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In August 1920, my Great Grandfather completed the first summer of Camp Greystone. I can only imagine the delight and wonder in his heart at that time. There is literally nothing like crossing the finish line of a summer spent at camp. It is hard to describe. The scope of the work is quite grand: providing all the services of a cruise ship for an 80 day voyage. We not only feed and care for a large community, we also assume the responsibilities of parents to 500 girls. The weight of responsibility is not lifted from the day we start counselor training until today.

The past few days have passed in a blur of beautiful, happy moments. Golden days, glorious nights, lots of laughter, lots of “last” events of the summer. In many ways, the lesson of Closing Vespers encapsulates the feeling.

Closing Vespers is a lovely event. 700 candles held high as we stand in a giant circle is not a sight that is soon forgotten. It is also fleeting… we blow the candles out about a minute after all of them are lit. The lesson is clear: beauty does not last but it is wonderful nonetheless. That is how a summer feels… beautiful but fleeting. We are now just left with the memories (reinforced with well over 200,000 photographs).

Thank you for making it all possible. We thank our parents, our staff, but especially our amazing campers. Each of you will now leave camp with a reservoir of memories that will delight as the years go by. We hope that Greystone will remain a bright light in your life for a lifetime. It has been a delight and I am grateful.

Tomorrow I will take the family to the beach where we will catch up with each other. While camp is in session we find ourselves distracted and unable to really talk. This will be our chance to turn off the cell phones, close the laptops, and simply “be” (it is just like what we do with the campers). I can’t wait! To say we are tired is an understatement!

So let’s all enjoy our adjustment to the real world. Get some rest, wash some clothes, and wallow in the delights of home… remember to grow in the 4-fold way… and keep safely the memories that we share.

With Love

Jimboy