Singing Dining Hall songs has been a Greystone tradition since the early years. With the start of the Song Contest in the 1930s, campers learned new songs each year. Girls would call out “1-2-3-shhhh,” and Mary McConnell would join in with whichever song had begun.
The post-EP treat. Over the years, girls have munched on saltines, nilla wafers, and graham crackers. Girls in the early years also enjoyed a small glass of milk.
Campers love overnight hiking trips and have enjoyed them for decades, vising places like Mount LeConte, the Smoky Mountains, and the Appalachian Trail.
Receiving the name of your camp buddy in the mail has always been a highlight. Mrs. Hanna would handwrite these postcards with a personal note during her years as Director.
A very popular destination at camp, girls loved walking across this bridge spanning the lake (while often trying to splash their friends). It was dismantled in the 1980s when the track was built.
What is better than a rendition of More Than a Box or If I Were Not a Greystone Counselor? And don’t even think of trying Shaka Khan!
One of Greystone’s newest traditions, a golf cart delivers cold, crisp apples to girls in their 3rd period classes.
Nothing gets a Greystone girl excited quite like Opening Day. Waking up early, driving through the gates, finding out your cabin, meeting your counselor, putting on your nametag…. we can taste the scones now!
A favorite Opening Day tradition, Greystone girls love reciting the Pavilion verses together. The first verse was donated by Jane McGaughey in the 1920s.
Greystone’s newest property located 10 minutes from camp, Bear Mountain adds hundreds of acres for hiking and camping. Campers love the beautiful view at the top of the property.
Finding room in your trunk for Costumes has been an important aspect of packing for decades. Campers love dressing up for their favorite Evening Programs.
Banquet Cup Awards started in the 1920s when the Best All ’Round, Watersports, and Riding Cups were presented. Today, Greystone passes out ten Cup awards at Banquet.
Enjoyed by Greystone girls for many years, Cooking is one of the most popular classes offered at Greystone today. Girls make homemade pasta, sushi, macaroons, and more.
When JimDaddy passed away in 2010, Greystone established the Great Day Fund in his memory. This Fund provides camperships to girls who cannot afford camp.
Earning points for the Odds and Evens team by keeping the cabin clean, campers check the Job Wheel every morning and night. Highlight? Captain of the Day, of course!
In the 1990s, Greystone changed up its kitchen program under the tutelage of Starr Teel. Starr hired young girls and boys, creating a tight knit group who served the food each day.
There is not a Greystone camper out there who doesn’t remember her nights at Council Fire. A time for girls to gather in reverence, Council Fire evokes awe and excitement in generations of campers. Starting with the lighting of the Council Fire torch and walking up the hill to the Ring, the Director then shares a short story relevant to the times. Girls remember favorites such as the Meme bird, the palm tree wounded by the nail, Georgia in her corner, and many more. Find out the unique opportunity you have in connection with Council Fire this 100th year.
A camper favorite, this Evening Program is packed full of inflatable rides, good food, and great dancing.
Campers in the 1990s enjoyed a parade to kick off the Carnival, dressing up in themes like “Libby’s Garden Party” and “America.”
Started in the 1970s by JimDaddy Miller, Breakfast Club is a staple of a camper’s morning. After breakfast each morning, JimDaddy would encourage girls to grow in the Four Fold Philosophy: spiritual, social, mental and physical growth, emulating the growth seen in Jesus from Luke 2:52. After sharing motivational words, JimDaddy would end with a short story, asking “Elizabeth, do I have time for a short story?” The answer was always a resounding “Yes!”
Jimboy Miller has continued the tradition of his father, making it his own. Laughing often and at times getting emotional, Jimboy shares from his heart as he encourages girls in their growth.
Called Quiet Hour in 1921, this “golden hour” of rest after lunch is a much needed break after a busy morning of classes. Girls write letters, read, or take a nap. No passing notes!
Virginia Hanna’s home on Lake Summit from the 1940s-80s, Greystone girls loved visiting and having their Overnights on the property.
The Secret to Greystone is not a secret at all! Through Council Fire, nightly devotions, Breakfast Club, and Morning Assembly, girls are encouraged to show unselfishness in all they do.
The perfect change-up to the Greystone routine, Sleep Late Friday involves sleeping an hour later and having a breakfast picnic in your cabin.
Greystone girls flock to the Dining Hall at meal times. Eating family style, campers change tables each week to meet new people. Campers remember fondly the different hand-painted windows, the refilling of platters of food, and the singing after meals.
Greystone girls are encouraged to try a “Greystone Bite” of new foods. Many favorites are found this way.
