We need your help to check out pictures and vote!!!

UPDATED AT 3:57 PM (UPDATES IN RED FONT)
Hi family, friends, and Slipperites,

We unfortunately experienced our first significant rain storm of the summer yesterday, which ultimately canceled our afternoon activities. Luckily, we were able to turn the day into a fun, memorable experience for all. First, we extended Lunchtime News of the Day to include a Radio/DJ Sing Off. About 20 campers and counselors sang 20 seconds of a song, and tomorrow we will announce the winners. Kudos to Aunt Jen W. for organizing the Sing Off!

Then, afterwards we met in the Pavilion for our first (and hopefully last) Rainy Day Activity of the summer, The Great Impostor, and this will involve YOU in helping to judge. I will share more details on this aspect in a moment, after I explain the activity. First, each bunk brings a pillow case filled with props, clothing, and any other interesting items that they want to bring. The premise of The Great Impostor is that GSC is starting a spy agency and we need spies who can blend into any setting or scenery. Then, the camp is given a category and they must dress up a camper from their bunk to reflect that category. For example, the categories yesterday were, in order: America, Transformers, Cereal Characters, Muppets, and the GSC Mascot. We saw plenty of Lady Liberty, transforming umbrellas, Toucan Sams, and Kermit/Miss Piggy duos.

The final round is where we need your help to judge. The category was GSC's Mascot. During orientation, the staff selected the Bananas and the He-bros as potential names, so we instructed the bunks that they could dress as either of those or as a suggestion of their own. The entries included a wide variety of camp-related symbols as well as creative uses of the materials at each bunk's disposal.

While other rounds were judged by Aunts Sue Ellen, Steph, and Kristin, this round will be judged by all of YOU! You can view the photos by clicking here and vote by e-mailing your vote (include the bunk number, which is listed under the picture) to bruben@alumni.arcadia.edu. Please vote for your favorite picture/costume and not necessarily the mascot itself; there are several duplicates, and the points for the activity go to the individual bunk.

We would love to involve you in our camp experience as well, and this is our first experiment with a way to do that. We appreciate your votes and feedback, and will constantly look for other ways to use the GSC blog, flickr photos, and website to ensure that we are all one big Golden Slipper family.

In other news, last night's evening activity was our Welcome Back Pajama Jammy Jam Dance - hopefully the 1:15pm poster's son enjoyed it, and thank you Max for responding and sharing the positive feedback with us. The administrators who have been able to update and read the blog (and your comments) have sincerely enjoyed this form of interaction, and it is awesome to see that you are, too. Photos from the dance are being uploaded to flickr as I type this and should be viewable later (I will add a link when they are ready), and Aunt Alisa appreciates your patience. She is taking and uploading as many pictures as possible, and says each camper should be on the site soon!

There are several more "First Accomplishments" to add to the blog, but it is time for me to run the Creative Writing/GSC Media elective. Several more campers have volunteered to write something for the blog and they will be added once the passages are written. They are Rachel E., Alexis F., Rami B., and Brian D. In the meantime, check out the photo site until I have a chance to update the blog and enjoy your day !

Sincerely,
Uncle Brando

I just met with the Creative Writing group, and they were very excited to hear your feedback and to hear that other campers are interested in being involved. Damani wrote an excellent story that will be shared through the blog (and with the camp), and Kristen and Meghan have started illustrating his story. Unfortunately, we don't have a scanner so I can't share their drawings with you!

Also, immediately after the period, a bunk 13 counselor shared that Robbie T. has written some poetry that he would like to share with the blog and the camp, so that will be uploaded before I go to bed tonight. Additionally, Uncle Adam has recruited several Vogelson and Strauss campers who will write about their camp experience for the blog. They will be here in the office in about an hour, and we are excited at how quickly the blog is growing (both here and in the 'real world). In fact, I need to wrap this entry up so that I can attend to my other responsibilities!

Here are the 'First Accomplishments' that we announced yesterday and today:
-Chane J. (Bunk F) shot her first bullseye in riflery!
-Ari M. (Bunk 6), Pat G. (Bunk 3), and Lennon D. (Bunk 3) all dropped-in for the first time at the skate park! Uncle B-rad, our skate park specialist, informed me that this is related to the half-pipe and is a significant accomplishment.
-"Dear Uncle Brando, This year's food is amazing...so give a shout out to the cooks for us! From, Uncle Bill and Bunk 7" That's right, we are eating very well this summer, and everything has been delicious!
-Bunk 5 did the Human Knot in under 5 seconds...shattering the previous record of 2 minutes!!!
-Chris P. (Bunk 2) caught four fish on his very first time fishing!
-Michael Minniti's baseball team won the championship, and he has been nicknamed "The Champ!"

Thanks again, and enjoy your Thursday!
Uncle Brando

TONIGHT'S EVENING ACTIVITY
League's Tug of War (Night at the Races if it rains)

MENU
Wednesday's lunch: Chicken nuggets & fries
Wednesday's dinner: Fried flounder & green beans
Thursday's breakfast: Cinnamon French Toast & cereal
Thursday's lunch: Hoagies & chicken noodle soup