is the job description of a mom or a dad.  Although parenting styles differ, you will love your son to the Sky and back, more than anyone in the world, and there’s nothing you want more than for him to be happy.  An important part of your job is to listen, and feel good that your son uses you as a sounding board, in good times and not so good.

In terms of written requests, of course fads come and go.  Today’s ask is typically for Jibbitz and trading cards which are definitely back in style.  In terms of the news, here’s what’s hot for 2023 —  branding.

“I started my own brand” is a phrase that’s been used quite a bit lately.  “It’s called Over Armor”, one explained.  Jack Mc (B15) knows all about consistent branding, and whatever he designs must have a dolphin on it somewhere.

This clothing creativity takes place at Chilltop with Mary Beth.  That’s where the kids get to create really cool stuff, and the “in” thing to do is to decorate clothing.  T-shirts, bucket hats, bandanas, and other items that start out white before the boys embellish.  Soon Mary Beth will tackle what a kid loves most and teachers can usually do without…tie-dye.  Tying up shirts in rubber bands and dipping them in color is super fun!

Another fun part of today was actually about doing for others.  The executive director (Matt Hoidal)  of “World of Change” came to talk to us about his charity that’s geared towards kids helping kids.  Matt explains that there is 62 million dollars in coins that get thrown away each year.  If we instead collect these coins, just one jar-full can be turned into 240 meals for kids in need.

You may recall the Cool2Care change bags that were sent to the boys during the school year.  Many of the guys brought these to camp filled with quarters, nickels and dimes.  We combined all the money into one big bowl, and then each camper put a handful of change into the “Change The World Truck”.  Matt reminded us that we can make a positive difference in the world, one person at a time.

An extra fun part of today was watching fireworks at the lake.  The whole camp relaxed on the beach and docks, oohing and aahing over the amazing display.  Before things got started there was a boat parade, and the annual Counselor Belly Flop contest.

And finally, it’s always fun to be on a team playing a game against another camp.  But it’s especially great to win!  Congrats to our U12 Lacrosse team, who brought home our first Intercamp Tournament Championship trophy!

You probably read about it in the news.  All the celebrities and notables were there.  Even President Biden, along with his Secret Service of course.

It’s definitely the place to see and be seen…performers like Elton John, Luke Combs and Machine Gun Kelly.   Athletes like Mac Jones and John Cena, plus surprise comebacks like Barbie & Ken, Harry Potter, Dorothy, Buddy the Elf and of course, Elvis.

What makes it especially exclusive is that it’s only open one night a year.

It’s SADE’S PALACE!

Sade’s is a casino with rules.  For one, you must be under 18 to enter.  Hours are 7 PM-9 PM, July 3 only.  No need to bring money because everyone gets a wad of cash.  Most importantly, the house never wins.

There’s Wheels of Fortune, Blackjack and Roulette.  High-Low, Dice Games, Craps and Poker… and Checkers, Chess and Pick-a-Pig.  There’s a bank of slot machines that ring, zing and sing.  Fortune Tellers are on hand to only share the greatest news.

Also caught on camera this evening were Thing One and Thing Two, Sustainabatman, Lilo with Stitch, Buzz Light Year, T-Rex, some tacky tourists, a sloth, platypus, Juliet (but no Romeo), Guy Fieri and many more.

Need to grab a bite or wet your whistle? Jr’s Grill had a fantastic menu. There was root beer, pretzel rods and ice cream cups.

And, oh the music… Karaoke at its best!  Singing live tonight were customers coming from as close as Bunk 1 to as far as Bunk 30.  Regulars too, like Santa Claus, Angry Bird, Simba, Woody from Toy Story and several Spidermen.

This just in:  Elliot McG won the lottery!  Millions went right into the palm of his hand!

Where better to spend all the hard-earned cash than the SkyStore.  Here there are valuable trinkets to purchase, like blow-up balls, basketball hoops, yoyo’s and whoopee-cushions.  The selection was jaw-dropping.

By now all the true VIP customers are home safe and sound, snug in their beds.  By daybreak the Palace will have disappeared, but only until July, 2024.

PS  Many thanks to Holly, Suzie our Drama Queen and the celebrities (aka counselors) who were willing to make us all smile.

We are a soggy bunch, here in Maine.  Shoes make squishy sounds, and even raincoats are soaked through.  Nevertheless, there’s lots of smiles and laughter, as our tireless staff makes lemonade out of very wet lemons.

Making things happen, figuring it out, creating people-powered fun and blanketing all with love is part of the job description for those on our leadership team.  Made up primarily of teachers, coaches and those who work with children year-round, the Senior Staff inspires the counselors to be the best they can be.  They basically plan, supervise and help to execute every minute of the Skylemar day, and there’s no task they won’t cover.  They give hugs and advice, wipe away tears, shout cheers of encouragement and navigate the twists and turns of a day.

For example, we have an important goal of keeping Skylemar boys clean and healthy.  As you probably know from living with at least one, sometimes this is no easy task.  Plus, ours live in a ten-in-one-room, they need to change their own sheets every week, and in a boy’s mind there’s far more interesting things to do here than taking a shower.

So…

At breakfast today Senior Staffers marched into the Pavilion, dressed as warriors with a broom as their weapon and a trash can lid as their shield.  Barnicus, the Warrior of Clean (aka Program Director Barney) leads the chant with the kids – it goes clap, clap, “CLEAN”! clap, clap, “CLEAN”!

Barnicus explains that today is GACU, which stands for Great American Clean Up.  This is the weekly time when each cabin participates in a “trifecta of clean”:  Super Bunk Inspection, health check with the Infirmary, and a visit to “The Spa” for nail trimming.

Enter stage left comes the costumed character Laundrus Aurelius, leader of the Laundronites (aka Athletic Director “DT”).  He explains that today the Laundronites of camp must change their sheets and then put all dirty clothes in the magical bag that goes to the laundry service.  A chariot takes away the incredible bags and in two days they reappear with clean, folded clothes inside.

Meanwhile, as the rain poured steadily with no end in sight, director Cory was busy creating an indoor schedule packed with fun.  She delegates to the other Senior Staffers and NBC’s (Non-Bunk Counselors) exactly what activity each is responsible for, and then orchestrates the day like a symphony conductor.

There’s the Lego Extravaganza, Card Shark Game Show, Karaoke, Cookie Baking, and games at the Gym and Lodge.  Some went on a trip to Ice Skating in Bridgton, while others decorated t-shirts with Mary Beth.  Media Director Shannon welcomed groups to the WSKY Media Center, for green-screen video making with her staff.

The hardest working and most appreciated were the NBC’s & Sr Staff who ran The Spa throughout the day.  As the boys drank cucumber water and soaked their stinky feet in tubs of soapy warm water, the staff sat on yoga pillows as they trimmed nails on the Garden Cabin porch.  Since the boys over age 13 can do it themselves, that meant only 2,240 nails needed to be cut.

Like we said, this is a team that does whatever it takes.

If you want to see organic, all-natural Cool2Care stuff in action, come to a Skylemar Talent Show.  It’s an uplifting night that will do a heart good.

Certainly it takes nerve to perform in front of 350 people.  But on the Skylemar stage it’s more like singing or dancing in your own home with a bunch of brothers cheering you on.

The Seniors and Stars sit in the back, and they set the tone.  No matter who performs, whether actually  talented or not so much, the oldest campers lead the cheers and boisterous applause.  It’s a respectful and grateful audience, who encourages do-overs when a mistake is made.  When the performers get silly and laugh, we laugh too.

Anyone can enter, and there’s a solid showing from those in all age groups.  Whether age 7 or 15, talented or not, in the eyes of our audience each performance is amazing.  It’s a laid back and stress-free way to practice capturing a crowd.  Plus, each actor, musician or dancer gets to select a trinket from the Super Prize Bag.

Here’s how it went down:

Hayes and Max P (B14) did noodle battling while Asher played theme music on the piano.  Troy C (B1) demonstrated some outstanding dance moves.  He was awesome.  Jacob W (B9) screamed into the microphone.  Yup, that’s it.  Ryder’s magic act was the ideal follow-up.  He made water disappear by drinking it.  Oliver G (B8) drew a picture that the audience couldn’t see, but they cheered for him anyway.

Eli W (B9), Marco, Azim, Matthew R (B18) and David G (B12)  were all phenomenal on the piano.  Grady and Bud told jokes.  What do you call a dog with wings?  A dog with wings.  Speaking of wings, Judah did a back flip that amazed all of us.  Spencer O (B5) and Matthew M (B5) did a skit kinda-thing with a pretend punch.  Some things you just have to see with your own eyes.

Henry Z (B10) was extremely talented at burping.  LaJuan did the Rubik’s Cube.  Sawyer and Dash acted out some kind of military skit that we didn’t understand but loved just the same.  Keith (B22) did a circus dance.  Ethan V (B10) and Alex G(B23) each had an act that showed off their dance skills.  Really impressive!

Where else in the world would you see fruit surgery performed?  Actors Barron, Alex S (B8), Easton and Balty assured us that they weren’t real doctors.

Bunk 2 danced and sang to a song that they wrote on the first day of camp.  Counselors say they’ve sung it every day since, sometimes as early as 6 AM…

The Cool2Care Tally:

• Thousands of “yes, pleases” proudly said during meals.
• Hundreds of examples of kids being welcoming to others.
• Many times, people have picked up trash that they hadn’t dropped.
• Several notes of praise for others placed inside the Cool2Care Cooler.

And that’s just one week at Skylemar.

This evening’s Spirit Night begins by honoring a camper who embodies Skylemar’s Cool2Care motto.  It’s appropriate timing, because Spirit Night is when we gather together as one camp family, slow down the pace, and take the time to be grateful.

Tonight’s Cool2Care Chain was awarded to a camper who hasn’t had the easiest road since the beginning of camp.  Although he’s fine now, he was in the Infirmary with a virus for at least three days.  Nevertheless, he always had a smile on his face.  He has a glass half-full attitude, and even wrote three notes of appreciation to the nursing staff during his stay.  This 9-year-old camper taught us a lesson:

When you feel down, do for others and things will turn around.

In addition to The Chain, the recipient gets a jersey with his counselor’s college on the front.  This signifies that life’s successes are not just about yourself, but they are also about the positive role models you’ve encountered along the way.  “Goshen College” was written across the front of this one.

Congratulations to Jacob K (Bunk 6), the first C2C chain recipient for 2023.

As the camp sat on the front lawn listening and participating in Spirit Night, you could feel the love of brotherhood.  In fact, we’ve even become accustomed to greeting each other with a “secret” hand symbol.  It’s middle-and-ring-finger down with the other three digits up, which in sign language means “I love you”.

Camp songs, popsicles and positive wishes for those at home who gave us the opportunity of Skylemar.  We are the luckiest people in the whole wide world.

It’s true!  Today we did it.  We got to wear SUNSCREEN!

The boost of Vitamin D is exactly what we needed.  The schedule finally went exactly as planned, and this time we could enjoy Trickey Pond without a blustery drizzle.  The sun truly makes for a good-mood day!

Most eager were the Waterfront staff.  The 20-some member team, led by the world’s greatest waterfront director Peter Solomon, could now do what they do best – teach, inspire, and generate wholesome, wet fun.

When the kids arrive at the lake with towels in hand, they sit on the logs behind the “force field” (the red and white rope that determines if the Waterfront is opened or closed).  Peter divides them into groups, which typically rotate.  Some will go to boating, some to swimming and some to the ski dock.

Those headed to boating are greeted by director Paige, one of the kindest and dedicated teachers we know.  She and her staff show everyone how to kayak, canoe, SUP (stand-up paddleboard) and sail.  It’s especially empowering to know how to sail your own boat.

Swim Director Lexie and her amazing instructors are especially skilled at keeping lessons fun.  They get into the water with the kids, which helps those of all levels to feel most comfortable.   It’s not just laps with this team of collegiate swimmers.  They’re creative and teach in a way that kids don’t realize they’re being taught.  For example, they might challenge the group by having them make two baskets at Water Hoops, swim freestyle across the lanes, then swim the breaststroke to the trampoline, jump three times and go with the stroke of your choice back to the dock.

Perhaps the most popular side of the waterfront is the Ski Dock.  Here the boys learn to ski, wake surf, knee board and tube, all behind one of four motorboats.   Director Quinn and his fantastic staff encourage each boy to take his turn, and those waiting on the dock actively cheer for their friends.

To get up waterskiing for the first time is the kind of thing a person remembers the rest of their life.  To do so takes bravery, safe risk taking, listening skills and concentration.   The boat drivers and their assistants are extra patient, and are willing to let each boy try, try, try and t-r-y-y…again.  They too will get in the water or whatever to takes to make someone successful.

