What's Happening at Camp: Rainy Day Fun!

Our weather has been terrific this summer, but on Tuesday morning it started raining before first period began, with forecasts of increasing intensity throughout the day, so the decision to go on Rainy Day Schedule was not a difficult one. What do we do at Sewataro when it rains? The answer is that we move under our many shelters and have a great time—singing songs, dancing, and playing a multitude of games—quiet games like Charades and board games, loud games that involve music, fun games based on Quiz Shows, and active games like Dodgeball. We rotate tribes to different areas so that they get a good variety, which is why—even though they are mostly under shelters—we remind parents to send rain gear.

Even on Rainy Day Schedule, however, some activities can continue if the rain is only a drizzle. So for our first period on Tuesday, Fishing, Archery, and Boating went on as usual. Campcraft, which is featuring s’mores on an open fire all week, was enjoyed all day. Arts and Crafts, being covered, is not affected by the rain. Nor are Cooking, Woodworking, or Music Studio. Drama moves to a different sheltered location, so that we can send all of the scheduled swimmers (one-third of the camp in any given period) to the Longhouse. We noticed a terrific game of “Finish the Lyric” being played there, with teams vying to identify popular songs in a Family Feud format. Campers were really in the groove.

Just down from the Longhouse, about half of Senior Camp was at Woodworking using the jigsaw and other tools to shape wood blocks for the legs of their stools. The other half was playing a board game under Tiki Depot. At Cooking, the Chickasaw were having their Iron Chef competition, which is happening this week for all three sections. Four teams compete by selecting, cooking, and presenting their products from the Sewataro Garden. Campers choose from a variety of fresh vegetables and spices like squash, sweet peppers, jalepenos, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, basil, mint, and carrots to prepare in various combinations and arrangements. Gardening and Cooking counselor, Nina, and the two tribe counselors, Dan and Mike in the case of the Chickasaw, judged the results in four categories: presentation, teamwork, cleanliness, and taste. And there was no doubt about how good the veggies tasted; for, after the results were announced, the boys cleaned their plates, the ultimate compliment to their own culinary prowess!

The rain stopped for our last period on Tuesday, allowing activities like Fishing and Archery to resume. The fields were too wet for games and the air too cool for swimming, so the Longhouse, Meeting Hall, Deck, and other shelters continued to feature fun games and music orchestrated by our endlessly creative and zany counselors. The Seneca played Charades under the pines. The Cherokee sang songs and colored at the Raccoon’s Nest. And the Iroquois were able to enjoy their regular Fishing activity with more than half of the tribe landing sizeable and eager bass. The Choctaw liked mixing it up with their counselors and one another in a vigorous game of Dodgeball at the Deck. We were invited to join in but prudently declined. At the Meeting Hall, the Limbo Pole was out, and three tribes swayed under it to the sound of Caribbean music. Over at the Longhouse, Waterfront Supervisor Sam served as the MC for a rousing game of “Know Thy Counselor.”

It is no wonder that our counselors who were once campers here remember rainy days as some of their happiest memories of Sewataro. Let’s not get carried away, however, with inclement weather. Now that the sunshine has returned, we are delighted to get back to the great outdoor fun of our regular schedule. We hope that in rain or shine we continue to meet and exceed your expectations. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to make your experience even better.