I asked Susie Ma’am for a suggestion for a blog. She had a good one. “Tell them about the power of slushies!” Sounds like a winner to me.

But before I do so, please allow me a disclaimer.

We deeply value healthy eating and living at Camp Champions. I love the fact that we are tech free and that campers exercise multiple times every day. We also stress emotional health. We strive to have your children return healthier and happier than they arrive.

We also have placed a huge emphasis on healthy food. Susie Ma’am and Chef Travis have transformed our meal options to include fresher options and more of them. Our salad bar offers 6-9 fruits for breakfast (with two types of yogurt and cottage cheese) and over 20 items for lunch and dinner. Some items are prepared salads (chicken, quinoa, couscous, pasta, tuna, etc) and over a dozen items for salads. We have rich greens and no iceberg lettuce. Every meal also includes options for vegetarians and campers with food allergies.

And yet we have a slushy machine.

I know that slushies are not healthy. They are, in fact, devoid of any health benefit that I can conjure. There are nothing more than frozen sugar-water.

But the campers think they are extra-special treats, reserved for Friendship Games, Man Caves and winners of competitions. Since the rest of our food options are healthy, the occasional indulgence takes on extra significance. As a result, the slushy machine has earned a ridiculous level of adoration.

Susie Ma’am and I regularly hear the same comment, “You are SOOO lucky to have a slushy machine at your house. I bet you grab 4 or 5 a day.” Clearly, our youngsters have no idea what 5 daily slushies would do to a 50+ year-old body – they assume that we possess the same rapid metabolisms that they enjoy.

When I explain that we turn off the slushy machine the very day the campers leave, they look at me like a man who has forgotten how to embrace life. I would not describe their gaze and pitying, but they are certainly looks of confusion and disappointment.

The campers have also created a litany of names for the different slushy varieties.

All three colors (er, flavors), is a “rainbow”. Blue plus red is a “Trojan/Spartan” since the camp teams are blue and red. [Note: certain campers become very specific that their tribe’s color be on the top of a Trojan/Spartan slushy.

Red on bottom with orange on top is the sunset, the opposite is a sunrise.

Blue and orange is a “tropical Freeze” (except when I had a Univeristy of Florida fan, would called it a “Gator” after the mascot and colors of his favorite team).

Slushies also have curative powers; having successfully mitigated homesickness, a twisted ankle, a cabin disagreement and a large splinter.

So here's to the slushy – may it continue to bring joy without any other discernable benefits!

Steve Sir