Council Fire and Vespers

“Round the blazing council fire’s light, we have met in comradship tonight…” Thus will end our Council Fire time tonight. Council Fire is a very simple and very wonderful tradition of camp, August Camp will be introduced to it this evening. We gather around the flag pole by cabin groups and once everyone is absolutely quiet, I walk out with “the torch” (a very old piece of wood that my Great Grandfather used for this purpose). In front of everyone I light the torch and we walk in columns of two up the hill to the council fire area. This area seems like a very long way to the youngest campers, it is actually just behind the Health Hut. My mother is waiting there, I give her the torch and once everyone is seated she leads us in turning our attention to “important” things. To consider what is most important about our time at camp. We will hear of the secret of Greystone (unselfishness) and she will tell a story that drives the point home. The Honor Council will recite their pledge (this is the highest honor given a camper, some of these girls are now on staff), then all of the departments who have skill levels will give out awards (having your name called out is so exciting… walk down the path in the absolute quiet with all eyes on you, it is great!). The awards take a while, and as we sit and honor our friends we watch the fire die down. Surrounded by tall Pine trees, noticing the sparks rise from the fire, and thinking about camp in a serious way… this is when we might appreciate camp for the first time. Really notice how much it has meant to us.

These wonderful girls are not philosphers. As I look at them (so small, so young), I am glad that they can just enjoy life and not “think about it” all the time. However, they are also made in God’s Image and if given the chance are capable of remarkable insight. Council Fire puts them in the right frame of mind for our most special of traditions: Closing Vespers, which will happen immediately after our Council Fire. Combining these two EP’s was what worked at August Camp, and I have to admit it is the most beautiful closing vespers of the summer. The sky is completely dark by the time we gather around the flag pole with our candles. The candles are lit one by one, spreading from the Greystone torch in the middle. It is lovely… a brief but most memorable moment. Tears will be out there, not as much as the other sessions… but still a lot of tears. It is hard not to cry when you have such poignant lessons given in such a beautiful way. Life is short. We all sense it at closing vespers, how quickly it passes by.

Greystone has been here for a long time. Last summer saw my father for the last time, giving Breakfast Club lessons and jokes every day just like a steady clock on the wall. This will be the last summer that campers will enjoy the giant pine trees that line the lower road of camp. These trees are now almost 90 years old and the tree doctor has declared them terminal (actually gave us the bad news about 5 years ago). We waited as long as possible, but they will need to be cut this year, replaced by new trees that will be a wonderful gift to the next generations. We plant dozens of trees every year, carefully chosen for placement as we replace trees that are diseased, injured, or dead. We plant all types of trees: some grow fast, others slow. Some are evergreen others change colors in the fall as they loose their leaves. They are a living symbol of what we do at camp. Little things that grow to be lovely and big.

Today’s weather is going to be the same as yesterday… hot with a chance of showers. Yesterday did bring an afternoon thunderstorm, I love the sound of rain on a tin roof (the girls were very excited about it).

Food will be good as always:

Breakfast might have been a reach for some of the girls… Truck Drivers Special. Southern Sausage Gravy and home made biscuits (open the biscuit, cover in gravy, eat with a little guilt). You don’t know how good it is if you never try it… but some of the girls just ate fruit and cereal today!

Lunch will bring cheers of delight when the girls realize that it features Chicken Strips and French Fries! Oh Joy!!! The new ovens allow us to do this meal in a healthy fashion (not fried, but baked in ovens that duplicate the frying texture… don’t ask me how, just know that these ovens are amazing).

Dinner: Shepherds Pie! We do this dish very well, so well that it has become a featured meal of Greystone. Very simple (ground beef, grilled onions and carrots, savory gravy all mixed together and poured over home made mashed potatoes then covered in cheese). It is quite tasty.

Thank you for reading.