In skiing there’s a progression.  First time up is on the boom.  You’re pulled right up out of the water, so you get the feel.  Next you try short rope.  Once that’s mastered, you’re on to the long rope.  After crossing the wake, you might just try slalom.

First timers for 2023 include Matthew M (Bunk 5), Alex B (Bunk 6), Elijah E (B7), Luke P (B6), Spencer O (B5), Solomon (B7), Theo N (B26), Jack M (B7), Judah (B15), Alex G (B23), Levi F (B11), David G (B12) and Tim C (B11).  By tomorrow there will be many more.

Rumor has it…more sun for the next few days.  Bring it on!

The Daily Schedule:

There’s a brand-new version on each table every morning.  At first glance it looks complicated, but it’s an easy second language for any Skylemar camper or counselor.  Here’s how it works:

Across the top are the bunk numbers, 1-30.  Green means that one counselor is off.  Down the left side are the period numbers, 1-7.

If you happen to be in Bunk 11, you’d put those lines together and figure out that you have Hoops first period and Lax for second.  Then comes 3rd Period Clinic, which is the choice of Backwoods, Baseball, Challenge Course, Chilltop, Football and so forth.  Continuing down you’d see that Waterfront is 4^th/5th period, and 6^th period is Spikeball/Kan Jam.  7^th period choices are Baseball, Football, Gaga, Golf, Hockey and onward.  Super Game Show is for Evening Activity, and a happy birthday to Alex G and counselor DMan!

Now for the deeper dive, since there’s much more to know.  Starting at the top left, you’d see that it’s a Letter Writing Day.  Going across is information for counselors:  who’s off, who has Foot Patrol (the person who patrols the cabins and makes sure everyone’s where they’re supposed to be), and a “cheat sheet” for period start times.  The black bar at the bottom has additional staff assignments.

Counselors also need to scan each line left to right, to see when they’re working.  For example, first period is Waterfront for Bunks 1-6 and 8-10, and the names of the 20 counselors on duty are listed.  Same goes for each sport.

The bold black line in the middle refers to play rehearsal, as well as several other duties.  Below it is the Rest Hour shower schedule.

The beauty of all of this is that the paper is only for your perusal.  Each period is announced on the PA system, so that everyone knows exactly where to go without remembering anything.

You’re familiar with most of the activities, but here’s a few on this one sample day schedule that you may not know about:

Maine Wildlife Adventure – A trip to a zoo for animals that can’t be returned to the wild because they’ve been injured or orphaned.

Chocolate Factory – That’s where you make sweet treats for your own cabin as well as an older cabin.

Gainsville – Strength and conditioning with athletic trainer Nick of New England Fitness.

Chilltop – Arts & Crafts with Mary Beth.  Today the kids are making signs for the Portland Sea Dogs game coming up.

SkyPines – Overnight camping down by the water at Sky II.  Here the boys go fishing, play games, cook dinner on the open fire, and learn about the beautiful outdoors.

SkyDeck – Culinary Arts with Adam.  Each day a different cabin gets to make breakfast, and another gets to cook dinner.

Senior Special – The surprise on the 7^th period list of choices.  Tonight, Nick Shep had a radar gun competition.  Henry S threw the fastest pitch and Sherm had the fastest lax shot.

So there you go.  Now you’ve got it.  But look out, because tomorrow’s will be totally different!

No stars were above on this misty gray night, but we had our own.  The Stars Division is the oldest in camp (age 15), and we’re proud to have them as our leaders.  Together with the Seniors (14 year-olds), they live on the other side of camp at Sky II, and serve as big brother figures for those who are younger.

To be a Senior or Star and live at Sky II is something that most aspire to.  They have their own little “village”, with close access to tennis courts, The Gym and The Lodge.  Lights out is later, they get to go on “Night’s Out” in town, and best of all, they have “Happy Hour”.  That’s when the guys have the option for supervised hanging-out, or they can go to the lake for activities like wakeboarding, waterskiing, sailing, standup paddleboarding and kayaking.

At tonight’s Ring of Champion’s Campfire, Nick included the Stars in his annual introduction to Skylemar’s Cool2Care motto.  The concept is simple, and it’s what makes our world a better place.  It’s cool to care about being our best self and trying our hardest,  it’s cool to care about others, and it’s cool to care about the world around us.

Here’s what the Stars had to share with the rest of camp when asked for examples of what Cool2Care means to them:

• Doing the right thing when nobody’s looking…
• Saying “thank you” to those who don’t hear it enough, like the maintenance and kitchen crew…
• Picking up trash that wasn’t yours…
• Welcoming someone new to Skylemar as if he were your best friend…

The Ring of Champions is always a super-fun night, with lessons like this woven into the program.  Cory runs the show which always features classic and much-loved repeat-after-me songs (tonight was “60’s Party” and counselor Zach’s rendition of an old favorite, “A Roosta Sha”.  There are some hysterical skits like when Cory quiets the whole camp to near silence just to listen for a baby deer calling out to her mother —  then someone in the woods yells “Hey, Mom!” instead.

What’s a campfire without a “musical snack”?  Tonight’s was Sarah playing “All of Me” by John Legend on the guitar, and everyone sang along.  The other snack was s’mores of course, and then came a visit from Adventure Man.

Adventure Man, who sorta looks like Shep but dresses totally different, shares tips for surviving in the outdoors.  This time he pulled out his “Can of Calm”, and explained that this is what’s needed for a sticky situation.

Keeping our fingers crossed for no rain tomorrow.  The weather report indicates a 70% chance, but then again, that still means a 30% chance of sunshine.

It was as if the energy of 200 campers traveled up to the sky.  Maybe that’s where the “Sky” in Skylemar comes from.  And it definitely gave everyone something to talk about over breakfast.

It was a double cloud-to-cloud thunderstorm that hovered over us from around 3:30 AM until well past 5.  To start with the end of the story first…all is 100% fine.  No matter how the tale gets told, there actually were no trees down, no fires, no smoke, nothing terrible.  But it definitely was at least 90 minutes of FLASH-SNAP-BOOM which only a few slept through.

The lightning rods did what they’re supposed to do, and only the PA system and some computers were affected.  The electricity went out, but the generator kicked in.  Counselors were stupendous at comforting their boys, and fortunately, we were able to communicate with staff members through a text group.  Now that’s a good use of a cell phone!

By the time we sat down to cinnamon rolls, eggs, fruit, cereal, oatmeal and yogurt, the storm was a thing of the past.  After each meal we have what’s called “Announcements”.  That’s when Shep or one of the other directors talks about what’s ahead.  Sometimes counselors speak too, but today Suzie, her assistant Grace and camper Hayes N got up and danced.  The song “Move It, Move It” was a clue that the first musical of the season will be “Madagascar”.  All ages are invited to audition.

Next the music switched over to a song that we’ve all heard before, but couldn’t quite place.  As some pointed down the Bunkline, all eyes followed to see a masked hero riding towards us.  It was Sustainabatman!

Sustainabatman teaches us about caring for the Skylemar environment.  He urged all to use water bottles instead of disposables, demonstrated how to use the composting bucket for banana peels and apple cores, and taught us how to drink the leftover milk from our cereal bowls.  He invited us to join the Clean Plate Club, which means that you only take what you know you will eat.  Great stuff, Sustainabatman!

The foggy, drizzly, gray day switched us to a Rainy Day Schedule.  Bunks 1-14 played Flamingo Bingo – if you win you need to flap your wings.  Bunks 15-19 had Board Games in the Pavilion.  20-24 had Lodge Party, with pool tables, ping pong, foosball, and so forth.  Sky II had Porchtime with Shep, which is basically a time to talk and hang out with each other.

By afternoon, despite the wetness, these guys really needed to run.  After all, many were awake since before 4 AM but hadn’t had much time outside of a building.  The courts were too wet, but the grounds were fine for Mini-Lax, Football, Volleyball, Soccer Training, Gaga, Spikeball, Kan Jam and exploding soda at Yellowhorn.

Movie Night for Evening Activity.  Most of the camp watched “Minions: The Rise of Gru”, while the older guys watched their movie in The Lodge.  It was fun to be together, all spread out over the Rec Hall floor.  A happy part was the fresh popcorn and candy, which is a once-a-week movie treat.

More rain expected for tomorrow.  We’ll make the best of whatever it is!

Skylemar 2023 is off to a terrific start!  For the campers, there just aren’t enough hours in the day.  The younger half of camp woke at dawn, and couldn’t fathom why their counselors wanted to sleep till 7.

For the counselors, it’s kind of like having your first child.  But imagine if it were octuplets, and each happened to be at least 50 pounds.  Perhaps like you, they’ve read, studied and attended classes on how to care for kids.  You had nine months to prepare – they had two weeks.

Fortunately, Skylemar counselors are fast-on-their-feet, strong and resilient.  Yesterday’s explosion of energy has settled thick in the air, and it’s impressive to watch the staff match the enthusiasm of those half their age.   College students are super fun, and way cooler than any of us parents.

Since we know that boys are at their best when following routine, our programming structure is for the most part, consistent.  Each day has seven periods, five that are assigned along with two that they choose (three when they’re older).  This way everyone is exposed to each of our 40+ activities, while also having the opportunity to specialize a bit more in what they like most.  Counselors are challenged to keep their activity fun for those of all levels, especially because if you don’t feel good about your ability, then you don’t like the sport.  Keep it upbeat, have some patience, mix skill-builders with playing the game and anyone can be turned-on to a sport or game.

At any one time there were kids at the Waterfront, Football, Hoops, Tennis, Spikeball, Bocce, Soccer, Baseball, Golf or Lacrosse. Throwing (shotput today) was in the mix, and so was Archery, Pickleball, Ping Pong and Mini Golf.  Some of the activities may be new to you, like Gainesville (strength and conditioning), STB (Steal the Bacon), Chilltop (arts & crafts), Gaga (sort of like dodgeball below the knee) and Yellowhorn (science experiments).

There were plenty of firsts today.  For many it was their inaugural time in sparkling clear Trickey Pond.  Air temps were in the 80’s, but because the lake is spring-fed, the water’s typically…well…let’s just say “refreshing”. It does feel amazing once you go under.  Aquatics Director Peter and his outstanding staff assessed swim levels, and over on the Ski Dock, Director Quinn taught everyone the important hand signals for waterskiing, wakeboarding, tubing and wakesurfing.  Lots of splashing and play time came next.  First to get up waterskiing for 2023 was Theo N in Bunk 26.

Scavenger Hunt for Evening Activity.  Teams are a combo of old and young cabins, an ideal way for all ages to get to know each other.  The goal of the Hunt is to unlock six clues.  In order to do so, there are items you need to collect and questions that must be answered.  For example, to unlock one of the clues you had to tell Dr. Jeff a scientific name for the kneecap, find an item that’s name has a “q” in it, find a feather and figure out when was the Doc’s first year at Skylemar. The running around, laughing and cheering continued until dark.

Tomorrow it all starts again!

Kaboom!

If only there was a way to bottle the energy that exploded at Camp Skylemar today, we could fly a rocketship to the moon. It’s our kind of solar power, generated by gigantic smiles, genuine hugs and a million high-fives. No matter the overcast skies and a misty drizzle, even those miles away might have felt the joy radiating from Naples, Maine.

The greatest guys in the whole wide world have finally arrived!

Those coming to Skylemar for the very first time felt blanketed in love by the amazing counselors who trained for weeks in preparation for this exciting time. First-day butterflies flew away quickly as new friends became family, and old ones picked up right where they left off, 364 days ago.

Bunk assignments were shared, and the boys dashed to their cabin. It felt amazing to come home to a freshly made bed alongside those who were soon to be brothers. After a tour around camp, it was time for the traditional first night meal…spaghetti and meatballs. It took 70 pounds of pasta, mounds of Caesar salad and 120 loaves of Chef Junior’s famous garlic bread to feed this hungry and happy crowd.

We all came together for Evening Activity in our favorite building, the Rec Hall. Shep bellowed “WELCOME HOME” to the exuberant crowd, and the counselors were each introduced. The boys cheered heartily, especially for their own, and the vibe was ecstatic.

Day is done, and all is well. For this camp director, it’s the greatest feeling of all time.

Goodbyes can be tough, but they’re a whole lot easier when you know you’ll be seeing each other again.

Take today for example.  Our first session friends departed, but it warmed our hearts to hear the guys talking about next year already.  In the Skylemar World, time goes incredibly fast.  A day equals a week, a week equals a month, and a month equals a year.

