Camp Echo Hill, Here We Come!

Hello future readers!

Well it's that time of year again! Camp time! Yippee! I was packed in no time, and this morning at 10a.m., I walked to the Springfield Community Center with my mom, Kim and her mom, and this year, Shante' and her mom. Shante' was so excited she couldn't stop talking! She must have asked Kim and I a million questions! Finally the buses came, and we kissed our moms good-bye. I remember last year, how sad Kim was to leave her folks for 2 whole weeks. This year, she's as happy as the rest of us!
The first bus had me, Shante', Kim, Sunny, Susan, Raychel, Lisa and Jennifer on it, and the second bus had April, Wendy, Stephanie, Melody, Cheryl and Robyn riding on it.

Our bus had the same bus driver as last year, Mr. Sanders, and he told us if we sang that "Hey Bus Driver" song we did last year, he'd turn right around and go back to Springfield! After we had been on the road for about 15 minutes, I hear Sunny call out "Hey, how about a little "Tick-Tock Chew Wally-Wally"?  This is one of our favorite camp songs, and a super way to pass the time on a long road trip. So we all say "YEAH!" (I think Mr. Sanders was happy about that!) In case you, future readers, don't know this song. Here's how it goes. It's more like a chant than a song, though.

Sunny: Hey Shante'!
Shante': Somebody's calling my name.
Group: Hey Shante'!
Shante': I think I hear it again.
Group: You're wanted on the telephone.
Shante': Well if it's my bossy sister, tell her I'm not home.
Group: Tick-tock, tick-tock, chew wally-wally. Tick-tock, chew wally-wally.

And you keep on calling people's names, and they keep naming different people they don't or do want to talk to.  It's lotsa fun....(give it a try some time!).

We kept singing until the bus went through the gate. Shante' was so excited she couldn't stay in her seat, (until we hit a turn and she fell into my lap! HAHA!) We pulled up to the camp sign, and there was Kerry, just like always, waiting for us.

We all hopped off the bus and said hello to Kerry. She said we should go straight to the dining hall, and get some pizza while it was still hot! YAY! The other bus would be here soon, and she'd send the other girls up.

Well the other bus made it and we were all in the dining hall, eating pizza and drinking bug juice. Kerry stood up and made the usual reminders about the camp rules, and told us to check the bulletin board about our cabin assignments.

Then she told us that there would be 2 new camp activities this year that Camp Wilderness (the boys' camp) would be doing with us; The Olympics and The Talent Show. Wow, that sounded like fun! All the girls started talking at once until Kerry raised her hand for quiet.

Kerry showed us the sign-up sheet for each activity were also posted on the bulletin board. We had 3 days to decide if we wanted to participate (I knew that spelling word would come in handy!), and which event we wanted to do.

The Talent Show would have different prizes for most original, best costume and best use of props. The Olympics would have Camp Wilderness and Camp Echo Hill competing against each other! Wow! Was this ever gonna be an exciting summer! Shante' and I went up to see what cabin we were in, after everyone else had gone back to get their stuff off the buses. We were both in the Yellow Canaries! Isn't it funny how every year, the new girl is in my cabin? *giggle*

Wow a Talent Show, and Olympics? There was so much to think about! What act could I do, and who could I do it with? Did I want to compete against the boys? What event would I do? Man, I think my brain is gonna explode! If you future readers even still go to camp, do you do activities like these? I gotta go get my gear off the bus, but I'll be writing more entries soon!

Until then, future readers,
Your friend,
Julie Newman