Camp News

One month ago today, we were tearfully saying goodbye to our camp friends, waving wistfully as the buses disappeared down the gravel road and turned onto Route 6.

Boom. It’s one month later.

By now, the camp laundry is clean, the sleeping bags are stored, and the random detritus of a summer at camp has been (secretly) thrown in the trash. Anyone else pull a broken frisbee out of his or her kid’s trunk? Just me?

The thing that lingers — the thing that cannot be shelved or tossed aside — is the bond we share with our Owego brothers. We start the month of September full of pride for our schools and colleges, but there is a piece of us that remains in Greeley. We cheer for our hometown Cougars or Wolverines, but we are true blue Owegans at heart. Olympics, Frontier Week, Intercamp games…these are the memorable moments that stay with us long after the bunks empty out and the leaves begin to fall. There is simply nothing like gathering at Henry’s Hideout and lashing branches together to build a table for Tribe meal. It’s one of the many reasons we say we live “10 for 2.”

In the month since camp ended, we truthfully may not have had much contact with our fellow Owegans. Family vacations, school supply shopping, and fall sports have taken up most of our time. Sure, some of us arranged to meet up at the Jersey Shore for ice cream. Others crossed paths during their travels through cities and college campuses. The lucky ones who managed to squeeze in a little more time with camp friends before the onslaught of the school year know that Owego exists not on a piece of land in Greeley, Pennsylvania, but inside each and every one of us. You can take it anywhere.

If you find yourself thinking about your camp friends and missing the feeling of playing Magic on your bunk porch or swinging in the hammocks, talking about all things big and small, don’t fret. Reach out. Text your bunkmates. Reminisce about how great this summer turned out. Bask in the memories for as long as you can. The amazing thing about memories is that you can access them from anywhere — and share them with whomever you choose.

Browse the Owego Instagram and see our smiles on the hottest days of the summer and also in the torrential rain of Frontier Week. Read previous Blog posts and be transported back to that moment, on that particular day. Laugh at the silliness of it all. Summer 2024 was light. It was carefree. It was ours. And it will always be with us.

After all…you can take the camper out of Owego, but you can’t take the Owego out of the camper.

Our bags are packed and we’re ready to go.

With apologies to Peter, Paul, and Mary, it’s closing time at Owego and today marks the official end of the 2024 season. We blinked, and the summer sprinted by us. School supplies are back on the shelves, the leaves are showing hints of color, and the evening light has dimmed. Though the calendar tells us that we have another 6 weeks of summer remaining, every Owegan knows that the last day of camp closes the chapter on summer for the next 316 days or so.

The buses and cars pulled out of camp early this morning, leaving behind empty cabins, full trash cans, and a handful of staff tasked with “winterizing” camp. Nature will begin to reclaim this space, as the leaves change and then fall to the ground, the chipmunks and squirrels look elsewhere for food, the lake freezes, and Winter holds Owego in its icy grasp.

Through the next three seasons, the physical structures of camp will stay put in Greeley. But the heart of camp will have spread to all corners of the world.

Favorite counselors will return to Africa, Europe, and South America. Bunkmates will start school in California and Florida. Friends in the tri-state area, though accessible by car, will seem far away once the busy day-to-day routine of sports, activities, and homework takes hold. The one thing that will keep us all connected is our fond memories of Summer 2024.

You might remember this summer as the first experience you had at sleepaway camp. You might think about a particular canoe trip or bunk excursion. You might remember the excitement of being named Captain of an Olympic team. However you remember this summer, you can find comfort in knowing that your fellow Owegans share the same memories and past experiences. The stories and chants and inside jokes are only a phone call away. When you burst into “Little Red Wagon” randomly and your home friends just don’t get it, you can text your camp friends and share a laugh.

Owego is only a call away.

With that, this blog is signing off for the summer. It will re-emerge throughout the school year from time to time, reminding its readers of the awesomeness to come in 2025. For now, hold on to your memories, play your Frontier Week songs, and cry if you need to. Saying goodbye is hard.

Your Owego Brothers will always be a part of you.

So, goodbye. For now.

Time flies when you’re having fun and your campers will be home soon! The transition to “the real world” isn’t always easy for you and your campers. Here are some tips to help both of you make the transition as smooth as possible.

