One of the greatest traditions at SIDC is the annual Color War.  Each year the color War co- captains are announced one week prior to Color War.  The Color War theme is announced to all counselors, campers and parents at the beginning of Color War or for this year, Monday, August 15.  As in past years, there will be two teams comprised of all counselors and campers. 
Some past Color War themes include the following: NYPD vs. FDNY, Nike vs. Reebok, Pepsi vs. Coke, McDonalds vs. Burger King and Powerade vs. Gatorade. 
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Blue Team

Red Team

Color War Theme

 Blue Bazooka

Big Red

Blue

Red

 Mark Murasso & Dan O'Shaughnessy

Laura Miller & Kerry Matthews

Fun events, relay races, potato sack races, inter group sport competitions, team meetings, Hula Hoop races, bouncy ball relay, counselor dodge ball & competition

 

Track & field competition, inter sport competitions, counselor musical chairs team meetings, fight song competition 

 

 

Team meetings, banner competition, inter group sport competitions, Color War council, team skit and song competitions; Color War winner announced at  3:00pm.

 

 

History of Color War at SIDC:  By Tommy Grillo

Since it began in 1979, Color War has been a great tradition here at Staten Island Day Camp.  Color war is always the 8^th week of camp, and it is a competition where the camp is broken into two separate teams, a red team and a blue team.  It has always been based on a particular theme, which is kept secret from all camper and counselors until the week of Color War.  In previous years, some of the themes have included NYPD vs FDNY, Nike vs Reebok, Pepsi vs Coke, and McDonalds vs Burger King.  Occasionally there has been a third team, which is represented by the color yellow, but most of the time, including this year, Color War is a two-team event.   It has always stressed personal best, teamwork, but most of all, sportsmanship. There are four captains selected, two from each team.  These captains are generally counselors who have been around for a few years, or on occasion, Assistant Directors.   For 2010, there are two new counselors who were made captains. 

Aside from athletic competitions, Color War brings about much more.  There are songs, skits, and banners that are headlined throughout this week.  At the finale of Color War, each team will present their banner, their skit, and their song to the camp, as well as to the judges.  This is always an exciting time for the children, as well as the staff that leads the team.  Skits have always made the campers laugh, and the songs have always been exciting, often times a spin-off of a popular song of that time.  Aside from all of that, there are several counselor challenges including volleyball, steal the bacon, and track and field events.  The groups all participate in events such as softball, kickball, and slap ball.  For example, the Klondike boys from the red team will be competing against the Klondike boys from the blue team throughout the week in these events.

The only time that the groups are together and it is not for Color War points is during lunch, and when attendance is being taken in the morning.  Aside from these times, everything throughout the week is for points toward the Color War theme. To say it simply, Color War is and always has been a very special week for campers, counselors, and everyone involved with Staten Island Day Camp.  Although very competitive, it brings everyone together.  Campers and counselors who wouldn’t ordinarily be associating with each other are brought together by Color War.