A competitive spirit filled the UW- Platteville pool deck on Thursday afternoon as the campers prepared for the summer’s first swim meet. The 200 meter freestyle (that’s 8 laps!), 50 meter kick, and 100 meter backstroke were just a few of the afternoon’s main events.

The Strawberry Festival 5K is held annually here in Platteville to benefit breast cancer screening at the area’s hospital. On Saturday morning, campers participated in the 3.1-mile run/walk in town. All camper participants crossed the finish line, and for many it was their first organized race – they even have a strawberry pink t-shirt to prove it! Congratulations to all finishers!

After lunching on fat free pizza and breadsticks this afternoon, we waved good-bye to 9 brave campers and their counselors (all wearing sunscreen and donning brightly colored helmets), as they embarked on a 10 mile bike ride to what is known as the world’s largest “M.” Here’s a little history to go along with your blog reading enjoyment. The “M” is one of Platteville's most enduring landmarks. This very large letter was completed in 1937 by University of Wisconsin-Platteville students and is a symbol of the old School of Mines. It measures 214 feet wide by 241 feet tall and consists of some 400 tons of whitewashed stone. The lighting of the "M" is an annual tradition at UW-Platteville. Twice a year, the "M" is outlined with hundreds of smudge-pots lit by a torch carried by student runners from campus to the mound. The resulting display can be seen from 3 states. Steps lead up the side of the "M" so that one can climb to the top for a breathtaking view of the surrounding countryside. Now, that’s no ordinary 13^th letter.