1. Don’t take it personally.

Yes, they’ll be SO happy to see you. They’re also very, very sad. They’re sad to leave camp! They’re sad to leave their friends! They’re sad to leave their counselors! They’re sad to leave their independence and camp persona! It’s okay (great actually)! It means you gave them the best gift ever!

2.Remember: They’re exhausted.

In the last week alone, they experience Frontier Week, final campfires, a video/slide show, banquet, packing and more. Over the past seven weeks they’ve been living with ten other people, hanging out with friends day and night, participating in activities from sun up to sun down. Enough said.

3.Be patient.

It might take a few hours or a few days to be entirely “on.” They might even seem a little numb. It doesn’t mean they don’t love you or didn’t miss you. It doesn’t mean that they won’t open up and start gushing in a few days. Nothing is wrong. They just need time! Things that are normal: wanting to talk to their camp friends immediately, all-day, every day for a few days (yes, they just spent seven weeks with them – we know). Wanting to spend some time alone before jumping into the deep end of home life (think family gatherings, sporting events, play dates). Any combination of the above. Normal. Normal. Normal.

4.Focus on small moments and questions.

Think about your two best friends who live far away.

Friend one: you pick up the phone no matter what, even if you only have a minute. Though it’s been months, you know they’ll cut right to the chase and start where things left off. Or not. Maybe you just answer a quick question, maybe you talk about who got the final rose- you can hang up when you need to. One word answers, longer answers, anything goes. No pressure.

Friend two: You love them. Really. You LOVE them as much as friend one. But you really only pick up when you have time to sit, totally focused, for an hour-long catch-up. So, no. You don’t always pick up. Because you’re at work, or you’re making dinner, or you’re about to get the kids ready for bed, or you just don’t feel like telling your life story. That. Sounds. Exhausting.

The moral? Be friend one. You’ll learn more!

Good questions:
What was this morning like?
Which activity was the best?
Who was the goofiest counselor in your bunk?

Less good questions/statements:
Tell me EVERYTHING about camp.
Can you explain your weekly schedule?
What were your counselors like?

Ask a few, manageable, lighthearted questions every hour on that first day. You’ll open up that can of worms without having to pry, without overwhelming your fresh-off-the-bus camper.

5.Give them wings.

At camp they were the most independent versions of themselves and they’re still basking in the glow of those camp freedoms. Advocating for themselves, making independent choices— it’s why you sent them to camp! Think about how you felt the first time you came home from college. It was a little weird! Think about small liberties you can introduce to reinforce your camper’s summer growth. If you have an eight-year-old who didn’t make his or her bed before camp, encourage him or her to make the bed at home (even if it isn’t as beautiful as you’d like). Though seemingly a “chore,” having your camper do things for him or herself at home will continue the summer’s momentum and make him or her feel happy and confident.

And isn’t that what this whole camp thing was about from the start?

We’ve reached the finish line of Frontier Week, and everyone is sweaty and euphoric — just as if they had run a marathon. In some ways, Frontier Week is like a marathon: really long, full of new challenges, and pretty much ruins your shoes. Tonight, at the Final Flame ceremony, a new Frontier Week champion was crowned. Now we can all sit down and rest.

But first, a hearty congratulations to the tribe of MODOC on its victory!

We’ll get to the dramatic finale in a bit. First, let’s rewind to this morning’s Medicine Man’s Mission. Each tribe has a “Med Man,” or a Senior camper chosen as a leader alongside the Chief. The Med Man’s Mission is a scavenger hunt of sorts, involving all of the Juniors and many of the counselors. Each Med Man is handed a list of items. His job is to delegate to his tribe members by assigning different items to be retrieved. Need a bowl of mud from the lake? Choose someone who wants the job. Looking for a baseball mitt? Who in your tribe knows where his in kept in the bunk? Let him grab that. Bring a canoe to the Silverdome? That’s where the lucky counselors come in!

When time was up, the judges went through the list with each Med Man to determine how many of the items his tribe had successfully retrieved. By the time the Mission was complete, there were beds, benches, cubbies, and canoes strewn all over the Lower Field. Everyone participated in the clean-up, and then headed to the campsites to join the Seniors and Hi-Seniors for some last-minute building, securing, and cleaning.

After lunch, the campsite judging began. A team of about 6 judges moved from site to site, clipboards in hand. At each campsite, they were greeted by the Chief and Head Coach. The judges got a tour of each site, along with explanations of the elements built into the shelter. The criteria being judged ranged from overall design, to weatherproofing, to how well it could accommodate all members of the tribe. The judges examined the lashing skills and camp craft techniques used by each tribe. They asked a lot of questions, and the Chiefs and other tribe leaders were prepared with thoughtful answers.

