Since it was such a beautiful day, the river was busy with many groups of rafters. There were lots of splash battles (all in good fun of course!). Along the slower parts of the Junior MAC trip, the guides explained some of the Civil War history of the local area. They taught us about  John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry and the campers learned some of  the history of the Shenandoah river. They also got to see some wildlife. Blue herons kept flying past the rafts and several turtles were getting some sun on half-sunken logs.

When it got too hot, the campers had the chance to jump off the rafts and float along in the cool water.

The campers also stopped for lunch. The Junior’s had a delicious meal of fried chicken, potato salad, and watermelon. Mhh.

Both trips ended with big rapids that got everyone’s blood flowing!

Afterwards, the campers were pretty tired but they had to keep going because they were in for a real treat. Dinner was a BBQ on the Ford Patio and was followed by soccer and other games. What a busy day!

-Zoe

AARGH! Here thar’ be pirates! The counselors put on a introductory show for the campers and their families. Pirate gear and accents abound in these parts, mateys!

After introduction, we played some games and got to know each other! Jake, front and center in his favorite straw hat, took the MACsters on a zig-zagging tour between activities.

One of those activities was a relay race! Campers ran, jumped and dove through the course, cheered on by their friends, both old and new.

The hurdles were no problem for this group of campers!

Later, the campers met up for dinner at Ford and sang camp songs around the campfire…

…before heading to the cabins and getting cleaned up for some well-earned rest.

We had a great first day of camp. Tomorrow can’t come soon enough!

As the last full day of Session 3 here at Mercersburg Adventure Camp comes to a close, a sense of fulfillment and happiness seems to be everywhere you look. From the very beginning of the day, when our campers donned their water gear and took to Spider Field to defend their H/T title during Water Wars, all the way to dusk, where everyone gathered at campfire and shared their favorite thing about camp, it’s obvious that within the past 2 weeks, our kids have made friends for life.

Like any fine institution, Mercersburg has their favorite traditions. For Hurricanes vs. Tornadoes Water Wars, the traditions can get a little…sticky. Our campers battled it out over games of Drip Drip Drop, Water Balloon Toss, an an obstacle course that had them spin 5 times, run through a maze, throw a sponge in a bucket, hop through 3 hoops, and then slip’n'slide their way through bright blue vanilla pudding. Not the most graceful of activities, but perhaps the most delicious!

Following their rather slippery & sticky obstacle course, our MAC campers took the cherry-on-top activity of camp: THE WATER SLIDE. To be rocketing down the side of a hill at high speeds, slipping & sliding your way down 30 feet of tarp, is the only way to end the last day of camp. Feeling that wind (and soap!) in your hair can’t compare to any other feeling!

As the sun was setting on Mercersburg’s campus, the kids gathered around the campfire one last time to sing their favorite camp songs, build some healthy Hurricanes vs. Tornadoes rivalry, and share with each other their favorite parts about camp.

I’d have to say that it’s the perfect ending to a perfect session. ‘Till next summer!

As Week 2 of Session 3 gets fired up, our campers dive headfirst into their second round of Enrichments and Outdoor Activities! It’s never a dull moment at camp, and it goes without saying that campers and counselors alike are having the times of their lives!

The morning was spent jumping from one exciting Enrichment to the next. Some campers headed over to the wild world of chemistry, where they found out what happens when vinegar and baking soda mix (if you don’t know yourself, perhaps you need to find the closest MAC camper and ask!). Blue volcanoes, exploding bottle caps, and tons of smiles were common sights during the morning! Campers also found themselves learning the wonderful art of the slight of hand–the Mystical World of Magic was full of exciting tricks and the sound of several people asking, “Wait, how did you do that?!”

