Freedom Friday

It is Freedom Friday at Greystone!

This is not an official theme day but one that has been determined by the Senior campers themselves. I was thrilled to find out about it last night as I walked to EP with a group of girls from the Castle. Apparently I already missed their first “secret theme day” (Wolf Wednesday); I did not want to miss another.

So I wore red white and blue, switched the Breakfast Club joke to match the day, and have been very patriotic ever since.

We honor our country at camp every day. The Flag Ceremony (done before breakfast and before dinner) is one of the most iconic moments that we enjoy together. Seeing these girls treating our country with respect by standing at attention and saluting as the flag is raised and lowered is a most encouraging occasion for those who wonder about our country’s future. These girls are wonderful in many ways, their patriotism is heart warming.

The EP last night was heart warming as well. Opening Vespers can be a challenge for the girls. We ask them to get dressed in their whites, assemble in the pavilion and sit on benches completely silent as they hear an old story and recite some Bible verses on light and love. Their moods gradually rise to the occasion and by the time we light our candles at the end of the night, they really get it. Camp is a very simple thing. A simple thing is best emphasized with simple occasions. Our big flashy “FUN” programs are there to make the simple moments special… it is good that we have them The girls appreciate camp far more for the experience. I could not be more proud of this group of campers. They are wonderful.

We began the day with poached eggs (doing poached eggs for 800 is not easy, but Gervais does it), hash browns, and the giant fruit bar. Lunch is chicken fingers, dinner is beef stroganoff. We will be eating well…

I hit the “Lower West Side” of camp this morning: football, golf, soccer, basketball, fencing, dog camp, Bible, and archery. Not all the places (didn’t go to glass fusion, riding, volleyball, or tennis) but enough to take 800 pictures. The girls are ALL engaged in the classes (every one that I have dropped in on for the past 3 days). The counselors are doing GREAT (enthusiastic in their skills, teaching without hesitation, calling the girls out by name as they encourage them, laughing a lot). Things are going very well.

Tonight we will change gears as we have a HUGE PEP RALLY and Bon Fire… the teams will meet on either end of the lake and learn the camp Challenge Day songs. We have the men staff act as cheerleaders (an easy way to assure lots of laughs and enthusiasm) and we all gather together afterwards to join together as a unified camp community. Green and Gold team spirit is a fun aspect of the Greystone experience… we will put it into full action with Challenge Day tomorrow. IT IS GOING TO BE FUN!!!

Saturday will be an exclamation point on our first week of camp. The girls will feel a great sense of accomplishment as they look back at everything they have done and anticipate what they will do in the next two weeks. We are getting more comfortable every day: still adjusting, but getting very close to settling in.

We are having a blast and thank you for supporting the fun. Have a Great Day!!!

Jimboy