Tomorrow, Parent Visiting Day, is one where many of us will re-unite with loved ones.  It’s guaranteed to be an emotional day, with the highs of seeing each other again, as well as the lows of separating.  The great news is that like with those who departed today, we know we’ll be seeing each other again soon.

A number of kids will not have visitors tomorrow, and their Saturday will nevertheless be filled with Skylemar fun.  In fact, the day is actually designed with them in mind.  The boys will play together as always, with the difference being that a couple hundred others will be watching them show off.

We know you’ll respect the guidelines we have in place, which include staying out of buildings except for bathrooms.  Your son of course can go in and out of his cabin as always, but we ask that you kindly remain outside.

Please take a look at the email sent out tonight which explains how the day is planned to go.  Above is a photograph of the schedule, which will be distributed in the morning.  Your son’s cabin number is at the top, and below that number are the activities that you’ll be watching.

Just like every year, there will be boys who cry at various times, and some who may even plead to go home.  That can be especially tough for a parent to see or understand.  In fact, some of our counselors who are former campers were once upon a time that sobbing boy on Visiting Day.  If you ask them today the best thing that happened then was, they’re parents left, we had a Carnival, and all was well.

Can’t wait for a happy day!

Quick question — Who are Willie the Wildcat, Bill the Goat, Buzz the Bee, Testudo the Terrapin, the Sooner Schooner and the Demon Deacon and what could they possibly have in common?  Stumped, are you…?  It’s an easy one for any in the vicinity of Naples today, as the decibel level reached new heights and was heard all over Skylemar and beyond today.  Answer — These are the 6 team mascots of the college participants in the 2022 edition of one of our oldest traditions – Intercollegiate Day.

The school spirit actually began rising a few days ago when Grand Marshall Nick Shep announced the randomly selected teams that would compete for this year’s IC Day “trophy”.  The boys were separated into 7 “classes” (our usual divisions), starting with our youngest “students” — the Cubs (Bunks 1-6) and Tigers (Bunks7-9), then the traditional college hierarchy of Freshmen (Bunks 10-14), Sophomores (Bunks 15-19), Juniors (20-23) and Seniors (25-28), and finally our post-grad class, the Stars (Bunks 29, 30 and JCs).   The 6 “halls of higher education” chosen by their counselor leaders to battle it out in this, the 74th version of this very special day — Northwestern, the US Naval Academy (Navy), Georgia Tech, Maryland, Oklahoma and Wake Forest Universities — were well-represented in a daytime filled with athletic events followed by the nighttime performances of each school’s “Songs and Cheers” (rehearsed for a few days in advance) to determine the overall IC Day winner.

And here’s how the day played out….

The morning routine, from reveille to breakfast to inspection just like always…until all participants were called to the Snow Field, where each team staked claim to their spot on the overlooking bank.  Most kids proudly wore school colors or face-paint, and team banners waved proudly as the overlapping cheers created quite a morning buzz…the Wildcats, Midshipmen, Yellow Jackets, Terps, Sooners and Demon Deacons were ready to rumble!

Nick Shep settled the crowd, then set the scene for IC Day’s official opening event – the Dash, one of the most celebrated of all IC Day activities.  Class by class, the sprinters from each team were called to the starting blocks – 7 exciting races run in about 10 minutes time, with nearly each resulting in a photo finish — 5 of the 7 races really did need a quick replay look from our top-notch camera crew just to be sure of the winner! Maryland put its stamp on the Dash with 3 wins – Alex S (Cubs, B4), Max P (Tigers) and Boden (Sophs) crossed the finish line first for the Terps.  Both Myren (Freshmen, B12) and Sam (Senior, B26) raced to glory for the Wildcats, and Wake Forest’s Elias (B22) was the Juniors champ. To close the event, all lauded Oklahoma’s Grant as he nipped Navy’s Ethan K at the wire to prove he’s “the fastest man in camp.”

Once complete, the boys began a rotation through 6 different athletic activities, moving by class to venues all over camp. Gaga and Steal the Bacon, two events revered by our littlest guys, may have been the most popular activities, especially for the older guys who maybe thought they’d outgrown them.   Both Gaga pits were busy all day as each class competed in a fast-paced, round-robin mini-tourney to score points for their teams; same for Steal the Bacon, played down on the Snow Field, where the Cubs showed that it’s still their game!

Our own legendary Skylemar creation, Buoy Ball, was as popular as ever. Simultaneous action – think baseball with a buoy (bat) and rubberized, oversized “tennis” ball – on both the Middle diamond and Fred Pierce fields saw plenty of great hits and bare-handed fielding gems from all classes.  Power & Finesse was an updated version of an old Skylemar favorite, Lightning — the soccer “knock-out” style game that keeps everyone “in it” (even after apparent elimination) with a chance for reinstatement on every shot taken or save made.  Passing, shooting, and goalie play kept all participants in constant revolving motion.  Nick and his crew also converted the new mini Fiddlestick lax field into another volleyball court just above the existing beach volleyball court.  Again the dual action of simultaneous, round-robin, “knock-out” games in both Newcomb for the younger guys and volleyball for the Upperclassmen presented a showcase of excitement and boisterous support heard all over.

And in Blacktop Hoops at the BBall court, there were 3on3, 4on4, and 5on5 tourneys in most divisions, but just after lunch, Mother Nature dropped in with an early afternoon rain delay when the Seniors were scheduled. The courts slicked up a bit temporarily, so Nick Shep quickly changed course (and the game) to “Hot Shot”, a timed, speed-shooting skill event that built a rather large crowd of spirited onlookers.  Speaking of Mother Nature, her brief appearance did sink the “Sunken Boat Regatta” scheduled down at Trickey, but that didn’t stop the rest of the afternoon from giving all a chance to participate in all other planned activities.  It was a fantastic day of fun, competition, sportsmanship and team spirit – the hallmark of this long-cherished Skylemar favorite. Everyone looked forward to the evening activity, Songs and Cheers, which would ultimately decide our IC Day winner.

After dinner, the schools headed off to their final rehearsal.  The time and effort that went into tonight’s performances started long before today.  Each team’s counselor leaders have been working for weeks picking music, writing lyrics, etc. in preparation for tonight’s show, but they then must somehow, after just a few days of practice, have a group of about 40 boys learn the words and music, and perform their 5 song set (Team Cheer, Camp Cheer, Team Fight Song, Old Camp and Original Camp Song) on the Skylemar stage.  And that they did.  The teams gathered in front of the Rec Hall and one by one, under a beautiful moonlit sky, each team sang their hearts out.  The setting was just magical, and the sounds of Skylemar tradition echoed from each and every performance. Judges Barney, Matissi, and DT were tasked with the final word, and all waited for Shep’s proclamation of the 2022 Intercollegiate Day winner – Northwestern University!

For the first 50+ years of Skylemar, we had the most wonderful drama director who was adored by all:  Craig Gerhard.  He had a way of making the theatre “cool”, and even the most unlikely were willing to give the stage a try.  As a builder of confidence, Craig inspired many to pursue careers involved with public speaking.

When he passed away, we thought there could never be another drama director strong enough to carry Craig’s torch.  It’s a tough job to fill at an all-boys sports camp.  There were a few who did their best, and the program continued.  But not much compared…until 2012, when along came Suzie Hepker.  It’s as if she was sent by Craig.

Suzie is the goddess of the Skylemar stage.  Extremely talented in her own right (she’s an incredible singer and dancer), she’s a phenomenal theatre director who understands and celebrates Skylemar boys.  Not only does she miraculously produce two musicals each summer, but she also runs Evening Activities, birthday parties and a million other things around camp.

Here’s what’s miraculous — Suzie does it all!  It starts with her promoting auditions and keeping them casual.  You simply sign up for a small, medium or big part.  From there she takes care of the casting, directing, choreographing, costuming, set design, scenery …. and basically anything else.

Best part of Suzie is she keeps it fun.  Her patience is heroic, especially with a cast of very short attention spans.  She limits rehearsals to who’s in a specific scene and understands that an intercamp game might take priority for a lead actor.  Somehow, she puts it all together at the dress rehearsal – the one and only time the show is done from start to finish before the performance.  Then, voila! It’s opening night!

Tonight’s performance of “Newsies” was terrific.  Lots of hard work and dedication was put in by Sawyer, Ethan V, Nolan B, Owen S, Luca F, Hayes, Charlie L, Jagger, Elie D, Cooper E, Eli W, Palmer, Max P, Teddy S, Jonathan F, Keith O, Xander and Kyle Y.  We’re so proud of these guys!

What Suzie and the audience understand is that a Skylemar performance is really geared towards the performers.  When they have fun on the stage, we have fun in the audience.  We get a kick out of the actors giggling… or when they forget lines and someone whispers the cue, forgetting that he’s on a microphone.  It’s ok if we can’t hear or don’t quite understand the story. We’ll clap, cheer and whistle just the same.

In fact, watching the audience is fun in itself.  Overall, they’re respectful and do pay attention.  But after all, they’re boys.  And they’re brothers…

So, the little guys up front pop up and down throughout.  One needs a drink… another, the bathroom.  A few are asleep.  One does log-rolls on a blanket.  Many climb on counselors or the older guys.  Sometimes we see the older guys eating seeds or candy, which they’re not supposed to, but it’s ok once in a while to let them get away with something innocent.

Through all of this, Suzie perseveres with a smile.  She, and the cast of “Newsies” are our much-loved Skylemar stars.

“Cool2Care” is the motto we strive to live by at Skylemar.  But never will we be so smug as to think that all is blissfully perfect.  In fact, it’s quite the opposite.  In any one day there are petty arguments about fairness or going first, someone overreacts at a game or in the bunk, or a camper fails to “stop” when others ask him to do so.  One guy is “annoying”, and another doesn’t listen.  Someone says something that is interpreted as “mean”, while another says he was “only joking”.

So it goes when you live together as one giant family.  But here’s the best part about a “Cool2Care” world.  You get second chances.   Just about always there’s a chance to fix a mistake.

We call it the three steps to forgiveness.  First, you feel sorry for whatever you did that upset someone.  Then you say that you’re sorry, which can be the really hard part for a boy.  And finally, you do something to show that you’re sorry which includes not doing it again.

Not a foolproof method, but apologies are powerful.  Every boy should have the opportunity to master the art.

Another side of “Cool2Care” is what you do when nobody’s looking.  You see, caring really isn’t about trying to win the chain.  It’s about what you do, just because….

It’s the simple things that add up to more.  For example, because they care to do the right thing, every single person in the food line says “please” and “thank you” to each of the servers.  That’s eight pleases and thank yous per meal.

Everyone matters and plays an important role at Skylemar.  Palmer didn’t think twice about helping the kitchen guys carry in the food.  A little guy asked one of the maintenance team if they wanted to play basketball.  Best of all, he played.

So, for the handful of moments of forgetting to care, there are 101 times in a day that we do.

Whoever said that parenting is the hardest job in the world has yet to be a camp counselor.

As complicated as it is, you do typically get nine months of prep time to be a parent. The child that arrives weighs just a few pounds and is perfectly content to eat and sleep.  In the years ahead there’s quite a bit of getting-to-know-you time, plus plenty of breaks for school and visits to grandma’s.

On the other hand, a counselor gets a couple of weeks training and then BAM, he’s the parent of septuplets.  He lives with his family of eight in a one-room house, and even shares the same bedroom and bath.  That bed isn’t a queen or a twin – just the same skinny mattress as everyone else.

Not only does he need to keep the house tidy, but he does it with all the kids still in the room.  He nags about clean clothes, teethbrushing and showering, not just for one, but for all in the family.  The kids must make their beds daily, a feat which most parents would never attempt.

In addition to “stay at home parenting”, a counselor goes to work each day as teacher.  With little time for planning and preparation, he must be creative and able to switch gears depending on variables (like personalities, skill levels and attention spans).  Any time in between classes is spent tending to his own brood, cleaning up messes, drying tears or giving piggy-back rides.

Most astonishing is that counselors prove that it really can be done without a screen.  No Netflix or Minecraft.  No YouTube or Fortnite.  Just a good old fashioned deck of cards, a chapter book to read nightly, maybe some board games or a basketball hoop.  But what’s a game without a referee?  Counselors find that there are always petty disputes to settle, rules to establish and ways to make sure that things are fair.

Like a parent, a counselor takes tremendous pride in his boys.  When his “summer son” makes the winning goal, sings the solo or gets up skiing, he beams like never before.  On the other hand, a counselor shares the same frustrations and thinks what we all think…oh, if he’d only listen.