These structures turned out truly magnificent. Each tribe had only 4 days to gather materials, design the shelter, and build it, and this Frontier Week brought many weather challenges.

Have I mentioned the rain?

While rain is helpful for making clay out of mud (and there was a LOT of mud used to create stability in the structures), it can really put a damper (HA!) on your plans to build a semi-waterproof roof and to clear your site of all leaves and other debris. Considering the obstacles the tribes were up against, they all did a spectacular job. One tribe even built a second story, accessible by “tree ladder” and capable of safely supporting several of the judges! The imagination and execution of these structures never ceases to amaze.

The remainder of the afternoon was devoted to song practice, leading up to tonight’s big competition at the Stage. Each tribe chose a song, rewrote the lyrics to reflect the spirit of Frontier Week and the importance of the Owego Brotherhood, and set a goal to make the audience cry.

Kidding, not kidding.

Everyone shuffled down to the stage at 7:45, and Dave addressed the crowd. He explained that he would choose the order of performances randomly by picking a tribe name out of a cup. Up first was Creek. One thing you should know about these Frontier Week songs is not only are they sentimental and filled with lyrics about outgrowing camp, but most of the campers singing on stage are also crying. It is an extremely touching moment to witness. Boys and young men, choked up by the thought of leaving camp behind, breaking down and embracing one another.

After Creek, it was Modoc, Mohegan, Shakori, Yahi, and finally Ojibwe. As each tribe left the stage, they were greeted by a receiving line of friends waiting to embrace them. Tears flowed freely as the Chiefs hugged one another, the other Tents joined in, and even some Juniors and counselors got in on the action. It was a real lovefest and a beautiful example of the Owego Brotherhood.

While the judges stepped out to tally the points, the Stage area became a sing along. Owego favorites from past Frontier Weeks — Kansas City, Cigarette Daydreams — played on the speakers as the Tents took the stage one last time. They threw their arms around each other’s shoulders and belted out the songs that will live forever in their memories of camp. The entire camp stood on the benches and joined in. Friends celebrated the bonds that they share because of Owego, no matter what tribe they were on these past 5 days.

When the signal came in that the judges were finished deliberating, the music stopped, the tribes lined up, and everyone marched to the Upper Field for the Final Flame ceremony. The bonfire awaited. Its flames stretched high into the air, and beckoned the tribes to gather around. The Chiefs carried their flaming torches — the same torches that were painted by the Juniors on Day 2 — and the tribes formed a semi-circle around the bonfire.

Dave started the ceremony by reading the results of the meal and campsite competitions. Mohegan was the big winner for meal, and Yahi won campsite. Then Kyle asked the Chiefs to move closer to the bonfire and stand side by side, facing their tribes. As Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” played over the speakers, Kyle stepped up from behind and lightly tapped them on the back one at a time to let each one know when it was time to toss the torch in the fire and rejoin the tribe.

Yahi was the first tribe tapped. Co-chiefs Justin and Eli tossed their torches and bandanas and stepped aside. They were followed by Creek’s chief Max, Mohegan’s co-chiefs Ben and Jackson, and Ojibwe’s chief Jack. Shakori’s chief Nick and Modoc’s chief Leo were the last two standing with their torches. Kyle approached, lifted both hands to both boys’ backs, but only touched one. Shakori’s time was up. Modoc was the winner.

As the Modoc tribe celebrated their victory, members of the other tribes joined in the celebration and congratulated the winners. While many campers were understandably disappointed, that didn’t stop them from being gracious and generous to their friends who won.

At Owego, a little competition can’t break the bonds we share. Tonight, we celebrate Modoc. Tomorrow, we reunite as one camp. Three more days.

All of the armchair meteorologists at Owego have been closely following today’s forecast, and they woke up this morning feeling positive! Though puddles of water and lots of mud still remain after two straight days of torrential downpours, the sky cleared up and we were gifted with a hot, sunny day.

