After a string of chilly days, Camp Merri-Mac finally broke the streak and enjoyed a warm, sunny day full of fun and adventure!
We started the morning with a delicious breakfast of biscuits, bacon, scrambled eggs, and our yogurt bar topped with fresh fruit. From there, campers headed to Chapel, where Mary Page shared a story about an inside joke she has with her brother. She spoke about how Jesus knows each of us completely, just as she and her brother always understand the meaning behind their special joke.
Several campers set off on exciting trip adventures today, including Climbing, Hiking, Trail Running, and Mountain Biking.
Campers attending Climbing:
Adeline M.
Kate H.
Coie M.
Monroe M.
Elise C.
Hill L.
Josie D.
Peyton C.
Millie A.
Katherine S.
Campers attending Hiking:
Charlotte C.
Stella C.
Afton C.
Molly C.
Ellen G.
Ella H.
Ava L.
Mollie M.
Marion S.
Caroline T.
Charley T.
Lizzie T.
Taylor Y.
Campers attending Trail Running:
Allie W.
Elizabeth K.
Lizzie M.
Caroline D.
Campers attending Mountain Biking:
Ivy L.
Emma Rose G.
Ebby S.
Olivia P.
Ella P.
Lucy L.
Juliet W.
Following Chapel, campers gathered for tribal meetings, where our oldest campers taught new songs for their tribes to sing at lunch. Then it was off to morning activities! Campers in Soccer worked on footwork and juggling skills, while Canoeing focused on safely swamping and recovering canoes. Lawn Games campers learned the basics of bocce ball, and Backpacking campers practiced pitching tents and tying useful knots, including the taut-line hitch.
Before lunch, campers soaked up the sunshine on the turf and enjoyed spending time with friends. The kitchen staff served delicious lunch of fried chicken sandwiches, waffle fries, and orange slices. During lunch, the winners of last night’s tribal game were announced. The Red Wolves earned the overall victory, while the Golden Eagles took home the spirit points.
After lunch and Rest Hour, campers made the most of their free time with snacks from the Trading Post, gaga ball, turf time, and plenty of other activities around camp. Cabins Little Dipper, Big Dipper, and Happy Hollow enjoyed the beautiful weather with a Free Swim session on Lake Doris.
The afternoon was packed with more exciting activities. In Kayaking, campers learned how to safely flip their kayaks and perform wet exits. Drama campers began memorizing and performing monologues, while Pickleball participants worked on rallying skills and underhand serves. Gymnastics campers practiced beam dismounts and vault exits as they continued building confidence and technique.
For dinner, campers enjoyed cheese biscuits, steamed veggies, and stuffed pasta. Dessert was a warm strawberry strudel that was the perfect ending to the meal.
The evening concluded with Gold Rush, a favorite tribal game in which campers search camp for hidden gold-painted items. Each tribe races to collect as much treasure as possible, and the tribe with the heaviest haul at the end claims victory.
We also held our very first White Feather Ceremony of the season!

What is White Feather?

More than most camps we know of, Merri-Mac is a camper driven program.  The tribal leaders, honor campers, princess court, Spirits of Good Cheer and Sportsmanship, and even the Princess herself are decided by the campers.  Each of these become opportunities for campers to recognize particular character types and leadership abilities and is an important way of calling to a girl’s attention her own abilities and talents.  

One of the exceptions to this is our Merri-Mac Council where the counselors will award our White Feather promotions.  Here campers who have demonstrated gifts of quiet leadership and an increasing growth in the fruit of the Spirit receive beaded necklaces as they progress through the ranks toward achieving the rank of White Feather.  More important than these promotions, however, are the opportunities Merri-Mac Council provides for recognizing each girl’s unique character and abilities.  Some of our most successful campers, some of our tribal chiefs, and even some of our honor campers may never receive a White Feather promotion because their gifts lie in other areas.  But White Feather is an opportunity to recognize certain character traits that might otherwise go unnoticed.

In the end the most important part of Merri-Mac Council comes after the ceremony is over.  During cabin time on the evenings that we hold council the counselors will go to each camper to describe the gifts and abilities that they have noticed in her.  This is where a girl who may never earn a White Feather Promotion, or a Gold Bar, or be elected to a tribal office, can be told about her own unique gifts and contribution to her camp family.

Tonight campers earned the following awards: 

TUMBLEWEED 

MILANNA A.

ANSON A.

NAIA B.

MARY TAYLOR B.

MARGARET B.

WOODS PARKER C.

PENNY C.

CAMILLE C.

ROSE G.

BLAKELY G.

WHITTAKER G.

KINGSLEY G.

MARY BOYD G.

ARBOUR H.

ELLIS H.

MARY JANE H.

ELIZABETH J.

MARGARET L.

MARY M.

PERRI M.

MARY COLLINS M.

SALLY M.

TESS M.

ELOISE M.

ANDERSON N.

PARRISH O.

ROCIO RAPETTI F.

LORING S.

HUGHES U.

CLARA V.

CHARLOTTE W.

ANNA W.

RUBY W.

GROUNDHOG 

MAY VALLA C.

ADDIE KATE C.

SAMANTHA D.

MOLLY G.

MARGARET H.

LOUISA H.