By the end of the season, a counselor has a skillset that you might want to take note of.  His management and communication skills are superb, he can juggle multiple tasks, his problem-solving abilities are extraordinary and his dedication to the mission is unquestionable. If you’re in a position to hire, keep in mind that this is your guy.

Skylemar counselors are our heroes, and for this we are grateful.  Thank you for being brave enough to undertake the hardest job you’ll ever love.

Sparkling blue skies and a warm breeze today!  It was the kind of summertime weather that Maine is best known for.

The kids were still talking about last night’s Staff Talent Show.  It was a really fun time, and campers were especially proud of their own counselors.  There were singers, dancers and so much more.  Myke of Bunk 11 recited a poem that he wrote, dedicated to his campers. Jackson of Bunk 25 played the autoharp.  Do you know what that is?  Tommy of Bunk 7 juggled toilet paper rolls, and others juggled invisible balls.  DRC whistled and Rob did 100 pushups in under a minute.

Most touching part of the night was when Cory and Suzie sang “Skylemar You’ll Linger” at the piano, with Mary Beth signsinging along with them center stage.  It was a perfect way to end a happy night.

Intercamp update:  14U Hoops and 12U Lax.  We won lacrosse 12-10, with Archie causing at least five turnovers.  On the courts, we fought hard but lost the first game in OT, then took the second impressively in a 25- point blowout.  Michael H was the MVP, energizing the rest with great effort and leadership on the floor.

Exciting new Clinics for the week include “Ryder Cup Competition” at Golf, “Tournament Play Tennis” and “3 v 3 Basketball”.  Shep’s “Skylemari Safari” is a backstage tour of Skylemar.  They get to see the maintenance department, kitchen and other interesting spots.  15U Lacrosse has our top coaches preparing the boys for a big tournament coming up. Cutest part of this one is that Henry from Bunk 1 signed up.  He understood that it’s for older players, but he wants to hang with the big guys.  He’ll be the perfect mascot.

Those who select SkyDeck will be making Southeast Asian cuisine.  “Upcycle Projects” at Chilltop include robot and musical instrument-making.  The Ski Dock offers a “Mastery Clinic”.  It’s for guys who are working especially hard on taking the next step in the progression.  SkyPhotos is the place to learn about taking, editing and organizing photos.  Harry from Bunk 30 will help to lead that one.  “Defensive Baseball” is all about fielding ground balls and shagging fly balls.  There’s “Great-Plays-to-Run Football”, Card Games, Low Ropes, Soccer Juggling, “STB Hockey” and “Ultimate Sportsman”, which is about foraging and cooking food outdoors.

Once again the choice is the hardest part.

Deputy Brown, our local police officer, joined us for dinner.  He spoke to the camp reminding all that if someone ever needed assistance here or off camp, he and his team was here to help.  Afterwards, he met with kids who had individual questions, especially about the 30 pounds of gear that he needs to wear.

During the meal came a Cool2Care moment:  We had brownies for dessert, and Spencer S asked Nick to make sure we saved enough for the kitchen crew.

SkyPines Overnights are always a hit.  Each night a different bunk gets to spend the night at the Sky II Waterfront with Sid and Sam.  They come either by foot or canoe, carrying their sleeping bags and backpacks.  After fishing and snorkeling as the sun sets, it’s time to make dinner over the open fire.  It could be a stir fry or grilled cheese hand pie.  S’mores for dessert of course.

Sid and Sam always have lessons about the outdoors to pass on, as well as stories to share around the campfire.  There’s something about staring into the flames together and squeezing into a 12-man tent that reminds us of the brotherhood we have going on here.  Truly extraordinary.

Legend has it that the waters of Trickey Pond may be magical.  From our point of view, they most certainly are.

Considered one of the cleanest bodies of water in the state of Maine, Trickey Pond is our precious gem.  Fed by underground springs, Trickey is about two miles long and half a mile across.  The water is deep (50’ in the center) but is so clear that it looks like you can touch the bottom.

Skylemar’s the only camp on the lake, and our side is protected by over a mile of trees between Sky I and Sky II waterfronts.  It’s just us and some wonderful neighbors, who’ve all grown accustomed to the sound of Skylemar bugles telling them when to wake, eat and go to sleep.

Because Trickey doesn’t connect with other lakes, there is very little power boat traffic.  It’s mostly our four ski and wakesurf boats, plus the fishermen out catching salmon, trout and bass.  We’re especially proud that the Maine Department of the Environment has awarded Trickey Pond the highest water quality designation.  It’s clean enough to drink, so that’s exactly what we do.  Our extensive filtration system assures that drinking water is delicious and healthy, and we test every day just to be sure.

Yes, the waters are magical.  Just jump in and all your troubles are washed away!   That’s because Skylemar’s Waterfront is the place for fun!

Gia, Chas, Blake, Quinn and the rest of the staff run a well-oiled machine.  When the boys arrive for a double period, they’re divided into groups which rotate between swimming lessons, non-motorized boating (sailing, kayaking, canoeing, standup paddleboarding) and the skidock (waterskiing, wakesurfing, wakeboarding and tubing).  Of course there’s always swimming for fun as well, which includes jumping on the Trampoline, climbing and leaping off the Iceberg, flying down the the Beast (the giant slide), bounding off the Rope Swing or diving off the Pontoon.

Beginner swimmers become very comfortable in the water, thanks to a patient and caring staff.  Those who are more advanced improve their strokes, with the guidance of instructors who are also collegiate swimmers.  As mentioned, the water is deep — from 8′ within the docks to around 30′ out beyond them.  Therefore, we all wear lifejackets when playing on the inflatables.  That way a novice can have just as much fun as a friend who’s advanced.

The staff on the Ski Dock work their magic too.  Any camper willing to give skiing a try is guaranteed to get up.  They start on the Boom, just to get the hang of it.  Then next to the short rope, then onto the long one, and off they go.  Part of the fun is being on the dock encouraging friends.

In addition to skiing, the guys especially enjoy Wakesurfing.  It takes a special boat to create a giant wake for surfing.  For most it’s easy to get up on the wake board (but this camp director is still working it), and it’s especially exhilarating when you can drop the rope and surf as if you’re at the ocean.

The past two mornings were Polar Bear Swims.  That’s when you wake up before everyone else, head to the lake and swim across.  Lifeguards swim with you, and kayaking counselors help if you need a lift.  On the other side is Bunk 71, the Finkelstein house.  Yummy donuts await, as well as a motorboat ride back across.

What a great way to start the day!

What are the three most popular times of day at Camp Skylemar?  Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

How’s the food?  Most reply with a one-word answer.  “Amazing!” or “Awesome!”

Ours is “boy food” for sure.  Simple, plenty of it, and sauce always on the side.  It’s a giant all-you-can eat buffet, which includes a hot entree, side dishes plus the good-old-dependables:  pasta, Wowbutter and jelly sandwiches, fruit and a delicious salad or yogurt bar.

The day starts with an assortment of cereals, fresh cut fruit, oatmeal and yogurt with toppings, and a hot entrée of either pancakes, scrambled eggs, waffles, French toast sticks, breakfast burritos, cinnamon rolls, bagels or sunrise sandwiches.

Chicken tenders (the really good kind), tacos, pizza bagels, steak subs, grilled cheese and sliders are some of our favorite lunches.  Dinner is always something delicious like Skypotle (thanks for the idea, Chipotle), Thanksgiving dinner, Jr’s famous grilled chicken, pizza, spaghetti and meatballs, wings, fajitas, lasagna and Cookout (burgers and hot dogs).

Quantities are astounding.  For a single meal it takes either 21 turkeys, 270 pounds of chicken or 75 dozen eggs.  For lunch alone, Chef Mike cuts 60 cucumbers, 120 tomatoes, 5 cases of lettuce plus many pounds of other fresh produce.  Before the kids arrive, the kitchen staff makes and freezes 12,000 meatballs from scratch, because it takes 1,600 per meal.  Certainly, we could buy them ready-made, but our team of chefs are far too particular for that.

What does it take to be the camp with the five-star kitchen?  The most wonderful culinary team in the whole wide world.  It’s a group of professionals dedicated to making every boy happy, and they’ve been with us for a combined total of over 80 years.  Not only does Junior, Benjamin, Carlos, Superman, Mike, Adolfo, David, Bryon, Januel, Jairo and Cesar prepare a feast three times a day for 350 people, but they clean up as well.

As a matter of fact, the Sky-kitchen has the reputation for being one of the cleanest in Maine.  Just ask the Health Inspector!

PS  Hosted the much-anticipated, always exciting 10U Steal the Bacon Tournament today.  Three camps participated and the Skylemar sportsmanship and spirit showed the way — our guys worked hard and once again, brought home the bacon – 2022 STB Champs!

We’re ba-a-a-ck!  It’s been 1,076 days since our last intercamp game (July 27, 2019) and today we rocked!

13U Soccer here at home on the Hejduk Field.  We were down 2-1 at the half, but that was before Coach Eric gave his motivational speech.  Then we stepped it up and ended with a 6-2 victory!  Goals scored by Diego, Max F, Archie, Lucas V and Pelayo.  Other outstanding players included Ignacio, Spencer M, Alex S, Nick P, Bode, Noah K, Max N, Bobby C, Noah L, Ayan, Eddie R, Zane, Jared R, Cosme, Leo F, Charlie F, Holden F. and Gavin K.

15U Hockey brought back a victory as well!  They traveled to a nearby camp and won with intensity, 7-2.   Coach Jake’s report: “Jack P opened it up, Isaac G locked it down, Sam DF was a beast all day and Jacob R was dominant.”  Shout-outs also to Charlie P, Holden W, Leo T, Bob, Tosh, Michael H, Jonathan S, Austin, Grant N, Soren, Cole D, Aaron P, Alex B, Jack C and Zach O.

Meanwhile, the Cubs had a trip of their own.  It was Bones’ Fire Station Bonanza!  They had a full tour of the Naples Fire Department, which was super interesting.  Even the counselors were fascinated. They especially liked seeing all the vehicles, learning about the Jaws of Life and watching how the station operates.  And of course they especially liked the stop at the ice cream shop afterwards.

Juniors and Seniors went Ice Skating at Bridgton Academy.  That’s a boarding school about 10 miles away from camp that has a nice ice rink.  It’s especially fun to have the place to ourselves.

Pine Coneless Auction for Evening Activity!  It’s an annual tradition for the younger half of camp.  Problem was, this time there were very few pinecones to be found.  Some years we have them everywhere, and other years not.  Scientists say this has to do with the previous winter.  If there was a good amount of rain, the tree can focus more on growth and less on seed production.  Conversely, a dry winter means more pinecones.  What we’ve seen for ourselves about pinecones is that sometimes they fall annually, but other times they go for years without touching the ground.

Anyway, instead we tossed plastic colored eggs all over the golf course while the kids weren’t looking.   Thousands of them.

Captain Chicken blew his airhorn, and they were off gathering up their medium of exchange.  When the collection time was over, they pooled their eggs together by Division.  Cubs, Tigers, Freshmen and Sophomores then bid on whatever party they would like to be a part of.  For example, the Tigers won a pizza/movie party in the Garden Cabin.

Almost forgot…we had a visitor today:  Matt Hoidal, the Executive Director of “World of Change”, along with his “Change Truck”.  WOC is a non-profit that empowers kids to make a positive difference for less fortunate children through the collection of loose change.  Matt explained that there’s 62 million dollars in coins being discarded every year.  When that money is donated to “World of Change”, 100% of it goes towards helping kids with housing, food, school supplies and so forth.

One of the ways our guys can help those in need is to donate leftover spending money that Camp dispenses when on a trip.  For example, many of the boys contributed their leftover Seadogs change.  Our hope is to inspire Skylemar campers to be involved with “World of Change” after camp as well.

We’re slo-o-owly testing the waters of the world outside the Skylemar gate.  It’s been a long time (since 2019) that we had vehicles moving in assorted directions throughout the day.

One of the silver linings of the pandemic is that we had no choice but to slow down a bit and depend more on togetherness and creative fun at camp.   This summer we’ll keep this in mind, while also adding some off-camp adventures now and then.

For instance, today we took Bunks 3, 10, 20 and 21 to Sebago Lake State Park.  Although Trickey Pond is by far our favorite, this area of Sebago Lake has a sandy beach and shallow water for tossing a football or Frisbee.   It’s fun to go with cabins of assorted ages, which gives the older guys the opportunity to role model for those younger.  Best of all…there’s a snack bar.  Everyone gets $10, and there’s something about spending it alongside friends that makes it more fun.

Bunk 30 went golfing at Bridgton Highlands Country Club.  The Club’s about 15 miles away and is perfect for those who have become proficient. The weather today was absolutely ideal.