Owego Raid got underway following inspection. Over three rounds of play, each tribe competed to knock down the cups of water belonging to the other tribes. There’s some strategy involved, but that is the main object of the game. Round one had the Juniors gathering tennis balls on the Upper Field and depositing them in their tribe’s milk carton. The Seniors, Hi-Seniors, and counselors from each tribe ran from the Upper Field to one of four locations in camp to collect poker chips and bring them back to their Head Coach. The farther the location, the more valuable the chip. Once your chip was deposited, you could run back to collect another. Thus, many know Owego Raid as “that game where you run back and forth.”

At the conclusion of the “Raid,” the chips were counted up based on color (different colors are worth different amounts of points) and each tribe had a point total. The points were used to purchase plastic cups, which were filled with water and placed on benches. The Juniors then used the tennis balls they collected to try and knock over the other tribe’s water cups. For every cup your tribe has standing at the end of game play, you get a certain number of points.

This cycle repeats three times, with different divisions filling each role. Lots of running. Lots.

After lunch, the tribes spread out to their campsites to work on their shelters and to start prepping for this evening’s campsite meal. The meal team from each tribe reported to the dining hall, where they spent a few hours slicing and dicing, seasoning and mixing, until their meal was ready to be carried out to the campsite for cooking. Each tribe was tasked with coming up with a menu and a list of ingredients. The meal team prepared and cooked the food, both for their tribe members to enjoy and for the judges to sample and score. The amazing thing is that all of the food was cooked AT THE CAMPSITE, over an open flame in a dirt oven DUG OUT BY THE CAMPERS.

While the meal team prepped the food, the Juniors took time out from campsite work to gather in the picnic grove for cake decorating. Each tribe had a vanilla sheet cake that was baked by the Owego kitchen staff. The Juniors were responsible for icing and decorating the cake with their tribe’s name and other important symbols. The designs were creative, and executed in a clever way. There was a campfire made out of crushed graham crackers, Kit-Kat logs, and Swedish Fish flames! After judging, the cakes were enjoyed by each tribe for dessert. Well done, Juniors!

Following meal judging and dinner, campers showered and changed into longs and longs for the main event. Rope burn. Three nights in the making. A little thunder in the distance, but nothing serious. This was happening. Tonight.

Over the past 4 days, the tribes have been collecting wood at their campsites. Each tribe had amassed an impressive pile of sticks by today, and some of it was even dry! Once the older campers and counselors had completed the monumental task of carrying these massive piles of wood to the Upper Field, it was showtime.

The rope burn teams from each tribe sorted through the piles of wood, separating them into larger branches, smaller sticks, and kindling. Each tribe was given a box of matches and nothing more. The air horn sounded. Sorting time was over. Kyle gave the signal. It was fire-making time!

The teams of Hi-Seniors from each tribe got to work. Once the flame flickered to life, it had to catch the wood and spread. Then it had to grow, with the help of additional wood and oxygen — provided by members of the rope burn team laying flat on their stomachs, blowing into the base of the fire. Smoke billowed everywhere. As the flames expanded and climbed towards the rope, the crowd cheered wildly. “Burn that rope!” and “The rope, the rope, the rope is on FIRE!” were shouted above the crackling sound of the flames.

In the end, it was the Mohegan tribe whose rope split first, making them the official winners of rope burn. Mohegan was followed by Yahi, Modoc, Shakori, Ojibwe, and Creek. It was a magnificent effort by everyone involved, and a breathtaking event to witness.  Congratulations to Mohegan!

Tomorrow is the big finale. The song comptition and the Final Flame ceremony. A new Frontier Week champion will be crowned. And it might rain.

Day three of Frontier Week promised more outdoor action, more campsite prep, more competition, and a postponed ROPE BURN!!!

Well, three out of four isn’t bad.

The morning started with a do-over of yesterday’s rained-out afternoon activity, Overland Overwater. Similar to the Ultimate Olympic Challenge, this is Frontier Week’s version of an all-camp relay race. Starting at the front gate off of Route 6, a camper bicycled into camp, up the hill of the Ridge, across the Lower Field, to the lacrosse net. From there, it was non stop action as the next tribe member was tagged and took off dribbling a soccer ball. The relay included running, shooting baskets, canoeing in the lake, balancing a golf ball on a spoon, a wheelbarrow race, shooting a bow at an archery target, and much more! The big finale of the race had the Chief or Chiefs from each tribe sprinting across the Lower Field to the backstop of Danny’s Diamond and blowing a whistle attached to the fence. This signaled the end of the race for that tribe.