ABIGAIL H.

LILLIAN J.

ISLA K.

MARTHA K.

CHARLOTTE M.

SALLY M.

IVY S.

ALEXANDRA S.

ADAIR T.

PALMER W.

LILY W.

BADGER

LOUISE B.

EMME K.

MAGGIE M.

LUCY P.

ELIZA W.

BEAR

BETSY D.

ARROW

WINNIE A.

LAURA B.

MARY GRACE C.

ELSIE C.

JOSEPHINE D.

LOUISE G.

MARGARET G.

EMMA G.

MARY CHARLES G.

ELLA H.

VIVIENNE H.

TOWNLEY J.

ANN PORTER K.

MONROE M.

PIPPA M.

CHARLOTTE M.

LIVIA P.

OLIVIA P.

ANNA MARKS R.

BLAKELY W.

CRAZY CREEK

LUCY F.

IVY L.

HILL L.

ASTIN M.

ANNE WESLEY P.

KATHERINE S.

RUNNING DEER

REESE B.

SLOAN D.

LAUREN D.

LUCY D.

PERCY E.

MARY KATHRYN F.

ELOISE G.

SAMANTHA G.

ELLAREE H.

ELLA H.

AVA L.

MARY RHODES M.

ELLA P.

QUINN P.

LANIER S.

CELIA S.

KATE S.

MARY SHELTON T.

ELIZABETH T.

TAYLOR W.

RED TAIL

MAITE B.

LIA B.

PAIGE C.

STELLA C.

ADELE C.

CAROLINE D.

CAMPBELL H.

MARY ADAMS K.

KATE M.

EMILIA R.

GRACE T.

MARLOWE Z.

CAMPER COMMENDATIONS

TWEEDLE DEE

ALLY S.

LILY W.

TWEEDLE DOE

IVY S.

ADDIE KATE C.

TWEEDLE DUM

RUBY W.

EMME K.

TWEEDLE DOT

MARGARET L.

LAVENDER’S BLUE 

MAGGIE M.

HUGHES U.

JIGGITY JIG

PALMER W.

WHITTIKER G.

JIGGITY JOG

LILLIAN J.

CHARLOTTE M.

HAPPY HOLLOW

ANNA MARKS R.

LOUISE G.

MARY MAC C.

UP YONDER

ANNIE S.

VERA P.

CROSS PATCH

TYNES MARIE C.

MONROE M.

THE ROBIN

EMILY J.

LAURA B.

MILKY WAY

MILLIE A.

MILLIE L.

ASTIN M.

RAINBOW

JULIA A.

PIPER T.

STARDUST

HADLEY A.

ELLA H.

HILL L.

COMET

ROSEMARY C.

WENDY D.

LUCY F.

LITTLE DIPPER

EMILY A.

BLUE HEAVEN

MARY F.

AYERS HART N.

MOONMIST

MAITE B.

HARRIET E.

CAROLINE M.

SUNDROP

VIVIENNE H.

OLIVIA GRACE S.

SUNSPOT

SIDNEY M.

EVIE C.

DREAMS BEGIN

SLOANE D.

DREAMS END 

PERCY E.

LANIER S.

BIG DIPPER

CAROLINE D.

PAIGE C.

ELOISE G.

CLOUD 9

CAMPBELL H.

ALLIE W.

SUNNYSIDE

UMA V.

CANDLER L.

MARY ADAMS K.

CAROLINE T.

COUNSELOR COMMENDATIONS

TWEEDLE DEE

MAGGIE B.

ALLY S.

TWEEDLE DOE

MAY VALLA C.

MJ H.

TWEEDLE DUM

NELLE M.

ROSE G.

TWEEDLE DOT

CHARLOTTE W.

LAVENDER’S BLUE 

ANNIE W.

LUCY P.

JIGGITY JIG

SALLY M.

BETSY D.

JIGGITY JOG

WOODS P.

CLARK R.

RAPETTI F.

HAPPY HOLLOW

ELLIE M.

LOUISE G.

ANNA MARKS R.

UP YONDER

CAROLINE M.

BLAKLEY W.

CROSS PATCH

ANN PORTER K.

EVA M.

THE ROBIN

PIPPA M.

GRACE D.

MILKY WAY

LIVIA P.

MILA V.

RAINBOW

ISABEL C.

BET BET T.

STARDUST

SUSSANA D.

MARGO N.

PIPER M.

COMET

MARY CHARELS G.

IVY L.

ANNE WESLEY P.

LITTLE DIPPER

ELLA B.

BLUE HEAVEN

LUCY L.

MARY FLOYD A.

MOONMIST

ELIZABETH L.

KATE M.

CAROLINE M.

SUNDROP

LILY L.

OLIVIA P.

SUNSPOT

BRIA R.

CHARLEY T.

DREAMS BEGIN

SLOANE D.

DREAMS END 

JULIA C.

AVA L.

BIG DIPPER

PAIGE C.

CAROLINE D.

LAUREN D.

CLOUD 9

ELLA H.

REESE P.

SUNNYSIDE

AFTON C.

MARLOWE Z.

KAITLYN D.

AVERY R.

Signing off,
Anna Camille deBlieux: Blue Heaven Counselor and Swimming Instructor