It was an academic trip for the JC’s.   They toured Bates College and met with a fabulous admissions director who happens to be the mother of Cam in Bunk 1, and the wife of Mike Seltzer, Skylemar’s Sports Performance Director.  Mike is the Strength & Conditioning Coach at Bates, and we’re fortunate to have him at Skylemar too.  We also have some top-notch staff members who are Bobcats, like Lowell, Avery and Blake.  Not that we’re plugging the school or anything…

Bunk 18 went on a day hike to Pismire Bluffs.  It’s a comfortable 3-mile trail with incredible views of Crescent Lake.   They came back feeling especially good about the great outdoors.

Here on camp, it was a Cool Tools day.  That’s when Bruce, one of the most brilliant and fun men we know, teaches the guys about hand tools.  Today they were making wooden spoons which is one of those things we never think about how it’s made.

Drive-In Movie Night for Evening Activity.  The whole camp gathers on the hill side, with Crazy Creek chairs or sleeping bags.  Fresh popcorn and candy (aka “canteen”) go hand-in-hand with the show.  It’s a late night, but a happy one.

Nothing says Skylemar more than The Talent Show.

32 brave performers, some with talent, and some not so much.  No matter what, the audience cheers wildly after each act.

The rain brought us into the Rec Hall, with the Seniors and Stars in the back of the room.  They’re the ones who carry on the tradition and set the tone:  performers first, audience second.  With or without talent, those on the stage are shown respect and support.   Even if it’s a magic trick that no one can see…

First up was Jagger, who asked for two volunteers.  That’s the cue for just about everyone to raise their hands straight up and give the “Oooh oooh” noises that annoy teachers.  The volunteers blindfolded him and he painted abstract art.

Ethan V dazzled us with his breakdancing.  Seeing him beam with pride at the end was the very best part.  Xander danced as well, and also shared the “how to’s” with everyone.   Keith O did a dance dressed as a hotdog.   Charlie P juggled, and Jacob W played the drums.  Both were super cool!

Nolan B sang “Raise Me Up”, and Luke P sang “Old Town Road”.  Hayes dedicated his performance of “As It Was” to his mom.  Carter S sang “Panini”, and JJ did a freestyle rap based on the color green.

Sprinkled in throughout the real talent were those who, shall we say, were more “artistically creative”. KJ contorted his body into a bridge and walked backwards.  Brooks did imitations of Kermit the Frog and Mickey Mouse.  Palmer did his version of Forrest Gump, Homer Simpson and Tom Cruise.  Oliver G drew a picture called “Plateau Sunset”.  Magicians were Luke BR, Bronner, Eli W and Barron.

What’s a talent show without marshmallow tossing?   Max P and Asher covered that.  Nate C rolled around in a bongo bag (we told you they were handy), while Iggy, Max and Pelayo juggled a soccer ball.  Isaac F swallowed a sword, which was actually quite impressive.

There were skits we didn’t understand but laughed just the same.  Afterall, the performers were having a blast up there.  Sawyer, Dash, Henry G and Palmer’s skit was called “Boxing Comedy”.  Ryder and Ainsley put on “Epic Fails”.

Bennett S and Henry Z can burp like you wouldn’t believe.  Henry is even capable of speaking while doing this.  Most extraordinary was Lionel, who has a full repertoire of armpit farts.  Oh, to live at a boy’s camp…

Fourteen-year-old Kyle YA once again truly blew us away with his dance moves, as he has for the past few years.  His performance of “Beat It” would make Michael Jackson proud.   He might just have what it takes to be professional some day.

Those who played the piano really do have tremendous talent.  Asher, Azim and Charlie L each played beautifully.

The one who made his camp director tear up in emotion was Matthew R.   He played “Piano Man” as if he’d practiced for months.   The special part came when Matthew began singing the verses into the microphone.  He took over the room with his strong voice, and everyone responded with the chorus.  The kids waved their arms in the air and swayed back and forth.  It was one of those many Skylemar moments to cherish forever.

Great parents are game changers.  Our guys have won the lottery on this one.

Not saying this to flatter the readers, but instead to point out how incredibly fortunate every boy at Skylemar truly is.  You are there to support, encourage, guide and catch him when he falls.  Perhaps some folks may be guilty of “over-parenting”, but nevertheless, there could be no person in the world more loved than a Skylemar boy.

The fun part of the parenting job is to watch your son flourish and grow, as he takes advantage of the opportunity you have provided.  While he’s away at Skylemar, it’s a treat to hear him brag about getting up waterskiing or the friends that he’s made.   It feels especially rewarding to know that here he’s mastering skills in relationship building, independence, decision making, and safe-risk taking.

The not-so-fun part of the parent’s job is to be the “dumping ground”.  Boys need a place to put their feelings, whether happy or sad.  That’s where you come in.

When the road gets bumpy within the culture of childhood, it’s hard as a parent to resist the urge to fix.  The best advice we’ve heard came from 13 year-old camper Marcus (name changed to protect the wisest) whose mother was concerned about his cabin placement.  He “dumped” on her about his nervousness, so mom understandably wanted to get involved.  But Marcus wisely declined her involvement and instead said, “Mom, I’ll figure it out.”

Figuring it out, or FIO as we call it, is one of the casualties of the pandemic.  While isolated at home in front of a screen, our boys were denied the opportunity to be physically accountable to those outside of the family at home.  Their brains were deprived of practice sessions for managing feelings that we know as adults will eventually go away, but to them it may seem daunting.  For example, take a sleepover party.  Experiencing the jitters of going to someone else’s house for the first time, or conversely the disappointment of not being invited, are uncomfortable feelings that get easier with practice.

Our hope at Skylemar is to help our guys catch up a bit and make up for some of that lost time.  For us it’s about doses of good old-fashioned fun, chances for redos and safe risk taking, plus lots of love along the way.  We’ll throw in some make-your-own-sundaes and fireworks on Trickey Pond, and he’ll never suspect that he’s learning.

Eureka!  We found the solution!  It’s a bongo bag!

Perhaps you’ve noticed that boys are challenged by getting dirty laundry into a bag.  But give them a bongo and it’s a game of yucky-sock basketball.  Every Sunday the bongo gets emptied into a magical bag that gets taken away in a big white truck.  Then, “Poof!” – it comes back clean and folded a couple of days later.  Cool part of the bag is that it opens on the side like a suitcase, so all stays folded when you put it away.

Sunday Signups too!  This week’s Clinic offerings include:

• Baseballenstein Baseball Pitching & Hitting
• Bigger Faster Stronger at The Lab
• “Newsie’s” Props & Scenery Making
• Hoops Shooting with LT & Crew
• Robin Hood Archery
• 3 v 3 Hockey Tournament
• Peanut Butter Jelly & a Baseball Bat Reading
• 15 & Under Lacrosse
• Money Shot Golf
• We Say Marco, You Say Polo at the Waterfront
• Steal the Bacon
• Pick & Eat Cooking at SkyDeck
• Soccer Scrimmaging
• 1-on-1 Football
• Big Bertha, Sail Boats & Kayaks
• Shelter Building at SkyPines
• “Aaaaaah” Tennis Serving and Playing

Finished off the day by taking 350 people to the ballpark.  It was the Portland Seadogs vs the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Hadlock Field.  We sat together, proudly wearing our Skylemar colors.  Quinn B caught a foul ball, and we were featured on the giant screen singing “Sweet Caroline”.  The kids loved the snack bar, especially because whatever you ordered came inside a batting helmet.  Sea Biscuits were the traditional favorite.  That’s two really good chocolate chip cookies with ice cream inside… puts the standard Chipwich to shame.

Following the Seadogs win came the dazzling fireworks.  Amazing!

Best part of the night for this camp director was hearing what another patron had to say: “You can pass on the word that this old guy thought you were a well-behaved crowd.  I’d go to a game with you anytime.”

It’s quite an accomplishment to get 200 boys showered every day.  From their point of view, why shower if I’m going in the lake?  From the Skymom’s perspective, we want to make it happen.

Power Shower Hour is on the schedule daily, and each bunk has a specific shower location.  Every Friday is GACU, and that’s when we really shine.

GACU stands for Great American Clean Up.   It’s the triangle of clean:  first you shower, then you go to the Infirmary for a health check, and then finally, to The Spa.  “The Spa” is Skylingo for “go to the Garden Cabin Porch to soak feet and get nails clipped”.  Giving pedicures wasn’t included in the job description of a Senior Staffer, but our amazing team takes it all in stride.

Funny thing about this.  A prospective parent called to say they heard a rumor that we had a spa at Skylemar, and they wondered if it was true.  If so, we were a little bit too fancy for them.   It’s all in a name, right?

Leagues kicked off with Football, Softball, Soccer and Basketball.    That’s when you play competitively within the Division.  It’s a double period and the intensity is strong.

In addition to a schedule packed with sports, Remote Control Cars were a hit with the little guys.  Bet they’d be popular with the oldest too.  Chocolate Factory is another unique activity that everyone loves and is one of the ways older and younger kids get to know each other.  The scheduled bunk makes chocolate treats for themselves as well as the older cabin of their choice.

First up for FaceTime calls were the Cubs and Tigers.  It was heartwarming to watch the guys show off their Skylemar home, friends and counselors with the iPads.  Cutest of all was when Lionel and Bennett held up screens and introduced parents to each other.

Campfire at the Ring of Champions for Evening Activity!  100% authentic, wholesome, organic and natural fun.  Cory, the greatest campfire leader of all time, starts with the repeat-after-me-do-as-I-do song called “60’s Party”.  Your son will have to explain this, but trust that it’s a riot to see all ages wriggling, dancing and doing the motions.  Next, Barney did a dramatic reading of “My Money Don’t Jiggle” (something on TikTok that the kids seemed to know but their camp director didn’t).  DT led the “Burrito Song” and all joined in.  Counselor Coby played “Wagon Wheel” and we joined in on the chorus.  Super cool was the impromptu linking of arms over shoulders, without any adult telling them to do so.

After s’mores, Adventure Man arrived with his “can of calm”.  One of the interesting things he taught us was how to make a stretcher out of sweatshirts and sticks.

It was a beautiful night, and you could feel the brotherhood.  It sure is good to be us.

Cha-ching!  Cha-ching!  It’s Sade’s Palace!

The place was crawling with millionaires, wallets fat with Skylemoney.  They came from as far as Sky II and as close as Bunk 1 for a rousing night of gambling.  Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Poker and Wheels of Fortune.  Slot machines too!

The rules of the casino are strictly enforced.  You must be under 18 to enter, and at Sade’s, the house never wins.

Truly the place to see and be seen, VIP special guests (thanks to the counselors, JC’s and Suzie’s costume attic) included Tom Cruise, Indiana Jones and Santa Claus.  Aladdin, Jasmine and the Genie came, and so did the Goddess Athena and a Foot Locker employee.  There were some tacky tourists, a prom queen, flapper girl and Draco Malfoy.  It was a pleasure to welcome the cast of “The Golden Girls” (aka the world’s best nurses found only at Skylemar), and we were especially proud that President Biden attended along with his security detail.   Did you know our Pres is a phenomenal tennis player?

There was Karaoke in the Garden Cabin Porch Lounge, while George’s Bar served up frosty plastic cups of root beer and pretzel rod cigars.  A fortune teller gave each patron a magic red fish, used to forecast the future.   Artists twisted glow sticks into spectacular creations, affordable for even those who’s luck had run out.

Just before closing, The Bank opened up.  There you could purchase a plethora of trinkets and toys, including the ever-popular suction-cup basketball hoop.

Congratulations to Bode Goodman for winning the lottery!  His life will be forever changed since he then had enough to buy 10 inflatable balls.

And thank you to all the grandpas out there who taught our boys how to gamble.  You see, it wasn’t even our idea….

Cool2Care.

It starts with a story told by Nick Shep.  It was late August in his freshman year as a lacrosse player at Dickinson College.  During a pre-season captain’s practice, Nick wasn’t putting out much effort since it was a session that didn’t really “count”.

A senior player ran up to him and said, “Hey, Nick.  What’s going on?  It seems like you don’t care.”  Nick explained that it really didn’t matter since the coach wasn’t there.  The senior responded, “No, man.  It’s cool to care.”

For Nick, that’s when it “clicked”.  It’s cool to care about being your best, it’s cool to care about others, and cool to care about the world around you.  From that day on he played with all his heart, and always made sure to pass on positive energy.  He was ultimately elected Captain, but not because of his athletic talents.  He was chosen to lead because he cared.

