Week Two brought more than double the campers as week One! MCC is off to a great start, and we hope to see more campers and create more memories for each one as the summer continues!
The Hunger Games week promised to be unpredictable . . . and it was in more ways than anyone had anticipated. Campers were taken by surprise when they learned that the week’s normally scheduled events had been rearranged, building anticipation for the final arena match between districts, or teams, later in the week. The cookout/campout was on Monday instead of Tuesday night, and the dance was on Tuesday instead of Thursday night. Initially, this seemed to throw campers off, but there was no time for distractions. They needed to be focused if they were to earn money for their districts in several mini challenges or get in some much-needed practice for the Hunger Games Arena on Thursday.
Even the weather threw us a curveball! It rained Wednesday just as we were planning to play laser tag. Most agreed, though, that the rain was a welcomed deviation as it cooled everyone down on a pretty hot day. Despite the rain, MCC staff made it a fun night, gathering campers in the dining hall for an evening of games, ice cream, and a movie—Frozen. The kids knew the words to every song (and if we’re telling the truth, so did many of the staff).
Districts earned between 40 and just over 300 dollars in their pre-Hunger Games challenges. This money would later be used to purchase game advantages to give teams the edge over others. In a challenge fit for the Roman Colosseum, pre-selected district members known as tributes fought for victory with foam swords and balls. The arena was complete with strategically placed shields, walls, a poisoned ball, and even a lofty stand for the announcer. Counselors acted as mentors, coaching their district members from just outside the sidelines. The Games lasted for over an hour past sundown, but we’re happy to report that the only real injury was to the pride of the fallen districts. All in all, it was a great Hunger Games week and campers displayed good attitudes and sportsmanship. So until next week, “May the odds be ever in your favor . . .”
P.S. Campers discovered a turtle in front of one of the cabins during Nature core on Thursday. They saw it and couldn’t resist a detour from their trip to the woods for a quick lesson in turtle fun-facts and respecting nature. Unfortunately for us, we were unable to put this particular species of turtle in our turtle pit because it’s considered a protected species, but it was fun to interact with nature up close!