The afternoon was spent in the great outdoors, where our campers picked up their paddles, carabiners, hiking packs, and helmets and made their way out into the wilderness. From kayaking, to canoeing, to rock climbing and wilderness survival skills, our MAC campers will undoubtedly be extremely well-versed in the great outdoors by the time they leave Mercersburg. Let’s be honest–who wouldn’t want to spend the day on the water since the heat wave finally broke? Our campers navigated the waters at Cowan’s Gap today with ease and eager smiles. Luckily for them, their counselors make learning easy–any passerby could hear laughter echoing from across the lake, and it was undoubtedly coming from our MAC campers!

Tonight was the ever-popular competition of Capture the Counselor. Unfortunately for our campers, MAC counselors are very well-trained in the art of hiding. Dumpsters, trash cans, high oak trees, the underbellies of cars, and anywhere in between, you just might find a counselor! You can hear the yells echoing across the valley as we type–only time will tell who the winner is!

Today marked the final Camp Wars of the summer. Our MAC campers, whether they were a mighty Hurricane or a fierce Tornado, took to the battlefield and gave their all!

The morning consisted of CAMP WARS battles, including Ultimate Frisbee, kickball, tug-of-war, and a ferocious game of End Zone, where both teams brought their A-games and played their hearts out. The scorching heat couldn’t keep our kids down, either. Their game faces were on, and they kept hydrated while they defended their title!

After the morning’s intense activities, the score is pretty close. I won’t reveal who’s in the lead just yet–at this point in the games, it could be either team! Let’s just hope that they can keep their morale up & show the other team who’s boss in the week to come!

As a treat for the evening, the MAC campers headed down to watch the Frederick Keys play against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. There’s no doubt that the chorus of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” will be resounding in their heads tonight as they drift off to sleep. Luckily for them, tomorrow’s a sleep-in morning, which means they can have the time of their lives tonight!

As part of Adventure Camp, our kids enroll in Outdoor Adventures, where they head off to exciting places and learn a thing or two about the wilderness. Whether they’re geocaching throughout the area, learning how to tie knots and start campfires, or learning about the wide world of animals, there rarely is a stone that goes unturned. Luckily for me, I was able to tag along with our Wide World of Animals group and experience all of the amazing animals down at the National Zoo!

From lions, to tigers, to orangutans and anacondas, our MAC campers experienced first-hand just how amazing the Earth is, as well as how amazing all of the animals that live here are. The National Zoo has fantastic exhibits and staff that allow the kids to have hands-on experiences with the animals–they watched a ginormous lobster get fed, as well as played patty-cake with a baby gorilla. Not your everyday experiences, that’s for sure!

Definitely a great ending to a fantastic first week! Now, the second week is about to begin and our campers are 100% ready to get going!

Day 2 of Session 2 is off to a great start, and our new MAC and TAC campers have jumped in with every ounce of energy they can muster! Both camps spent a day getting to know their new enrichments, as well as their new friends–whether our campers are hailing from France, Spain, or from here in the U.S., Mercersburg Adventure Camp makes sure everyone feels super welcome and is having the time of their lives!

MACsters and TACsters took to the water, the road, and the rock wall on their second day of camp. Whether they were scaling rock walls down at the barn, or taking to the back roads on dirt bikes, or maybe even paddling at Cowan’s Gap, our campers were able to keep their smiles on with lots of water and lots of laughs. They also exercised their brain muscles in their enrichments–magic lessons, chemistry experiments, video productions, and dance routines. It’s all in the day of a MAC camper! The great thing about Adventure Camp is our kids’ ability to make new friends fast–it’s only the second day, and it’s totally obvious that they’ve made some great friends already!

To wrap the day up, our campers partook in the Adventure Camp Carnival. From the awesome food that was prepared by the kitchen, to the snow cones and cotton candy that was handed out by counselors, our campers tasted the first taste of summer camp. Carnival games, dunk tanks, and obstacle courses also ensued, and many of our campers left the carnival with a pretty impressive stash of prizes.

Stay tuned, though–both our MAC and TAC campers found out their respective Camp Wars teams, which can only mean one thing…IT’S HURRICANE AND TORNADO SEASON AGAIN!

Hey, MACsters!

