GLEE - Flying!

From Sally Hacala and Dave Meyer, GLEE Instructors:

The girls started the day with 2 warm-up activities that got the girls moving and laughing while waking everyone up. We then moved to putting on our harnesses before we got on the Swing Shot. The Swing-shot is a swing that has the full group involved – it’s a simple, wonderful thrill. The participant begins and ends about three feet above the ground by being clipped into a rope lanyard and a haul-back rope. This rope leads to the top of a pole, through a pulley system, to make its way to an eager haul team back on the ground. As the rope is pulled, the swinger arcs slowly upward. When ready, she simply releases the haul rope and shoots earthward in a breathtaking display of gravitational and centrifugal force. 

After lunch the group was split in half, half of the group went to the Pamper Pole (high element) and the other group finished up their craft that they have been working on. The Pamper Pole is a ‘diving element,’ setting it apart from a typical belayed climbing experience. The brave participant climbs up a tree or pole on climbing staples to gain access to a platform (the plank), from which they exit in favor of a hanging ball a number of improbable feet away. There’s lots of air in this one! The group finished up  on the field having trolley races and playing a few "cool down" games. 

As a reminder tomorrow we will head off to Hinckley Lake in the morning. Please make sure your daughters arrive on time as the bus is scheduled to leave Butler at 9:15am and should arrive back somewhere around 4:45pm depending on traffic. Please have your daughter bring sun block, sun glasses (for fishing), swim suits, towels, and their water bottles. It should be a beautiful day as the weather is expected to be in the mid-80's. When we get back we will begin our setup for dinner and hopefully begin eating some where around 5:30pm. Don't forget your tents if you're sleeping over Friday evening. 

GLEE - Day 3

From Sally Hacala and Dave Meyer, GLEE Instructors:

We started the morning out with two warm-up games called Spot the Difference and Deportment Tag. We then moved on to a rotation of two high elements and a trip to the creek to look for crawfish and salamanders. 

The first high element was the Burma Bridge: This element consists of a thick wire for walking upon, and two ropes to hold on to. The bridge stretches between two trees in the woods. You are ready to cross when you have put on the harness and connected yourself to the safety rope. All that remains is an incredible suspended walk in fabulous surroundings about 40 feet in the air. 

The second high element was the Centipede which consists of five landscape timbers that are suspended from a cable. The object was to climb the timbers using the staples that are placed in various locations around the timbers. 

In the afternoon the group finished their rotations and also built a hunters fire in the fire pit where we cooked popcorn and roasted marshmallows. We finished the day with a kickball game on the softball diamond.