OUR TRADITIONS

EMBRACING TRADITIONS: THE HEART AND SOUL

OF CAMP MERRIE-WOODE

Traditions have shaped camp life since the very beginning. Founder Dammie Day, drawing on her British background and the ideals of Arthurian legend, wove themes of chivalry, character, and striving for one’s best into the fabric of camp. Today, campers experience these decades-old traditions through Evening Programs, Sunday Chapels, and campfires, as well as in the songs we sing and the stories we share. Many activities, including the Captain’s and Horsemaster Programs, are rooted in these traditions, and even the camper uniforms of “middies” and ties reflect them.

References to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table can be found throughout camp, from the names of buildings to the traditions woven into special programming. At camp, we also use the symbol of light, such as during Sunday evening’s campfire or when candles are set afloat on the lake after Follow the Gleam, to remind campers of their unique talents and capacity for greatness. These moments encourage campers to carry the light they find at Merrie-Woode back into the world and share it with others.