Pins and Pennants

Have you ever wondered what to do with those pins you get at camp? Not sure what those pins mean? Look no further! Keep reading below to learn all about our pins and pennants at camp.

Each week Merri-Mac gathers around a bonfire for Merri-Mac Council, where campers receive pins to recognize different types of leadership and growth. Specifically, we recognize years at camp, activity achievements, cabin and camper leadership, and completing elective challenges with different pins. All new campers are given a pennant to display these pins and hold their camp memories and stories.

We’ve shared a list of pins and their meaning below, but here’s the most important part: ask your daughter to tell you her camp story. She may use her pennant, or she may not. Each year, elective, commendation, and bar represents hundreds of stories. Friendships were made, adventures were had, growth was experienced. Ask her to tell you all about it – and tell her how proud you are of her. No matter what pins are shown or are not yet there, her pennant makes her a Merri-Mac girl. That means that she tried something new – she left home, made a new friend, tried a new activity, and learned a little bit more about who she is made to be. That’s worth celebrating.

Years at Camp:

Each year at camp is symbolized by a gold circle pin.

Activity Achievements:

For many of the activities at camp, there is a set curriculum for bronze, silver and gold bars. Our girls can start as beginners and progress through advanced levels in the activity by earning each bar. Once you have earned your gold bar, you have begun to master the activity, and might even get to teach it when you are a counselor. Each bronze bar is marked by an activity-specific pin, and campers add a silver or gold bar underneath as they are earned.

Commendations:

Each week we ask campers and counselors to recognize girls in their cabin who have grown in leadership. Specifically, we ask, “Who is strong, but not rude? Kind, but not weak? Who leads in a way that encourages other people to lead?” Those girls are recognized for camper and counselor commendations. In addition to a pin, girls receiving commendations leave their handprint on a post.

Elective Challenges:

We are made to grow, and sometimes that means trying new things. That’s what camp is all about! Campers who opt to try specific electives, such as running our trail system, catching a frog in the lake, or starting a fire with one match, are recognized and receive an elective pin.

Below is a list of all the different pins (and their meanings) at camp: