Words are not enough

This is a tough blog to write because the audience is so scattered…

First are the parents who are on the road or about to hit the road. You guys are preparing for pick up tomorrow, I need to tell you to be here around 8:30 and to be careful. We are praying for you, have been for a couple days (safety on the road is the gorilla in the room not to be ignored). You are in for a treat! Picking up a camper is a delight of huge proprotions. Don’t let her zone out with her ipod for at least an hour, don’t let her use the phone for at least an hour… let her slowly emmerge from “the bubble” at her own pace and in her own way. Know that tears are sometimes an important part of the process… and try to understand the impact that camp has on those who live here. We are poured out completely, not one drop has been kept in reserve. It is a wonderful thing, it is hard… we will recooperate quickly, never fully. Camp transforms, strengthens, enlightens, and builds character. It is often hard. It is often joyful. It is often sad. It usually contanins “conflicting” emotions, pushes us to deep places that we don’t really understand quickly. It is good… perfectly suited for a quiet ride in a car.

Then there are the parents who will have their girls arriving from the airport… a different process, for that initial departure from the bubble has happened already. Make it a celebration! Think about the menu, the “evening program”, the bedtime prayers… camp is carefully planned. The more prepared you make the moment, the better it is. You have plenty of time to make the welcome home a big event! It will be so much fun!

Then there are the campers who will read this in a couple of days. Main Campers love going back to the news pages and “reliving” the moments. Some will read this update and I feel the weight of their expectations keenly. I have no idea if many will do this, but know that some will read every word carefully. To them I say “thank you”. We love you, we miss you, we meant every word that we told you and every hug that we gave you. Remember to make every day Great (there are no bad days, only bad moments). Remember to be thankful. Camp is not the same without you here…

So how do I proceed? Facts will have to do it.

We are enjoying a lovely sunny morning of classes. Classes will go as normal till 12:30, at which point we enjoy a “hot dog buffet” and go to an early rest hour. We have packed up all the bags that are going by UPS or airline, those are being processed even as I write this news page. The rest of the cabin will gradually organize their stuff into “mountains” of posessions that will be ready for pick up tomorrow.

Rest Hour will end at the normal time and the girls will go to the Pavilion for an “All Girl” assembly. There will be final awards from departments, a bunch of video shorts from the summer will be seen, lost and found will be sorted through one final time, the girls will learn the final claps and cheers and songs that will close camp at the banquet tonight. Finally, the teams will gather for their last “Team Meetings”, where the leaders will be recognized with little gifts from the campers… with deep appreciation.

Then comes Banquet… and we do love our banquet. It is the favorite EP of most campers, a huge celebration of the summer that is hard to describe. The dining hall is transformed into a theme that has been closely guarded all summer long. The counselors dress in costume and perform a full play for the girls… it is very funny and amazingly well done. Preparation makes for a good EP, this one has been in the oven baking for about a month. Should be good.

Thank you… EVERYONE.

Remember to keep your eye upon the donut and not upon the hole.

Jimboy

LATE NEWS…. The Greystone Tennis Tournament just finished and it was a fantastic show. Sarah Bowron of Birmingham AL defeated Barbara Smith of Knoxville, TN 6-1, 6-0. Special thanks to our ball girls, a new addition for 2011… Caroline Hastings, Sarah Williamson, and Natalie Meeks (all of Memphis TN) are “Professional” Ball Girls. They have been ball girls at professional tournaments and taught Wendy Harrison, Abby Rogers, and Natalie Finch how to do the moves. They stood at the right spots with the right stance. They threw the balls in a special way, they had a special run and turn. The ballet of the ball girls was a fantastic addition to the fun. The other one was the music and commentary of David Vining, who kept the crowd of 100 entertained with a constant stream of interesting facts about tennis, Greystone, Campers, Counselors, and Clemson. Good times…