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!