The water spigot in the back of the Dining Hall. Girls bring their empty water pitchers to the spigot to refill their pitchers before returning to their table.
A newer camp tradition, the Silent Celebration serves as a way to show excitement in the Dining Hall without making noise. Put your hands over your head and wiggle your fingers, and you’ve got the Silent Celebrate.
Offered as an option to older campers, Table Girls are campers who wish to make some extra money by helping to set and clear a table for each meal.
Greystone has had many wonderful nurses throughout the decades. The Infirmary, which was renamed The Health Hut in the 1990s, has been a place of care and compassion for generations of Greystone girls.
What better way to start the session than on stage with your cabinmates? Lip Syncs allow each cabin to work together on the first two nights of camp, creating a fun song and dance routine to perform for their peers.
A focal point on the Greystone campus, the Lower Road runs in the middle of camp, dividing the cabins from the rest of the property. Beautiful trees line the Lower Road, and girls are often found skipping down the Road with their friends.
Greystone’s Hillbilly band started in the 1970s. Pickers was an older camper favorite, as girls played the saw, washboards, spoons, guitars, toilet seats, and even sifters filled with rocks.
A popular Landsports game, campers would get mighty fierce on the court. “Throw them where they aren’t” was a popular Mary B saying to her players.
Starting on Lake Summit and then moving to Lake Keowee in 1986, campers loved their time on the water. Early skiiers enjoyed skiing on an aquaplane.
Dog Camp is a camper favorite, and we have the cutest puppies around! Girls love playing and training the camp puppies each year.
Started as Street Dance and brought to Greystone in the 1990s, campers love learning choreographed dances to upbeat songs.
Started in 1985 with the building of the track, Greystone Mountain Stumblers was founded by JimDaddy Miller, as a way for girls to focus on their Physical growth. Girls must walk or run 3 miles in an hour in order to “pay the price for the promise of the prize” - a coveted Stumblers t-shirt.
Generations of Greystone Girls have enjoyed Synchronized Swimming at camp. At Main Camp today, over 150 campers take this very popular class. The end of camp Watershow is a highlight for the girls.
A popular Evening Program in the 1920 and 1930s, counselors would decorate their canoes by theme, such as a fairy tale.
Used to tell campers where to go and what to do, Bugles started with a live bugler before transitioning to a 78-rpm record player, cassette tape, CD, and finally an iPod.
Nothing can invoke such cheering in the Greystone Dining Hall than Bread Pudding. Using homemade bread and fresh berries, girls count down the days until it is served.
There is nothing worse than getting called down by the Patrol. Counselors walking around camp after taps look for girls who are not asleep or those that need to go to the Health Hut.
Mail is a camp favorite! Passed out after Rest Hour, girls anxiously await to find out if they received Mail. Campers today receive letters as well as emails from parents.
Played on Sunday nights after flag, The Camp Game is a way for cabins to be dismissed to the Leftover Buffet dinner. Girls compete to see who remembers the summer theme verse or what was discussed in Morning Assembly that week.
Holocaust survivor Corrie ten Boom visited Greystone in 1973. Corrie had a lasting and meaningful impact on the campers, staff, and directors that summer, as she shared her faith with the community.
This after dinner treat can’t be missed! Girls visit the Candy Shoppe to pick-up a candy or ice cream treat after dinner. Campers used to pay for the treats by keeping up with a green Shoppe Card.
Started in the 1980s, Libby added Group Leaders to the camp leadership team, as she needed help overseeing all aspects of camp with the growing numbers of camper enrollments.
Added in the 2010s, Ice Hut provide a place to fill up your waterbottle and grab a protein-rich snack during the day. Campers enjoy bean chips, string cheese, and yogurt squeezables between classes.
Girls unfortunate enough to be campers in the 1990s remember the Llama Trek overnight adventures. Hiking their smelly, spitting llamas into the wilderness was nothing short of a memorable experience.
Worn on Sundays and for special events like Banquet or Vespers, Whites is when all campers and staff wear all-white clothing. This is done as a way to set aside fashion and the cares of the world to focus on the Lord.
During the 1940s - 1980s, campers rode the Swimming Bus to the Lake Summit swimming docks. Girls were always careful to not fall through or lose a shoe in the big hole found on the floor of the bus.
The culmination and celebration of the summer, Banquet is the last night of camp. Counselors plan a secret performance set to a theme each year. Girls eagerly await to learn the surprise. A Banquet feast is enjoyed in the transformed Dining Hall. Departments give out the highest awards and honors in their respective areas.
