Camp Green Lane Blog Post-November 1

It looks like Mother Nature has finally decided to acknowledge that it’s autumn and has blessed us with some cooler weather. Did you know that Mother Nature was once a CGL Color War theme? In 1985 Green Mother Nature defeated White Father Time at the end of an epic week of competition and fun. It seems like all of our Color War weeks are epic; nine out of ten campers will say it’s the best week of camp (the other one will say it’s the first week because they’re finally back in their summer home. We’ll accept either answer.). But what is it about Color War that makes it so epic?

First, it’s the speculation: When is it going to break? How it is going to break? Who will the captains be? Then, it’s the rumors: “I saw Uncle Jay walk up to Field 5 right before lunch. It’s about to break”. Or “I saw these two counselors talking. They are definitely song writers.” And “Did you see that airplane flying overhead at Free Play? It’s totally breaking tonight.” The anticipation is agonizing. The kids are scared to shower (but they do, we promise) for fear that it will break while they have a head full of shampoo. They place their sneakers, unlaced, right next to their beds in case it breaks early in the morning and they have to jump out of bed, into their shoes, and make a run for it.

When it finally does break, it’s almost as if a damn of tension has been released. There are screams, high fives, hugs, and even tears because this is what we have been waiting for all summer. The run to see what the break is, then to BB1 to see what team you and your friends are on is exhilarating. When we are finally seated on opposite sides of BB1 as Green team and White team and the song writers, captains and camper captains are announced, you can feel the electricity in the air. Then the real fun starts.

The next few days are non-stop action. Whether it’s track and field, the swim meet, cabin sports, skits, songs, All God’s Children (ask your camper what this is), Scavenger Hunt… the week is a blur of fast and furious fun. Color War culminates in Sing, a song competition during which each team presents 4 songs they have learned and practiced all week. Choosing the winner of Sing (and, in turn, of Color War) is nearly impossible, as both teams sing their hearts out, but in the end a winner is announced to both cheers and tears. The best part, though, is after the dust has settled and we see friends who have been on different teams all week hugging and laughing, happy to be reunited. There are no hard feelings between winners and losers, no bad sportsmanship, no grudges. Only memories of an incredible time and, already, talk of next year’s epic week!