Five Year

Why does Greystone have so many campers who return for so many years? It is a good question for with greater understanding comes deeper appreciation.

For some it is all about the friendships. Camp friends are unique for they relate in a way that is profoundly “real”. Main Camp allows time to build relationships that are tempered in the flames of 32 24-hour days… some days are easy and some are hard, some days we feel happy and some days we feel sad… it is real life lived in a way that encourages awesome friendships.

For some it is all about “the bubble”. A place that requires us to unplug from the cares of the world. We celebrate the wonders and beauty of nature, we unwind. We take notice of little things: a light breeze off the lake, the warm sun on our face, the feel of wet grass and the smell of rich mulch. Millions of details that are often overlooked. We catch fireflies, read books, learn skills, and take naps. We don’t care what happened 3,000 miles away… we simply live our lives (complete with the minor drama’s that are a part of normal life) and unselfishly focus on each other. It is worth coming back for as long as you can manage it!

For some it is God. At camp we find the Holy Spirit alive and active, speaking to our hearts in a way that is keenly experienced. We read the Bible without embarrassment, pray without self consciousness, and are not afraid to talk about spiritual issues with our friends. It is very satisfying to acknowledge spiritual truth in daily living… to see peers and mentors who are genuinely excited about God… to take a big part of the human condition (our soul) and talk about what it means. Spiritual truth is never more strongly experienced than at camp.

This is the theme of our EP tonight, the 5 year celebration. Girls who have come to camp for at least 5 years (and at least 3 at Main Camp) will be honored in a beautiful ceremony this evening. The girls wear their pretty white dresses and are given a yellow rose and a certificate in front of the camp community. Then the Senior Campers will each give a short speech about why they love camp. It is a beautiful and inspirational evening that will be fairly long (since we have over 40 Seniors this year)! We will broadcast it live starting around 7:30. Be aware that our priority is the camper experience, thus our broadcasts are prone to production difficulties (lighting & sound do not meet a high standard). It will be a great night, an inspiration for the younger campers and a big deal for those girls who are speaking (some of them have been thinking about this day for many years… speaking in front of hundreds of people can be a fearsome task!).

The weather is a comfortably warm (80 degrees) and humid (75%, not that bad) with a 50% chance of rain. Breakfast was pancakes and sausage, Lunch is spice rubbed chicken taco’s with pineapple salsa, Dinner is lettuce wraps with Soba noodles and a spice ginger sauce.

Last night’s EP was tons of fun. The older girls enjoyed Contra Dancing at the Dance Tent (the sun setting behind the lake was beautiful, the dancing with a live band was also a hit). We brought an ice cream sandwich food truck up from Greenville as a treat. The younger girls had a “black out” dance party at the pavilion. We blacked out the whole building and installed black lights. The girls decorated themselves with neon clothes and glowing paint; the effect was stunning! For a treat we brought up a sno cone food truck… a big hit!

I think that covers it… thank you for checking in. It is an honor to have your girls with us and a night like this makes us particularly thankful for you parents who have sacrificed for so many years to provide this experience for your girls. It is hard to block off five weeks of the summer, hard to pay the tuition, pack the bags, and be apart from your girls. Main Camp parents are uniquely wonderful and the world is a better place with you in it. We sincerely appreciate the sacrifices you make to see that we are open year after year.

Have a Great Day!