Over many decades, Greystone girls have loved the final plays performed by the Greystone drama departments. After weeks of practice and much transforming of the Pavilion to the theme, campers take the stage with gusto!
Campers have enjoyed Riding from the very beginning, as it was one of the most popular classes in Greystone’s earliest years. Alumnae fondly remember their favorite camp horses. Advanced riders enjoyed overnight trips to Thunderhead, which riders today still enjoy. The Horseshow at the end of the session still allows girls to compete for the Riding trophy and the coveted spot as the top rider in camp.
Starting the session with the Opening Vespers ceremony is a favorite memory of many campers. Girls hear the Keeper of the Flame story, as they come to understand how their light can shine in a dark world.
Received on the first day of the session, a camper’s nametag means she has finally arrived at camp! Many campers today write their schedule on the back of their nametag and wear it throughout the session.
The Miss Greystone Pageant of the 1950s and 1960s was a glorified beauty pageant where girls competed in categories such as hair, nails, legs, figure, and eyes.
When an old tree in the middle of the Pageant Court was dying, the Shepherd’s Gazebo was built around it. Verses from Psalm 23 are etched into benches under the Gazebo.
A Greystone favorite started in the 1980s, Taco in a Bag is a picnic that gets everyone excited. Take a Fritos bag, open it up, dump in your taco toppings, and you’ve got Taco in a Bag.
Greystone’s team competition began in 1920 when camp’s colors were officially set to be Green and Gold. Campers switch teams each year based on their cabin number. Girls earn points for their teams through Challenge Day, Flag attendance, Inspection, and Watersports Day. The winner is announced at Banquet to thunderous applause.
Chosen at the Team Fires, Captains and Lieutenants lead their teams in the team competition each summer. Usually the oldest girls in camp, these leaders help schedule Challenge Day and Watersports Day events and serve as good examples for the younger campers.
Mascots represent each team throughout the summer. In earlier decades, Mascots stayed the same each summer, but in more recent decades, campers have the chance to vote on their mascots. Favorites in recent years include the Poison Ivy, the Jolly Green Giants, the Yellow Submarines, the Lions, and many more.
The biggest Odds vs. Evens competition during the summer, Challenge Day serves as an opporunity for girls to compete in many sports activities around camp. The morning always begins with volleyball and ends with a softball game.
Watersports Day serves as the second team competition during the summer, with girls partcipating in activities in the water. From canoe races to swimming heats, girls try to earn some final points for their teams.
The clap that is never messed up! Felix the Cat serves as the clapping reminder to help get this Banquet clap perfect each year. Girls can say the Felix the Cat chant in their heads to know when to clap.
The magazine sent home to campers during the year to keep them thinking about camp, the Sparks is every girl’s dream to receive in the mail. There’s nothing like hearing from your summer home in the winter.
Greystone’s sailing docks, Putt Cove is located across the street from camp’s main entrance. This area received a complete renovation in 2010, as four new building structures and dedicated teaching spaces were added.
With Greystone being an all-girls camp, very few boys work at Greystone. The lucky few are called the Men Staff. These guys teach classes and help serve behind the scenes. And what Greystone camper hasn’t had a crush on a Men Staffer before?
Started in the 1990s by John John, the Jimboylympiad is a celebration of the Olympics at Greystone. Campers and counselors compete in friendly and ridiculous competitions to see which group can be victorious.
The DMC, or Deep Meaningful Conversation, is something that has happened at Greystone for decades but just recently received an official name. After dinner, many girls pair up for a DMC or “Shoppe Date.”
Opening Day brings much excitement as girls anticipate moving into their bunk. From metal bunks in earlier years (where you hope you don’t get the lower as you won’t be able to sit up), to the nice, hand-crafted wooden bunks of today, girls love sleeping in bunkbeds.
A recent term, The Bubble signifies the feeling of protection, separation, security, and growth in the Greystone gates. Girls love to escape the pressures of the world and enter The Bubble each summer.
Greystone’s long time motto and a phrase heard throughout camp. Greystone was founded on its belief in Christ and was established to glorify and honor Him. This same mission still holds true today.
Girls in the 1920s-1940s eagerly awaited the announcement of Girl Counselor Day, a day when the campers and counselors would switch places for the day. Girls would often dress as their respective staff member and visa versa.
For many years, girls would arrive to Greystone by train. Uncle Roy would often be in charge of overseeing and coordinating these trips, at times renting out whole Pullman cars for the campers.
Used for many different purposes over the years, White Hall received a full renovation in 2000, with many continued updates since then. Today, White Hall houses Greystone’s cooking department.