There were two heats of three tribes each. First up was Creek, Modoc, and Mohegan. Creek’s bicyclist lost a tire as he approached the Ridge, taking a tumble. But in true Owego fashion, he dusted himself off and ran the rest of the way to preserve his tribe’s time. Luckily, he was unhurt, and everyone was impressed by his resilience. The entire relay lasted about 15 minutes, and culminated in the Chiefs blowing one of the whistles attached to the baseball fence. After a brief resetting of equipment (and a thorough safety check of the bicycles), it was time for the second heat. Ojibwe, Shakori, and Yahi spread out across camp and waited to be tagged to signal their time to shine. Once again, the relay took campers and counselors from the fields to the courts, to the lake to the archery range, and back again. This finish was a nail biter, as Ojibwe just barely edged out Yahi as all three runners collided with the backstop at the same time and scrambled to reach a whistle.

It was sunny and hot for the duration of Overland Overwater, so everyone was optimistic about the likelihood that Rope Burn would proceed this evening.

Mother Nature had other plans.

The thunder began to rumble towards the end of Rest Hour, and the deluge followed shortly after. The Special Event activity scheduled for the afternoon was set up and ready to go. Most of it could be moved to an indoor space or covered area. So when it became apparent that the rain wasn’t letting up anytime soon, the decision was made to proceed with the Special Event.

The brainchild of Junior Head Counselor Mike, along with input from other Key Staff, this activity was a variation on the “Escape Room” concept. Basically, the Chiefs and Head Coaches were “trapped” in Crockett and could only be freed by their tribe members. Across camp, the divisions worked on puzzles and trivia to obtain clues that would help to free their Chiefs and Head Coaches. The Juniors and Seniors shared the HBC. Hi-Seniors worked in the dining hall, finding names on the Olympic and Frontier Week plaques hanging on the walls and matching them with corresponding areas of camp on a sheet of paper. One of the tribe members would run to that area (in the pouring rain, no less) and collect a colored cone to bring back to his team. Once all of the cones were retrieved, the team had to put them in a particular order based on numbers written on the paper.

Sounds complicated, you say? Very. Sounds really cool? Also, yes.

All of the clues deciphered by the various divisions were communicated via walkie-talkie to  Crockett, where the Chiefs and Head Coaches had to use their tribe’s clues to choose the correct trophy from a few dozen arranged on a table. Narrowing it down with clues like “birds” or “blue” was challenging, but all Chiefs eventually chose the correct trophy and were freed. The overall winner of this competition was Ojibwe, with Modoc coming in a close second. Everyone used brainpower, everyone got really wet, and everyone had fun!

We all eagerly anticipate Rope Burn, which had to be postponed another day. It can’t possibly rain again tomorrow, can it?

Can it???

Day two of Frontier Week dawned with an early-morning thunderstorm moving through camp like a locomotive careening off the tracks. By the time the whistle sounded for lineup, however, the rain was gone and the sun appeared. After breakfast, the six tribes split up to conquer various activities. Seniors and Hi-Seniors continued to work at the campsites, while Juniors assembled in the picnic grove for torch painting.

It is a Frontier Week tradition for the youngest members of each tribe to decorate the torch that will be carried by the Chief at the Final Flame ceremony on the last night of the competition. With Head Coaches supervising and offering artistic guidance (as well as paint wrangling), the Juniors worked together with their tribe-mates to paint a large trunk of wood about 6 feet long. With their tribe’s color as the base, the tiny artists incorporated the other tribes’ colors into their design. To finish it off, each group signed its tribe’s name to the torch. One tribe’s members even dipped their thumbs in paint and left their fingerprints as a signature to their hard work!

The remainder of the morning was devoted to the Frontier Competition. Every Senior and Hi-Senior from each tribe participated in a different area of camp. At the lake, there were canoe and kayak races, as well as swimming relays. Other areas of competition included climbing, archery, biking, and even ping-pong!

The big finale of the Frontier Competition was crowd-favorite King of the Hill. Though it has been held at the lake in previous years, the event took place this year at the pool. Part of the floating Wibit was relocated to the deep end, while lifeguards anchored each end to keep it from drifting. In a round-robin tournament, one Hi-Senior from each tribe faced off against one another in a “last man standing” style contest. When the whistle blew, the opponents had to approach one another while maintaining balance and try and knock the other person off the Wibit into the water. The person whose body last touched the Wibit was declared the winner. There was lots of gentle ribbing, flailing limbs, and big laughs.