At Skylemar, we call this message “Cool2Care”.  For example, it’s cool2care about winning and playing your hardest, while still caring about those who lost.  It’s cool2care about yourself, by brushing teeth, showering and washing hands throughout the day.  It’s cool2care about the land of Skylemar, by never leaving trash on the ground.  It’s cool2care about your bunkmates, especially when someone’s feeling left out.   And…It’s cool to care about loved ones at home so much that you might even get teary thinking about them.

It’s the motto we live by, at least most of the time.  You see, we’re human of course, so make plenty of mistakes.  Sometimes we forget that it’s cool2care and need to be corrected.  Then we t-r-r-r-y-y again.

Far more often than not, Skylemar guys demonstrate that it’s cool2care.  In fact, if you see someone putting cool2care in action, it can be shared on a card in the “Cool2Care Cooler” located on the office porch.  Every so often Nick will go into the cooler and pick out a meaningful card to read to the camp.

Tonight’s card was written about one who is especially kind and helpful to all.  He knows each person by name, and always says “hello”.  He is respectful, compassionate and puts others ahead of himself.

The first Cool2Care chain of 2022 is awarded to Isaac Garonzik.

PS Congrats to first time skiers:  Lajuan, Ainsley, Jack H, Dillon W, Ayan, Joseph P, and Logan D!

Walking on sunshine all day long!

The fields and courts were hopping.  It’s amazing how many things can be done with a ball.   There are all the regular games we’ve mentioned, plus today we played Handball, Kickball, Bocce, Volleyball, Spikeball, Mini Lax and Gaga.  If you’re not familiar, Gaga is kind of like dodge ball played below the knees inside an octagon sandpit.

There’s lots more than sports at Skylemar which adds variety to the program. The kids love Chilltop, our outdoor Arts & Crafts department.  Director Mary Beth is one of the nicest, most fun teachers a kid will ever have.  Her projects are geared towards boys, and include sand art, tie dye, model making and Shrinky Dinks (remember those?).  They make masterpieces with glitter, architectural structures out of wood and artistic creations out of clay.

The best part of Chilltop might be the conversations which take place while the guys are working.  There’s something about looking down and keeping hands busy that’s relaxing, and in turn helps discussions to flow.  In fact, they might even toss around ideas for the next hot product.  How about an athletic mouth guard that also whitens teeth?   Brilliant!

Skylemar has food artists too.  The SkyDeck is an indoor/outdoor cooking studio that’s one of the most popular places at camp.  Today at 6am, Ari F and Barron of Bunk 6 stopped by to cook the mussels they found in Trickey Pond.  Director Adam showed them how to do so with garlic and shallots.

The kids love being scheduled for SkyDeck for either breakfast or dinner.  Bunk 15 made a three-course meal all on the grill:  Elote corn, grilled steak with homemade tortillas, pickled onions and lime crema… then grilled peaches with homemade whipped cream for dessert.   Those who signed up for the Tapas Clinic during third period made empanadas and “Spanish Tortilla”, which is a frittata with potatoes inside.

We kept it relaxed for Evening Activity as well.  It was Spirit Night – an evening when we gather in the field in front of the Rec Hall for a time of gratitude and togetherness.  Tonight’s theme was “Brotherhood” and Bunk 22 led the responsive readings and songs.  Shep read a story about brothers helping brothers, and counselor Tommy shared his thoughts on the topic with his sermonette.  We conclude with the Apache Blessing (“May the sun bring you new energy by day; may the moon softly restore you by night.  May the rain wash away your worries; may you walk gently through the world and know its beauty all the days of your life.”) …and then a round of ice cream for all.  George and Cory are fantastic at leading the camp songs, which always bring smiles and cheers.  It was fun to learn that the grandfather of two new campers wrote one of the Skylemar songs almost 70 years ago!

Upside-down cake kinda weather day.  Started perfect, then it poured… then sunny, and poured again.  Weird thing was the forecast said 90% sunny all day.  So clearly, we’re in the top 10%!

While skies were bright, Trickey Pond was the place to be.  Conditions were ideal for standup paddle boarding, canoeing and kayaking.  The dedicated and patient H2O team does whatever it takes to make swim lessons fun.  We’re especially proud of the beginners.

The waterfront at Skylemar is very deep – 30’.  We want everyone, despite their swim level to enjoy the giant inflatables, so the rule is that we wear life jackets.  That way a beginner swimmer can have fun with a friend who’s advanced.  The kids love the Iceberg – a giant climbing wall that you jump off of.  The Beast is a humongous slide adjacent to a water trampoline.  Then there’s the Rope Swing and the Pontoon (our floating diving tower).

The Ski Dock is known for getting every single person willing to try to get up on skis.  They have a top-secret method that’s shared only with the country’s finest instructors who happen to work at Skylemar.  It starts with massive amounts of enthusiasm, encouragement and patience.  Best of all, when the kid gets up it’s a golden moment for those in the boat as well as the dock-full of exuberant supporters.

Before long, one moves from the boom to the short rope to the full-length line.  Eventually it’s slalom and maybe even the Mau Mau Challenge (barefoot skiing).

Today Henry Z (Bunk 6), Miles B (Bunk 4), Brady J (Bunk 5), Henry G (Bunk 5), Sawyer (Bunk 5), Jacob W (Bunk 5) and Zeus M (Bunk 26) got up for the very first time.  Way to go!

As if it was planned, the recent rainstorms have come consistently from 11:40-12:40.  That’s the Clinic Period, when each camper selects an activity that they’ll work on for a week.  Signing up for Clinics is really fun in itself.  There are typically 14 or so choices, and the counselors advertise what they’re offering with a skit called a “commercial”.  Each camper has a Golden Ticket with his name on it, which he gives to the counselor offering the class that he wishes to take.

For example, this week’s choices included “World Cup Soccer”, “Captain Jack Sparrow Sailing”,  “Magic Touch Lax”, “Golf with Josh”,  “Catch & Launch Football”, “Tennis Groundstrokes”, “Shepherdy Reading Clinic”, “Hockey Combine with Coach Jim”, “Ski Dock Refresher”, “Water Games at the Lake”, “Handles Hoops Clinic”, “Spanish Tapas Making at SkyDeck”, “SkyPines Fire Building” and The Lab’s “Bigger Stronger Faster Clinic”.

Hardest part is deciding which to choose!

Fresh homemade cinnamon rolls, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, cereal, orange slices followed by a rainstorm.  Fortunately, Barney and Cory had a rainy day schedule ready to go.

Cabins rotated through an assortment of indoor activities, including Games in the Lodge (ping pong, pool, foosball, etc.) and Flamingo Bingo.  That’s the traditional game with a Skylemar twist.  Winners get to pick a stunt card for their counselor to perform.  For example, the counselor might have to do the chicken dance, sing the National Anthem, recite the ABC’s backwards or sing a song by Bruno Mars.  If the brave man can do it, the whole cabin wins a pair of sunglasses.

The Garden Cabin smelled delicious with Cookie Baking.  There was Bracelet Making at Chilltop, Legoland in the Farmhouse, and Board Games in the Bat Cave.  Suzie’s Card Shark Game Show was a hit under the Pavilion.  Porch Time with Shep can happen, rain or shine.  Shep has a topic that the kids discuss while eating Scooby Snacks.  Today they talked about what you should do when you see someone treating another unkindly:  you stand up and speak up.

After a lunch of cheesesteak subs and make-your-own salads, the rain was finished so the regular schedule resumed.  Archery, Volleyball, Baseball, Gaga, Hockey, Buoy Ball, Golf, Steal the Bacon, Soccer, Hoops, Throwing (as in discus and shot put) and Lax.  Lots of action at the waterfront too.  Check out the fish that was later filleted by Chef Junior!

Evening Activity was the Scavenger Hunt.  A younger and older cabin gets matched up as a team, and each team has to find items as well as accomplish tasks.  Without going into a building they had to find a pine cone shaped like the Eiffel Tower, a piece of duct tape, a water bottle with a sticker on it (easy) and two coins (really hard, especially nowadays).  They also had to tell counselor QLew a haiku, sing a chorus of any song, name four ways to cook an egg, and figure out how many working toilets are at camp (69 in case you’re wondering…).

Congratulations to the winners, Bunks 12 & 17!

Day 1 of real camp and it sure was a scorcher!  Hot enough to melt a water bottle, as some of the boys discovered.  Temps were in the high 80’s and the humidity was thick.  The Water & Sunscreen Wagon got plenty of action, traveling across fields and courts.

The little guys were up at dawn, ready to take on the day.  Counselors rolled out of bed and gave their best 6 AM effort.  Those who were older took advantage of the 8:30 breakfast hour and slept as long as they could.

“Bunk 1 raises the flag at the Rec Hall, and Bunk 2 at the Pine Grove”, the voice on the PA announced.  It’s a big honor to be the flag raisers, and the boys take it seriously.  We all stand at attention while the cabin in charge does the honors.  Once you learn how to fold the flag properly, it’s something that you never forget.

The morning paper, aka “the schedule”, awaits each group at the breakfast table.   Everything you need to know about the day is listed, including where to go when, and which counselor leads every activity.

For example, Bunks 1-9 were lucky to have a Waterfront morning.  Director Gia and her awesome staff at Trickey Pond did a phenomenal job with swim assessments.  The counselors swam alongside the kids, so that no one felt intimidated.  Once you were done it was time for a motorboat ride at the Ski Dock.

Meanwhile, Bunks 10-12 had Tennis, 13 & 14 had Lacrosse, 15 & 16 had Baseball, 17 went to Golf, 18-19 were at the Challenge Course, 20 & 21 had Hockey, 22-23 played Soccer, 25-26 had The Lab (strength & conditioning). 27 & 28 had Football and 29-30 went to Basketball.

But that was just First Period.

There are 7 periods in each day.  The first two are assigned and the third is a choice.  After lunch there are three assigned periods, followed by dinner and another choice period.  Evening Activity comes next, and we wrap it up around 9 PM.

Tonight’s Evening Activity was supposed to be a Campfire, but it was still too warm to sit around the extra heat.  Instead, we had “Sunsets and S’mores” down at the lake.  It felt great to be together as one big family having fun while appreciating the natural beauty of the colored sky.  Skylemar’s known for spectacular sunsets, and tonight’s was especially beautiful.  Favorite part of the evening had to have been the Counselor Belly Flop Contest. Congrats to the good sports who had us all wincing and laughing.

Holy Guacamole!  These guys are incredible!

If we could figure out how to bottle their positive energy, perhaps it could fuel the planes coming from across the country and abroad.

Today’s young travelers came from Maryland, California, Virginia, Alabama, New York, Louisiana, Connecticut, Texas, Delaware, Mexico, Georgia, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Spain, Florida, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Kansas, France, Illinois, Washington DC and Maine.  Word on the street from the Southwest Airlines agent: “I’d love to have a group like Skylemar for every flight.  You guys are loud, but super respectful.”   Well said!

Contrary to how flights have been running overall, today’s were smooth and on-time.  Each of our 200 campers were welcomed warmly by 100 counselors who had spent the past two weeks training and preparing for this important day.  No matter how we described their liveliness, you really have to experience the joy of eight little guys running, squealing, laughing and repeatedly asking for a piggy-back.

By dinner time, just about everyone had arrived.  The traditional first night meal:  Heaping plates of spaghetti with meatballs, garlic bread and Cesar salad.  Even the pickiest of eaters had plenty to choose from.

“Staff Intros” was the Evening Activity.  Directors Nick, Barney and DT had the kids cracking up with a wrestling skit.  Best part was hearing the boys cheer for their counselors, as each was announced.

By now, all are snuggled in bed with a room full of new brothers.  Shep made his rounds of “Good Nights” and checked on each and every member of the Skylemar family.  There were a few tears of course, but that’s to be expected.  After all, it’s hard to say goodbye to those we love.

Tomorrow’s the official kickoff – Skylemar 2022.  Let the summer begin!

Just wanted to share this temporary Blog, with a sneak peak into our emotional farewell morning.

The good news is he had you to come home to.  We miss him already!

No one seemed to notice the rain today at Camp Skylemar.  We were too busy playing just one more game and spreading around a whole bunch of love.   It’s Thank You Thursday, and we have lots to be grateful for.

Wherever we looked, there was a friend, a mentor, a hero.  Not just one, but a couple hundred.  It’s a bittersweet feeling knowing that we’re parting ways tomorrow.  Then again, we’re heading home to those we adore.

As the kids write Thank You notes throughout the day, it is this blog writer who overflows with gratitude.  Thank you for being the most wonderful parents in the whole wide world, and for sharing your amazing son with us this summer.

