Jul 23, 2018
Candy Land
Session 3, Day 12
Each day at Ranch Camp is an amazing and memorable day – even the days that do not go exactly as planned. Every so often, especially later in the summer, the skies will open up and a rainstorm will put outdoor plans on hold. Today was one of those days, but this did not put a damper on the spirit and energy of the camp, as everyone adapted quickly and were able to engage in entertaining and meaningful activities despite the torrent outside.
Though the morning was run as usual, clouds covered the sky by the afternoon, and by the end of menucha a drizzle had begun. Instead of regular planned chugs, each unit met in a different area of camp to take the extra time to finish up what they had begun during the evening program the night before. This evening program, a new one this summer, was made even more meaningful by the experience the campers had on Israel Day. Feeling more connected and in tune with the country, each unit gathered together to make care packages to send to Israeli children who are staying in bomb shelters. The campers sent materials for games as well as handwritten instructions for creative ways to pass the time, and each package included notes from the campers wishing them luck and safety.
After their packages were complete, the camp spend the time indoors hanging out with each other, making friendship bracelets, reading books, playing games, and getting to know the kids in other cabins and units. Once the rain had let up and it was safe to do so, everyone went back to their cabins to relax until dinner, now only about half an hour away – though the afternoon plan had been quickly switched around, it didn’t stop everyone from having fun, and the time had flown by quickly.
By dinnertime, the storm had passed, and everyone was itching for something active to do after a satisfying but sedentary day. Luckily, the evening program was Candyland, a brand new, never before seen by Ranch Camp, scavenger-hunt-board-game-competition extravaganza! Each cabin worked as a team to roll a die six times, with the goal of getting each number once in order to collect the largest variety of candy. Depending on which number was rolled, the cabins ran around camp to collect their candy. But this candy was not for eating – after a set amount of time, the camp gathered back in the Chad, and used their collected sweets to build the best candy castle they could!
Though the staff work hard to plan out an engaging, exciting session, some of these plans can be overshadowed by unpredictable events – in this case, usually weather. This is why rainy-day plans are always in the camp’s collective back pocket, ensuring that no matter the situation, everyone will continue to experience the incredible opportunities that Ranch Camp provides.