An incoming storm derailed the afternoon’s event, Overland Overwater, an all-camp obstacle course that will be rescheduled for a later date. Instead, the tribes gathered at their meeting places to work on their team chants. After about an hour, everyone met up at the stage for cheer presentations. These were dramatic masterpieces that segued into an upbeat, loud chant involving the whole tribe. The Creek tribe held a dance competition, the Modoc tribe held a bear-repelling ritual, the Yahi tribe conducted a tour of its native lands complete with an owl invasion, the Shakori tribe held an Olympic competition, the Ojibwe tribe parodied Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and the Mohegan tribe played poker with very high stakes! Oh, and there was chanting and stomping and clapping, too.

Unfortunately, the rain continued to pummel camp throughout the afternoon, and tonight’s much-anticipated Rope Burn was postponed for a later date. But if previous Frontier Weeks are any indication, it will definitely be worth the wait!

Day three is on the horizon!

The six Frontier Week tribes have been named!

Following breakfast, the teams gathered in their meeting spots to choose a Native American tribe after which to name themselves for the duration of Frontier Week. Presenting your Frontier Week 2024 tribes: Royal blue Mohegan, White Yahi, Navy blue Creek, Black Modoc, Red Shakori, and Green Ojibwe.

Now known by their tribe names, rather than by the color of their Chief’s shirt, the teams scattered to their campsites to begin the monumental task of clearing debris, gathering sticks, and planning their shelters. The campsites are located in the woods that surround Owego. While there are paths by which to reach these sites, they are cluttered with the remnants of a long, cold winter. Skeletons of last summer’s Frontier Week shelters still remain, but each tribe must start this process with a clean slate.

The rakes came out, the gloves slipped on, and every member of the tribe got to work. The youngest campers were sent into the surrounding woods to gather sticks. They marched back to their campsites, arms full of kindling, both for shelter building and for fire starting which will become essential to cook tribe meal on night 4. Older campers cleared the debris, gathered larger logs for the actual structure, and put their heads together to design a shelter that will fit the entire tribe. This Frontier Week business requires all hands on deck!

After lunch and a break from the campsites for Rest Hour, the tribes split up to tackle various tasks. Many team members returned to the campsites to continue shelter prep, while others reported to Arts & Crafts where groups of about 5 created a banner that represented the tribe’s name as well as its traditions. These artists had one hour to plan the banner’s design (based on the factual information researched about each tribe), sketch it out with pencil, and paint it to look colorful and bold. Then the banners had to dry. Battery-powered clip-on fans were retrieved from bunks and some team members were assigned to “drying duty” while others painted feverishly. At the one hour mark, all supplies were surrendered and the banners were finished.

All of Owego gathered at the Stage for the Banner Presentation. One by one, each tribe stood before the crowd and proudly displayed its banner. Head coaches and Chiefs spoke to the audience about their tribe’s history and traditions, and how they mirror our values at Owego. Medicine Men, Warriors, and Scouts held the banners high for everyone to see. The banners depicted rivers, forests, bears, alligators, eagles, owls, and, most significantly, the colors of the six tribes in competition. Each tribe spoke of the bonds that hold us Owegans together. Though we compete as six different teams during Frontier Week, we will soon be reunited as one camp.

The evening’s main attraction was the always popular Tug-of-War competition. Six tribes in a round-robin tournament, vying for rope supremacy. While the campers dug in their heels and pulled with all their might, coaches and counselors ran back and forth along the rope imploring the campers to “Pull!” and “Get low!” Modoc had the most impressive showing, winning all but one of their match-ups, but all of the tribes celebrated at least one win. Some match-ups were closer than others! But it was a real treat to see Juniors sprinkled in with Seniors and Hi-Seniors, all working towards a common goal. Everyone’s effort counted, and everyone on the team contributed.

That’s what Frontier Week is all about.

It started with a bang.

No, really. A literal bang.

With Evening Activity just underway, fireworks echoed through camp and everyone was instructed to head back to the bunk. Waiting for each camper was a plastic bag containing a colored wristband — red, black, yellow, green, purple, or blue. Wristbands secured, campers sprinted to the Upper Field and gathered in groups by color. The familiar chords of “Baba O’Riley” blasted from the speakers. Excitement bubbled through the crowd. Hugs and high fives were exchanged. The Tents stood side-by-side, arms slung around one another’s shoulders. This was their big moment.