The Queens Ball began as a masquerade ball in the 1920s. This event honored older campers, and the queen was surrounded by fellow attendants (senior campers) and pages (junior campers). Campers would vote by secret ballot, and the Craftsmen would choose a theme for decorating the Pavilion. The night of the Pageant, campers were announced one by one, as they wore long, elegant dresses and processed down a white cotton runner to the stage. A hydrangea crown was placed on the Queen’s head, and camp would sing Ideal Girl.
In the earliest years, a Queen of Love and a Queen of Beauty were selected. Later, girls would elect a King of Love and a Queen of Beauty. Finally the competition just honored a Queen of Love and Beauty.
In the 2000s, the Pageant was changed to the Senior Celebration. This updated version allows for camp to honor all of its Senior campers.
Raising the Flag every morning and night has been a long standing tradition at Greystone. Girls stand at attention and salute the flag as the Honor Council performs Color Guard duties.
Dr. Sevier created the Honor Council in Greystone’s first year to serve as the camp’s “governing body.” The oldest girls in camp were chosen to serve on the Honor Council based on their qualities of leadership, spiritual growth, unselfishness, and growth in the Four-Fold way. The tradition continues today.
In 1928, Dr. Sevier started the Birthday Ball as a way to celebrate his daughter Virginia, who had a birthday during camp. Girls still enjoy the Birthday Ball today, as an elegant feast is served in the Dining Hall before the Camper Talent Show.
A popular class from the very beginning, Greystone girls have enjoyed Tennis for decades. Popular instructors include Alan Wadsworth and David Vining, among many others.
Is there a camper at Greystone who doesn’t love Waterpark? Boasting a 180-foot slide, a smaller fun slide, a blob, trampoline, paddleboards, water mat, and more, Waterpark is a camper dream.
Another class that began in the 1920s, many Greystone alumnae remember canoeing as their favorite camp activity. Advanced canoers enjoyed canoeing overnights and synchronized canoeing.
A newer activity, campers enjoy a full garden and chicken aviary. Campers help to grow food that is used in Cooking classes and often served in the Dining Hall. Girls care for bunnies, chickens, and pigs.
Greystone campers can take any number of Fine Arts classes at camp. Offering Glass Beads, Metal Jewelry, Ceramics, Sewing, Photography, and many more, our Fine Arts program nurtures budding artists. Girls of old enjoyed classes such as Flower Arranging and Basket Weaving.
Started in 1985 by Katie Miller Grant, the Five Year Ceremony honors those campers who have been at Greystone for 5 or more years, with at least 3 of those summers being at Main Camp. Honorees wear white dresses, and in later years, the Seniors began sharing about their favorite memories from their time at camp. In the 1980s and 1990s, Seniors would also participate in a Maypole dance.
A poignant end to the summer, Closing Vespers takes place on the second to last night of the summer. While the ceremony has changed over the years, the main purpose of the tradition remains the same. The night concludes with campers floating candles on the lake.
It doesn’t matter the decade, Greystone girls have always loved the food. From lemon stacks to french toast to cheesy chicken, campers eagerly anticipate the food all summer long.
Every night, campers look forward to the devotion given by their counselor. Afterwards, counselors tuck-in each camper individually, spending one-on-one time with each girl.
Throughout many decades, the Greystone community has loved the highly anticipated camper vs. counselor competitions. From basketball to softball, the groups vie to see who comes out on top.
In the early 2000s, Greystone became one of the first camps to start online chatting and blogging in the offseason. Deemed the Grey Cafe Chat Room, Kelly Carew spearheaded this initiative at camp.
Sundays at camp have always marked a change in the week, as the girls slow down and enjoy a different schedule. From Church in the morning to long Rest Hours to a Vespers service at night, campers love the change in pace.
One of camp’s newest traditions, Derby Day celebrates the Horseshow and Advanced riders. Girls dress up in Derby hats and sundresses, as they enjoy a Derby feast with their friends.
Campers love Morning Assembly, especially after it was updated to its current format in the 1990s. Singing and dancing to fast songs the assembly off before a few praise and worship songs. A short devotion is then given to start the day off right.
A celebration of great food and great music, Corn Roast is a camper delight. Started in the 1970s, the kitchen began by soaking corn in water for two days before roasting it in a large pit in the ground. In the 1990s, the Bluegrass Festival was added to Corn Roast, allowing campers to enjoy live music throughout the night.
This list of 100 things wouldn’t be complete without the most important on the list - the Greystone Staff. Greystone is what it is today because of the people. Our counselors are the best of the best and have made camp shine for these past 100 years!