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The Love of Traditions

By August 5, 2016 TLC Times

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Dear Tripp Lake Families,

Last night was Sing Song, one of the oldest and most loved traditions by Tripp Lakers. You know it’s a special event immediately because every staff member is formally dressed for the big event while campers wear their middies and team ties.  The night begins with each big team member being hugged by the seniors on their team before entering OTW.  All staff members line the walk way and offer them the best of luck.  As campers enter OTW there is seriousness in the air and everyone is very silent, the only sound is the campers climbing the bleachers waiting for the performance to begin.

Sing Song is a competition between the four Big Teams.  Each Team has to select songs in 5 categories:  team, spiritual, folk, camp and traditional.  There are five judges all with extensive experience in music and theater scoring the teams on response to the leader, musicality, originality (for team and camp which the campers write) and harmony.  The night is magically transformed as the voices of each team fill the air.

The signing is over, the judges move to confidentially discuss their scores. It is a challenging task to select which Big Team will win this year’s event. ….and the winners were…the Cubs for overall including spiritual and folk songs.  The Climbers and Giants tied for traditional and the Tigers won for team and camp songs.  A great night was had by all.

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Dear Tripp Lake Traditions,

Thank you for making me feel a part of something bigger than myself. Traditions like Sing Song singing in OTW and Friday evening services involve every camper and connect them to generations of Tripp’s past. I can still remember my first Sing Song practice as a nervous but excited AJ and becoming one of those girls at the front leading it last year helped me realize the journey that I have gone through at Tripp that is now coming to a close. I have grown into a more confident and friendlier person over my seven years here. Every girl goes through this cycle and while the cycle itself never changes, the girl is changed forever.

All my TLC love,IMG_1269

Rachel