We love him to the Sky and back.

PS … Special thanks to my Color War ghostwriter Aaron F for making me sound like I know what I’m talking about.  Wink.  Now that’s a good friend.

After a summer drenched with more than the typical amount of seasonal rain, Mother Nature stepped aside for the past 5 days.  A sensational weather week gave us the full range of emotion from every corner of camp.  We saw plenty of ups and downs on the fields, courts and in the water, filled with amazing plays, buzzer-beaters, great shots and phenomenal saves, spectacular runs, catches and interceptions, clutch hits and outstanding glove work.  There were daily displays of speed, power, agility, quickness, and plain old athletic “smarts”, with too many last-second heroics to mention.  We even saw a rare hole-in one!  More so, both teams gave it all they had with maximum effort, all-around hustle, and an intensity level you’d expect in a War this close from the very start.  The passionate leadership, outstanding teamwork, sportsmanship, and incredible resilient spirit thrilled us all, and will leave a lasting memory for all who witnessed it.  Here’s how it ended….

Red’s tenuous lead gained at last night’s Songs & Cheers would be tested right out of the shoot this morning as Gray came storming out and blitzed Red in the first of two Sophomore Soccer matches over at the Hejduk.  But Red again was up to the challenge, and made an early goal stand up to win the second.  Red then won Juniors Football and both Stars Hoops games and again took command. A pitcher’s duel on the Freddie Pierce saw the Red Cubs slip past the Gray 2-0, before Gray got back on the board with a win in Seniors Tennis. Red victories in Tigers Golf and Bocce, and the all-camp Archery point put them solidly in the catbird seat – before Gray jumped right back in it by sweeping a pair of Freshmen Hockey games as we closed out the week’s athletic events.  Gray had fought valiantly, but Red would take the lead into the summer’s most anticipated traditional event – the most memorable activity of every Color War for the past 70+ years – Skylemar’s official closer — TUGS of WAR!!!

Coop’s Red Men had performed magnificently since mid-week, putting them in position to close it out.  It would only take two wins out of the seven Divisions in Tugs to win it all.  It seemed likely, but history has written many fairy tale endings. Aiden’s Gray Men still believed – and remained upbeat and confident of pulling off the upset.

The time had come… the PA sounded, “Gray Team to the Tennis courts, Red Team to the Hockey courts” for some last second “psyching up,” not that anyone needed it.  Shep called the teams to the Snow Field, and within minutes our youngest division, the Cubs, took the rope for the first time, beginning the process.  It would take best 2 of 3 tugs for a win in each division; Round 1 saw each Division take their first tug before coming back for Round 2.

“Tuggers take the rope!”, Shep bellowed.  Grip tight, feet anchored, George blew the whistle and…

PULL!!!  Muscles clenched tighter than tight, faces twisted with Herculean effort.  Each participant put every ounce of his very being into pulling that rope because he…has…to…win. The air filled with emotion, so thick that spectators were overcome as well.  This demonstration of will power was so intense that many on the hillside teared up.  These were our boys!

Those on the sidelines screamed, “Pull…Pull…Pull”!  A few tugs seemed like they’d never end.  When Gray swept the oldest 3 Divisions, Red’s lead had all but disappeared, down to just ½ point separating the teams – then, just as suddenly, Red closed out the Juniors and Sophomores tugs ….and it was over.  RED WINS COLOR WAR 2021!

The Red Team stormed the field in celebration!  They leaped into each other’s arms, cheered wildly and just plain exploded with joy.  It was the happiest day of their lives.

At least it was until they saw their Gray brothers sobbing, collapsed in raw emotion.  They too wanted to win more than anything in the world.

Red Men reached out to Gray with hugs and kind words.  The Captains were hoisted on the shoulders of their Lieutenants, and the entire camp followed them down to Trickey Pond.

Here, friends leaped into the lake, which is where the magic happens.  Trickey Pond washes away the competition, and Skylemar is one.

The magic continued after sunset, when it’s time for Waterfront Ceremony… perhaps the most loved and cherished Skylemar tradition.  The Captains led the torch-lit procession, which included every member of the Skylemar community.  The walk was silent, and even the little guys followed the rule tonight.

At the lake was a pathway of torches, with a giant bonfire on top of the water.  Once seated, we paused for a moment of gratitude for all those at home as well as at camp.  The Captains each had a chance to share their message.  They talked about their appreciation for Skylemar, and all that they’ve learned here.  The Captains encouraged each camper to be grateful for this opportunity and make the most of every minute.

Shep called each cabin, one at a time, to come to the water’s edge and light their Wishing Boats.  Our legend holds that if you light the candle, place the boat in Trickey Pond and make a wish for someone other than yourself, that wish just might come true.    The boats sparkled like a sky full of stars, as Skylemar songs were sung from across the lake.

Once up the hill, each Division had their own campfires.  Pizza and s’mores too.  It was a special way to end a spectacular week.

As we moved past the halfway point, the significance of Day 4 cannot be overstated. The weather could not have cooperated better, bringing us maybe the most spectacular day of the summer. This morning’s “psych-up” meetings told the story….

For Red, it was a real chance to separate themselves enough to alleviate any potential pitfalls from tonight’s critical Songs and Cheers competition. They’ve held the lead for the better part of the last two days, although still a bit tentative.  Captain Coop implored his guys to continue to “go for the gold” – to play their hearts out and to try to build this lead even bigger.  He cautiously warned that there’s still a long way to go.

Gray had other ideas.  This group could have been downtrodden from two tough days with not-so-great results.   But Captain Aiden squelched any dejected thoughts derived from looking up at the top, oozing confidence as he pushed his guys to build on the momentum gained late yesterday.  He promised better results if they remained patient, focused and continued to put it all on the line.

Tigers Lacrosse was the first result in, where Gray made short work of Red and an early move upward, but Red quickly stalled the rally by winning a very well-played Seniors Soccer game over at Sky II, 2-0.

The Sophomores covered both the Sky I and II Tennis courts and showed us again how evenly matched they have been throughout this Color War – today was no different, as they split the Tennis point.  Three events in, and still no change – Red remained in command.

Down at Trickey, another ski-off (timed wake-crossings) was needed to determine the winner – except this time we couldn’t declare one as the last skier needed to cross the wake successfully 18 times for a win.  The clock ran out as he crossed for the 17^th time, leaving us with the first Waterfront tie in many years, splitting Freshmen Waterfront.

A spirited Gray buzz began to simmer when word of their wins in Stars Golf and Bocce spread through camp and was ready to erupt, when the Gray Juniors won Softball down on the Fred Pierce Field.

And erupt they did, due to the morning’s most thrilling contests – of course, again involving our littlest guys.  Our Cubs seem to take every event down to the final whistle, and these “gridiron classics” were no different.  Since most other contests were decided, the participants from all other Divisions surrounded the two Cubs Football games as the 4^th quarter clock wound down in both games.  On the Rec Hall field, down 2 scores at halftime, Gray used some creative razzle-dazzle plays to score 3 late TDs in their come-from-behind win.  Moments later on the bunkline field, after Red had staged a miraculous comeback of their own late in the 4^th to grab their first lead of the game with under a minute to go, Gray used 5 plays to go 70 yards, scoring on a 1-yard plunge with less than 10 seconds left to send the Gray faithful to delirium.

The Gray comeback was complete.  Only a half-point now separated the teams as they headed to lunch and Songs and Cheers practice.  So, so close.

Waterfront events were now all done, so all the courts and fields were humming with action all afternoon.  And when the Gray Juniors quickly swept through two Bocce matches in the Garden, the score was tied…. WOW!  A bit later, 8 golf matches were complete with each team claiming 4 wins, halving Juniors Golf. Still tied.

Back and forth they went.  In a Lacrosse doubleheader over on the Hejduk, the first game ended in a tie, so the 2^nd one was played with the Sophs Lax point up for grabs.  Red won in a very close 2-goal game.  Then in Cubs Soccer, little Jakey made 2 key saves late to preserve Gray’s 1-0 victory in Game 1, then his teammates won Game 2 handily to secure the point for Gray.

Over in the Hockey Rink, the Red Stars swept a pair of games and regained the lead.  Then Gray served and volleyed their way to claim Tigers Tennis, once again drawing even. It looked like the day could end that way as the Freshmen Baseball game seemingly became a twilight affair. They battled ‘til just before dinner, when Red finally broke through with 3 runs in the last inning to come from behind and put Red back ahead.  It was just a one point difference as we headed to tonight’s Songs and Cheers Competition. AMAZING!

Throughout this week of non-stop activity from dawn to dusk, somehow each team’s leaders and their devoted followers found the time to prepare for tonight’s important event, Songs and Cheers.  Eight total points were on the table, so the impact of one of our most cherished traditions would be felt by all.

Patience.  Creativity.  Planning.  Organization.  Talent.   These are just some of the skills needed to write five songs and a musical production.  Next you have to teach 100 kids the lyrics by memory, in maybe a total of five hours max.  Then there’s the choreography, and the effort that it takes to get boys ages 7 to 16 to do what you want them to do.

There aren’t too many adults who could handle this, but we know some Skylemar guys who have what it takes.  Ranging in age from 16 down to 13, Alexander S (Red), Jack A (Red), Isaac G (Gray) and Ari M (Gray), along with their assistants, were remarkable leaders.  Each team was spectacular, performing a Camp Cheer, Team Cheer, Fight Song, Old Camp Song and Original.

With just two rehearsals, each team also put on a 20 minute show, called The Production Number.  It’s a mini-musical that they create, where each person on the team has to be included.

The boys sang their hearts out, even though their voices have been strained by four grueling, intense, wildly cheering days of Color War. Still, somehow, both teams found a way to entertain us all by giving us their best.  We then waited patiently as Judges Ethan, Barney and Beags sorted out what they had just seen and heard.  The results were handed over to Nick Shep to announce. Red carried the night 5-3, and with it, now a still slim 3-pont lead to sleep on.

Tomorrow sets up for an incredible end to this unforgettable week.  If it’s anything like what we’ve seen so far, we are in for some kind of fantastic finish.  This one’s still anybody’s game!

The forecasted rain blew through overnight and greeted Day 3 with a glorious Maine day. Red now held a slim lead, but Gray remained enthusiastic and confident. Not only has the overall score remained close, but each event seemingly could have gone either way.  Today, the trend continued.

While Red began the morning by sweeping both games of Bocce, the Cubs duffers ventured out on the Sky Hills CC tract for morning match play, won by Gray 6-4 in the closest golf matches to date.

Red swimmers and skiers did enough to render the boating portion meaningless, winning another Waterfront point down on Trickey Pond.

The Juniors hit the courts – and a lot more tennis balls after splitting the singles and doubles matches 3-3.  That left the skills competition to decide it, but after falling behind early in the ground strokes segment, Red aced the serving section and took the morning Tennis point.

Red’s slight lead was growing, but the Gray Tigers put a quick stop to that, winning a pair of Basketball games at the Hoops Courts.  Luke Y hit the biggest shots in a 14-12 barnburner on the upper court, while down below, Sebi’s unsung play defensively and all-court hustle carried Gray in Game 2 as well.

Red then turned the tide back in their favor with two impressive wins in Seniors Hockey.  Jack P starred in one dominant win, while Tyler N and Aaron P were the only “skaters” who found the net in the other.  Red Freshmen then dominated a Football game on the Rec Hall gridiron before Gray got back on track with a late comeback win on the Bunkline field, highlighted by Danny M’s last minute “pick-6” to seal it. Connor had a “pick-6” of his own for Red in defeat.

The Stars finished off the morning with two very hotly contested Lacrosse games over at the Hejduk, probably the most anticipated spectator draw of any sporting event during Color War.  The younger Divisions really love to watch their leaders go at it, and today’s action was no different.   In the first contest, Carson’s success at the face-off X controlled much of the action for Red in a 7-4 win. Game 2 provided the most evenly matched display of talent, physicality and great spirit we’ve seen by both teams yet.  Captain Aiden was sensational on offense for his Gray men, while Captain Coop showed some incredible defensive prowess for his Red guys.  It is said that “defense wins championships,” and that held true today. A late, crafty trail-check by Coop to save a sure tying goal started a fast-break scoring opportunity, converted by Red, to close out a fantastic 9-7 victory in front of the packed Hejduk onlookers.  This put Red in control as we hit the halfway point of this incredible week.

The earliest results of the afternoon came from Freshmen Golf and Bocce on the Links and in the Garden. Gray swept both to quickly close the gap. Red then answered just as convincingly as Landon and the Red Seniors made short work of Gray in a lopsided 7-1 win at Sky II.

