Color Wars! What’s it all about?

by Greg Keresztury, Director of Operations

For our readers who may not be familiar with Color Wars, it is a special event experience that occurs during a 2-week session at our overnight camps (Ockanickon for boys and Matollionequay for girls).  Color Wars took place during Session 5 this year, and will return during Session 4 next year (our second 2-week session of the summer).

During Color Wars, our campers at both camps are split into two teams: Red and Black.  Returning campers and staff are always on the same team each year – which is part of what makes Color Wars so much fun!  Next campers are initiated to a color during a special ceremony, as once they join a team for Color Wars, they will forever be a part of that team moving forward.  This summer, during the Ockanickon initiation ceremony, after a first-time Color Wars camper was told which team he’d represent, he was given the chance to dip his hand in paint of the team he would be joining, and to place his handprint on the team’s banner to signify his commitment to that color team for years to come!

Once a camper joins a color, i

 

t is time to prepare!  First, the campers must learn the chants, design their special event outfit, determine which events the camper will be participating in, and bond with his Ocky and Matolly teammates. That’s right – for Color Wars, the camps are combined and Ocky/Matolly campers join forces to make up both the Red and Black teams.

After an opening ceremony and all camp dance which takes place at Camp Matollionequay, the campers rest up for a full special-event day which takes place during the Saturday in the middle of the 2-week session. The camps come together in the morning after breakfast, so the Red and Black teams can practice for the afternoon events, spend more time bonding as a team and working on team cheers and chants, and strategize for the day’s events!  During the training time, one team is at Ockanickon and the other at Matollionequay so each team can train in private – although sometimes spies can be found trying to sneak into the other team’s trainings to gather intel!

After a hearty and spirited lunch (the teams are still at separate camps and eat in separate dining halls), the afternoon begins with a flurry of activities and competition. Colors Wars competition activities are run throughout Ockanickon and Matollionequay, and in fact, some activities even spill over into Lake Stockwell Day Camp program space! The campers participate in a host of activities including gaga, boat races, a camp-wide scavenger hunt, kickball, basketball, and so much more! In each activity, the teams compete with a chance to win a point for their color by winning the activity. Updates are announced throughout the day, so campers know how their teammates are doing in various activities.

 

At the end of the day, the campers all come together at the Ockanickon Dining Hall where the winner is announced (the Red Team rebounded after a tough loss in 2016 to win Color Wars 2017!), and an all-camp cookout is held as a celebration of the competition, camaraderie, sportsmanship and fun that was had by all throughout the day. While the competition can be intense during the day, it is often common to see Red and Black teamers sharing hot dogs and hamburgers at the cookout with smiles all around – in the end, Red and Black teamers come together to form #OneCamp!

You got the ”what” — check back in a few days for a post about “why” Color Wars is so great!