The Countdown is over

We have a “countdown clock” on the website. Counts down to the second till opening day. It is now at 0.00.000.

This countdown clock has been referenced for a very long time by these Main Campers. They started checking in the Fall (some as early as the last day of camp, frist day at home). Main Camp is special. To finally open this session is comforting for all of us at Greystone in a way that is hard to describe.

Junior Camp is sweet (if hard for us directors). June Camp is fun (the first real poignant moments shared by an intensely connected community). Main Camp is the “real deal”… the “big show”.

Main Camp is defined by the wonderful campers who choose to call this place home. The camp is mostly teenagers: there are 87 Senior girls (entering 11th and 12th grade), 176 girls entering the 9th and 10th grades… add those high-school girls together and you have 263 girls… 54% of the whole camp body. This maturity amongst the campers leads to a very unique camp experience… it is amazing. I can’t wait.

We are all excited… all tired (neither campers nor counselors have slept well in the days leading up to this big morning). The nervous jitters are being worked out even as I write this update— girls walking with their cabin mates on a little tour of the camp. We are getting cabin photos taken, having our heads checked (ugh), confirming our swim levels, and getting scheduled for classes. The whole opening day process moves like a machine, building confidence and friendships from the first tenative minutes of the camp experience. It all works well… I assure you.

I am going to be posting this blog every day this summer (didn’t even take a break between sessions). This is your little window to the camp experience, I will be your guide. I guess you should know a few things about me.

They Call Me Jimboy a strange name, admitedly. Full name is James F. Miller IV, Margaret and I have been doing this camp thing since 1991, she is Health Director, and we have 5 children (three on staff two as campers this year). I grew up here. My parents lived here. My Grand Parents and Great Grand Parents worked here… quite the legacy.

I write— As an English Major it was predicted that I would never use that expensive education in a productive way… my writing is an attempt to prove those practical minded people wrong. I do the blog every morning, between the hours of 10 and 12, including whatever is on my heart at the time. Camp is a matter of the heart… it also has many little details that are good to know (I always give details too).

I Take Pictures— Not professional by any stretch of the imagination, but sometimes very good. I have good equipment (Nikon D-3 with some fantastic lenses) and an eye that has been trained by years of trial and error. All my photos are available in the “photos” section of your camp account (password protected). Others take pictures too, we will try to upload 1,500 to 2,500 photos a day… about 300 to 600 will come from me.

I LOVE Camp— Margaret and I have given our life to this work. IWe are joined by an amazing team of professionals who also love Greystone. Add up the combined years of Greystone experience in the Head Staff and Directors and you will be approaching 200! We know camp and try to learn new things to make camp better every single day we are here. What a life.

So… relax. We have the ball now and will make sure this summer is amazing.

Jimboy