The Cubs again dueled to the finish like they have been all Color War, this time on the Tennis courts on both sides.  Red and Gray split the 6 singles and doubles matches, leaving it to the skills competition to settle it.  Tennis Director Ted beamed with pride as he watched some much improved little guys show off, with Red again just a bit better, securing the point, and now building their advantage even more.

Red kept the pressure on, but Gray continued to fight back.  In Juniors Hockey, Red led in both games only to succumb to Gray’s unwillingness to relent, fighting back to tie both games and gain the split.  Red continued to press on.   In Stars Waterfront, Nate’s efforts in the kayak race had the dock rockin’ for Gray, but again Red skied off to another Trickey victory. Red had command with two events left to finish, and had Gray reeling a bit.

Then the Gray Sophomores responded in a Hoops Trifecta – a trio of simultaneous games played inside and out. When the teams split two well-played games on the outdoor courts (decided by 5 total points between them), all awaited word from the indoor gym at Sky II to decide it.  There Gray blew out Red to win the Basketball point, and maybe begin to turn the momentum back their way.

A few minutes later down on the Snow Field in Tigers Soccer, Gray scored a tie-breaking, game-winning goal as the final whistle sounded to win in spectacular fashion, and creep within striking distance of the lead as Day 3’s Color War activities ended.  Red still led… but Gray was lurking.

A welcome break from the Color War intensity, it was time to kick back and enjoy another amazing Suzie Production, “Willy Wonka”.  Congratulations to an all-star cast, who somehow found time to learn lines while playing harder than ever for their Color War team.  Now that’s a win!

Willy Wonka Cast

Wonka                                Kyle YA, Aidan R

Charlie                                Hayes N, Jack W

Grandpa Joe                      Noah L

Augustus Gloop                Ethan R

Veruca                                Xander

Violet                                  Jake S

Mike Teavee                     Keith O

Mr. Salt                               Ryder

Mr. Bucket                         Noah K

Mr. Beauegarde               Teddy S

Mrs. Gloop                         Eli D

Mr. Teavee                        Jonah K

Grandpa George              Eli W

Grandma Georgina          Jagger

Grandma Josehina           Nolan B

Candy Man                        Cooper E

Phineous Trout                 Ethan V

Matt                                    Cooper F

Jamie                                   Oscar

Oompa Loompas 

Bode

Semaj

Spencer M

Bucky

Max P

Nate F

Charlie L

Tommy W

Bah

A bit of early AM cloud cover cleared beautifully into a spectacular Maine day.  Both teams seemed fresh and confident as they took to the fields and courts, determined to grab the lead and take control of this War.

And Gray did just that when Zane R went deep on the 2^nd pitch of the game (his first ever!) to get his Seniors off to a quick lead in Softball, which they held until the game’s very last batter.   With two on and two out, Malibu smoked a game-tying double to knot the score and split the Seniors Softball point.

Over at the Hejduk, the teams split two Freshmen Lax games.  Red was led by Will A, Jamie and Brody while Boden and Bode were Gray standouts.

In Tigers Hockey, stout defense with great play by all 4 netminders in both games defined the play, especially Myer, and both Thomas’s (L and T) who were superb – so much so that neither team could find the net, and both ended in scoreless ties… and again splitting the Hockey point.

We thought Gray would finally surge ahead with a dominating win in Stars Tennis. But the lead was short-lived as the Red Cubs won 2 of 3 Hoops contests to again draw even with most of the morning complete.

The Sophomores couldn’t break the tie either.  In Football action on the Rec Hall field, Henry H was terrific for Red, but Will D’s all-around play on both sides of the ball led Gray to the 47-38 win, On the Bunkline field, opposing twin QBs Harry and Will provided the wildest “2-minute drill” finish seen in years as they dueled to the final whistle in the most exciting contest so far.  Down by 2 scores late in the 4^th quarter, Will scored to bring Gray a bit closer.  Then Carson, who caught balls all over the field in building their lead, was caught himself by Joel on 4^th down (a fantastic lunging flag grab) just before gaining a new set of game-clinching downs for Red, giving the ball back to Gray with 1:20 left.   When Will crossed the goal line just a few plays later, Gray had completed an improbable comeback to surge ahead, 70-64, with still under a minute to go. Not to be outdone, Harry then led Red on a 70-yard drive, ending in a spectacular TD run with :11 seconds left to tie it… the 2-point conversion that followed gave Red a most incredible 72-70 win in one of the greatest offensive shows ever seen, as the field swarmed with enthusiastic spectators from both sides. What a finish, and we’re still tied.

Then, news of the Gray Juniors triumph at the Waterfront finally broke the deadlock and all headed to lunch with Gray just a point ahead.

After the meal, the teams gathered to begin practice for the Color War Songs and Cheers competition to be held in the evening of Day 4 (more on that when we get there), before once again heading out to venues at both Sky I and II for this afternoon’s events.  Gray had finally edged ahead, but Red remained confident, upbeat and ready to respond.

And that they did indeed, but not before the Gray Tigers won both the Swim and Kayak segments down at Trickey to win the afternoon Waterfront.

In Stars Soccer over at Sky II, Charlie saved everything that came his way in Red’s 2-0 shutout in Game 1, then watched his fellow Redmen win by the same score in Game 2, securing the point for Red.  Rex scored the game winner before Sam M punched in a PK for insurance.

The Juniors played a pair of games on the Hoops courts. Red won a very tight one on the lower court, while Michael H led Gray to a hard fought victory on the upper court, splitting the Basketball point.

In Freshmen Soccer on the Snow Field, Nolan C impressed with great play all over the field in a dominant win in Game 1 for Gray. Again, Red bounced right back to split the Soccer point with a convincing 4-1 Game 2 win.

Red was clearly out to make a statement, and when Coop R dazzled the crowd with a 50-yard TD scamper, Red was off and running, leading wire-to-wire in a 62-48 Seniors Football victory.  They followed that up with a last inning, come-from-behind 8-7 win in Sophomores Baseball on the Freddie Pierce, and awaited the fate of Cubs Lacrosse to determine whether they had in fact turned the momentum their way.

It was worth the wait. Once again, our littlest guys entertained all with the Game of the Day.  After 3+ quarters of back-and-forth action, including a couple of lead changes in the 4^th quarter alone, Red held a slim 1-goal lead.  With only 10 seconds left, Nolan B scooped up a loose ball behind the cage, dodged and circled the net, and with the final second ticking off the clock (and nearly out of breath), he shot and scored at the horn to tie the game 7-7.  It was a fitting finish to the most thrilling, competitive Cubs Lax game in recent memory. That left it up to Game 2, where Asher was the clear MVP for Red in a 7-4 win, taking the Cubs Lacrosse point and sending the ecstatic Red Team to the lead for the first time – one they can sleep on as Day 2 is history.

Just a couple of days in, and the boys have already given us a snapshot of what’s still yet to come.  More great action and excitement, more displays of strength, speed, power, agility, teamwork and sportsmanship, and of course, the “thrill of victory and the agony of defeat”.  Stay tuned… this one’s really heating up!

The dawn of Red and Gray 2021 was upon us. By 6 AM, the air was filled with the buzz only known to those who’ve been through it – a few hundred kids already running all over sharing the news as to which team they are on.  Each boy awoke to find a colored ribbon pinned to his pillow under the cover of darkness, denoting the team he will compete for, battle and “sweat” for, and sing and cheer his heart out for, over the next 5 days.  It’s Skylemar’s most storied tradition – the 73^rd edition of the greatest show on earth – our Color War.  You could almost taste the sweet smell of excitement from anywhere on camp.

But nope.  That smell was actually another Skylemar staple – the annual Red and Gray Buffet.  What better way to kick-off the favorite week of the summer then by having our own favorite “breakfast of champions” – a choice of bacon, sausage, eggs, cinnamon rolls, French toast, cereals, potatoes, muffins, yogurt, oatmeal, Danish pastry, fresh-cut fruit and on and on …the combinations were endless, and the boys heartily fueled up for the start of what will be an incredible week of action.

After breakfast and the routine morning inspection – the loudspeaker bellowed, “Red Team to the Pine Grove, Gray Team to the Mail House” as the teams gathered for the first of many “psych-up” meetings to come.  Each teammate locked arms in a circle of strength, as team leaders implored and inspired with words of encouragement, pounding cheers and pump-up music, looking for a week of maximum effort and hopeful of ultimate victory.

Then, both teams were called to the Fred Pierce Field, which again would serve as the official Opening Day venue like it has for the past 72 Color Wars.  As is our custom, all participants remain for the first full inning before heading out for Divisional play to every corner of camp.  A few moments later, after Super Tutor Marge threw the ceremonial first pitch, Umpire Shep proclaimed “Play ball!” and Color War 2021 was off and running.

The Stars played a double dip, with a game on both fields.  At the Fred Pierce Field, after a 4-pitch top of the first, Gray opened the bottom half with a first inning home run barrage to jump ahead 4-0, and never looked back in a 15-3 win.  Bennett and Reece each smashed 3 home runs, and Josh B hit a pair.  Charlie S also went yard for the winners, while Sam M took one deep for the Red in defeat.  However, on the middle diamond, Red’s fielders proved defense can still win by holding Gray off the bases in a 4-1 win to split the twin bill.

After the 1^st inning was complete, the other Divisions headed out all over camp for contests in just about everything, The Cubs went over to the Hockey court where Gray impressed with back-to-back shutouts to win both games.  Max P and Nate F scored 7 goals between them in Game 1, while Carter and Inigo provided all the offense needed in Game 2’s victory.

Gray also won Tigers football by a couple of TDs, with Anders, Thatcher and Oscar doing most of the damage.

On the Hoops courts, a tripleheader of games for the Freshmen — after losing the first game, Red came back to win both Games 2 and 3, each by just a bucket to eek out the Basketball point for Red. Then Red followed up over on the Hejduk Field with a hard-fought 5-3 win in Juniors soccer. And further, even though Gray won the swimming portion down at Trickey, Red Skiers and Kayakers carried Red to the finish line to win Seniors Waterfront – another extremely close morning contest, which went down to the final skier to determine the overall winner.

Gray got back on track though with news of their victories in Sophomores Bocce, then Golf – highlighted by Nathan K’s hole-in-one!

Jacob R hit the back of the net 5 times as Gray dominated Game 1 in Sophs Hockey at the rink

Only a half point separated the teams, with 5 contests decided in the last minute of action….and this was just the beginning.

In the afternoon, the Cubs put on quite a show down on the Pond.  According to Super Aquatics Director Peter, it was maybe the closest scoring he’s ever seen, with each of the 3 segments in question up for grabs ‘til the finish.  The 4×25 relay needed a “photo finish” to confirm the winner, and saw the Red hand touch first giving them the Swim portion win by just a point. Over on the boat dock, the paddlers were set for the two-heat, total time kayak races – decided by a measly 1.5 seconds combined in favor of Gray, setting up the ski-off to determine the overall Waterfront point, where Gray’s Santi prevailed.

Up on the Bunkline gridiron, Red Lts. Logan and DMar ran and passed it all over the field to win Stars Football, despite the multiple TD efforts of Ethan K to stay in it for Gray.  Over on the SkyLinks, Red jumped out fast, winning the first 5 matches, then completed the Seniors sweep with a win in the Bocce Garden as well.

Gray won both Sophomores Hockey games over on the rink.  Jacob R was unstoppable, hitting the back of the net 5 times in Game 1.  In game 2, outstanding goalie play by Aiden R and Elias G kept it close, 2-1.

Red dominated Freshmen Tennis, winning 4 of the 6 singles and doubles matches, cementing the victory by carrying the Skills competition as well.

The two most exciting contests of the day nearly ended at the same time, with cheers emanating wildly and simultaneously from both Sky I and Sky II.  Just as Ollie H was swarmed after putting the finishing touches on a nifty, 1-0, two-hit shutout in Tigers Baseball on the Freddie Pierce for Red, the noise level rose from the Hejduk as Jesse R scored the game-winner with 14 seconds left to settle a back-and-forth, high-intensity 8-7 nip and tuck affair for Gray in Juniors Lacrosse.  Whew! What a day….and we weren’t quite done yet.

Red now had the slightest of leads – 1 point, as we awaited the results of the traditional first night’s Color War activity – Ping Pong.  And this one didn’t disappoint either. Under the Pavilion lights in the most competitive, festive outdoor Ping Pong environment to date, the Gray team, down 2 matches with 3 to play, swept all 3 to win the Ping Pong point….and end Day 1 with the score tied, dead even, all square!  Unbelievable – 22 total events.  Tie score, we want more!