Before I go into my post about the day, I just want to make a quick announcement & direct your attention to our Flickr page. Things had been looking a little unkempt & in disarray, but we’ve fixed everything and have made it much easier to navigate. If you know someone in MAC, TAC, or even in one of Mercersburg’s special sports camps, you can simply follow THIS LINK and take a look around! Hopefully this will be a lot easier for those of you who frequently check the Flickr. Please let us know what you think! We love to hear feedback, & your opinion really means a lot to us!

Now that business is taken care of, I suppose you want to hear about the MAC campers’ day of outdoor adventures & their night at the cinema!

While our TAC campers spent an exciting, jam-packed day at Hershey Park, our MAC campers took to the outdoors for the day on a variety of outdoor adventures. Whether they were scaling a rock wall with our climbing specialist Colin, scouring the countryside for a geocaching excursion, or kayaking on the river, our MAC campers are no strangers to the great outdoors. From the time they leave a hearty breakfast in Ford Hall, till the time they roll back onto campus, our MAC campers are constantly staying fit, active, and getting down & dirty!

Once everyone returned from their outdoor adventure, the counselors put together a movie-themed night that every little monster & goblin would love. The movie of choice was Monsters Inc., and the counselors pulled out all the stops. The menu included entrees of “Eyeballs Under the Bed” and “Nightmare Pasta”, complimented with a purple-hued “Mike’s Icky Lemonade”. The finale? Delicious, bright blue cupcakes, compliments of James P. Sullivan himself. Once everyone was fed & feeling content, the MAC campers tried their hand at whacking open not one, but TWO pinatas! Needless to say, their effort produced some delicious results. As the night wound down, the MAC campers made their way over to the Burgin Center, where a private viewing of Monsters Inc. was shown in the theater.

Y’know what they say–all in the day of a MAC camper!

Mercersburg Adventure Camp is no stranger to a little friendly competition, and Day 3 of camp was no different! Both the MAC and TAC campers had an exciting, fun-filled day at Adventure Camp–between interesting Enrichment Activities and on-the-edge-of-your-seat Outdoor Activities, our campers are constantly on the go. Let’s be honest, though–who wouldn’t want to make delicious treats in Culinary Delights, or make paper airplanes in Physics? Don’t even get me started on the Outdoor Activities! MAC and TAC campers spent the day rock climbing, horseback riding, kayaking, and caving. Talk about exciting!

What’s even more exciting is the ongoing camp battle of HURRICANES vs. TORNADOES! Read on to find out what went down!

Decked out in their red bandanas, the Tornadoes swept the boards in last night’s Capture the Flag battle. Not to be beat, however, the Mighty Hurricanes (looking super cool in their blue bandanas), made a valiant effort to protect their turf. The game lasted far past sunset, and the sounds of battle cries and celebratory yells could be heard all the way up on the third floor of Fowle Hall.

The third day of Adventure Camp, however, gave the Hurricanes a chance to win some bragging rights of their own. The two camps split, and the MAC campers headed towards the pool, while the TAC campers threw down on the soccer field. The Hurricanes vs. Tornadoes soccer game was definitely World Cup quality, while campers and counselors played side by side. Trust me when I say that the game was intense. Camp Battles are serious business, and our TAC campers made tonight’s soccer game a battle worthy of applause!

While the TAC campers battled it out on Regents’ Field, our MAC campers splish-splashed their way to victory in Flanagan Pool. The Hurricanes and Tornadoes donned their bathing suits and goggles for a series of exciting competitions that would have made Poseidon proud! Turtle Races, Ping-Pong Grab, Biggest Splash, and Smallest Splash were just a few of the different water competitions that our MACsters dominated in. Both the Hurricanes and the Tornadoes brought the heat–scores of 10 and 9 were being thrown up left and right for our Splashers!

All-in-all, Day 3 was definitely one for the Mercersburg Adventure Camp record books. One can only hope that the forecast continues to call for inclement weather. Last I heard, IT’S HURRICANE AND TORNADO SEASON!