Last year’s Chiefs (and current counselors) marched onto the field, carrying flaming torches. Standing before the assembled teams, their colored Chief shirts from 2023 mirrored the campers’ wristbands — red, black, yellow, green, purple, and blue. A semi-circle formed around the large pile of wood and debris that would become the Frontier Week bonfire. But where was the fire?

Campers watched intently as the 2023 Chiefs marched over to a collection of buckets and extinguished their torches. Suddenly, a counselor burst forth from the crowd, screaming, “Fake-out! Fake-out! Fake-out!” Disbelief is the best word to describe the look on everyone’s faces. Small groups began to peel off from the gathered masses and made their way back to Evening Activity.

But wait! What is that on the Lower Field?

At Danny’s Diamond, small flames were scattered around the bases, burning shades of blue. A large screen stood on the pitcher’s mound, beckoning the campers to come closer. As everyone watched, the Tents were treated to a video of their families congratulating them on completing the 100-miler and sharing their favorite photos and memories of their camper’s time at Owego. It was touching and sweet as these tough 11th graders melted into puddles at this surprise onslaught of familial love and support.

The Tents were instructed to lead everyone back to the Upper Field for the REAL start to Frontier Week 2024. Our oldest campers never broke rank, they simply changed direction — setting the example for everyone to follow. The throngs of Owegans were greeted on the Upper Field by a fireworks display that would make Uncle Sam proud. The bonfire raged. This was it. The real deal.

One by one, the six Tribes took shape. Chiefs were announced, followed by Medicine Men, Warriors, and Scouts, and then all remaining Tribe members. Chiefs picked their head coaches from an envelope full of names. Medicine Men chose the campsite location, and Warriors chose the indoor meeting space. There were embraces among teammates, coaches, and friends. The Frontier Week spirit has arrived at Owego. Though the competition will last just 5 days, the memories will last a lifetime.

Great Scott!

He’s done it again. Scott(y) staged a rollicking performance of “Back to the Future at Owego” earlier this evening. Jump in the Delorean and let this blog’s 1.21 Gigawatts of power transport you back in time to around 8:00 pm on July 30, 2024.

Before we dive into the musical stylings of your favorite Owego campers and staff, you need to know that Scotty writes the entire script for his shows. The way he weaves together story and song, and then adds Owego as a backdrop, is unique and simply delightful. Tonight’s show was no exception. With Marty McFly and Doc Brown as his anchor, he let his imagination run wild. What resulted was part film tribute, part dance party, and part talent showcase. The audience couldn’t get enough!

The show opened with the iconic scene of Marty (costumed in a red puffer vest, of course) wailing on the electric guitar at Doc’s house. The arc of the story mirrored much of the beloved 1984 film and current Broadway hit. Marty uses Doc’s Delorean time machine to travel back to the year 1985, where he encounters his Dad as a young camper at Owego. There’s Biff, the gruff bully who threatens to beat up Marty if he doesn’t hand over his Canteen treats, young Emmet Brown who sings about dreamers, and the infamous lightning strike that sends Marty back to present-day Owego.

But there was so, so much more.

Scotty used the concept of a talent competition at Timber Tops to tap into the world of 1985. With musical tributes to the likes of Michael Jackson, Tears for Fears, Cyndi Lauper, Whitney Houston, Joan Jett, and more, the show highlighted the talent and heart of everyone on stage — from the smallest campers to numerous counselors (one played guitar and another did a Moonwalk that would make MJ proud) to two Unit Leaders, who sang a spirited version of  “Jack and Diane” that began “Little ditty about Kyle and Freedo…”

Peppered throughout the script were quotes from and references to some of the most notable 80’s films ever: Stand By Me, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Airplane, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, and Indiana Jones — just to name a few! If your camper comes home saying, “I know you are, but what am I?” you can thank Scotty.

Following the climactic lightning strike, Marty’s return to 2024, and Doc Brown’s plea to Marty to return to the future, there was a curtain call set to Huey Lewis’ “Power of Love.” Scotty himself (as Doc Brown) took center stage and directed the audience to “Celebrate!” As Kool and the Gang’s hit blasted from the speakers, everyone got up and started to dance. The joy was infectious, and all of Owego caught the bug.

Bravo to the cast and crew of “Back to the Future at Owego!” And Bravo to our very own Scotty Myers!