Opening Vespers

Last nights EP was absolutely CRAZY… one of those EP’s that can be heard a mile away (literally). The cheers, squeals, and raucous applause went on for an hour without pause. Team Spirit was at a high and the girls were loving it!

Not really my kind of EP.

I am an introvert, many of our counselors are introverts, many of our campers are introverts, and ALL OF US LOVE CAMP! I can imagine someone asking during last night’s EP “Why do introverts like camp?”.

It is easy to see why an extrovert would like camp, for camp is a densely packed community that requires constant interaction with other people. Sounds like heaven for an extrovert! The number of conversations and opportunities for leadership every day is deeply satisfying to a person who wants the spotlight… but what about the quiet person who treasures time alone?

Amazingly, camp is deeply satisfying to introverts. The reason for this is tied to the depth of connection that we foster with our friends and our activities. The most celebrated character trait at camp is unselfishness; a character trait that introverts often find easy to master. Quiet leadership rises to the surface in this setting. Girls who might not be noticed at school (where there is not opportunity for deep connections to naturally grow) find their place at camp. This celebration of depth extends to EP’s as well. Our most celebrated Evening Programs require the campers to sit quitetly, hear the old stories, and consider “meaningful things”.

Tonight we will celebrate our first quiet EP (Opening Vespers). This is one of our favorite traditions and the girls will appreciate the subtle message, beauty, and tradition of the evening. It is a tradition that has been enjoyed by generations of Greystone Girls and it promises to be a special night. I vividly remember my Grandmother and later my mother telling the story. It is a connection that I hope the girls will latch onto. Such memories are shared when Greystone Girls get together many years after their summer at camp. They are precious and wonderful.

We gather in the pavilion in absolute silence (as much as possible at least) then sing a couple quiet Praise Songs. The sound of so many girls singing softly in the golden glow of the setting sun is magical. Everyone celebrates the spirit of the moment as we hear the story of the “Keeper of the flame” (a true story first told by my Great Grandfather). A group of over 500 young girls listening to a very old story in absolute silence and lighting their candles at once is a memorable experience. Such quiet moments catch us off guard. The girls will be touched by a program that they assumed would be boring. It is eye opening.

At camp we celebrate quiet moments. While our days are loud and crazy, they are also marked by absolute silence (during announcements, rest hour, lights out and taps). During the quiet times we experience camp in a different way. We hear the wind russling the needles of the pine trees, we hear crickets and frogs, and song birds. These are the times that become special, for they are so different than our lives in the “real world”. We read books, write letters, take naps, or just sit and think. It is good for our brains and our bodies to recharge during the quiet times. Campers and Counselors alike grow to love such moments. It is the answer to why introverts like camp so much.

I have to take a moment to recognize the loss of my mother (who passed away in September). Her voice will be in my mind tonight, her lessons are guiding stars to the Head Staff, her life continues to inspire the counselors, her legacy celebrated by all. We miss Libby, and celebrate her reward.

Thank you for making this unbroken tradition possible for so many generations. It is a remarkable “thread” that your girls will cherish.

All is well… the temperatures will rise to a comfy 80 degrees today, not a hint of rain.

• Breakfast was Ham and Cheese Bagles (a camper favorite).
• Lunch is shaved pork sandwiches with Cheese Its
• Dinner is Chicken Broccholi and Rice with a great Greek Salad.

The Breakfast Club theme of Friendships continued with advice on asking forgiveness whenever we find we have hurt someone’s feelings. More good advice… tomorrow we move on to Mental Growth (positive attitude training).

Other Camp News:

• New Mobile Wood Fired Pizza Oven was tested yesterday… it is amazing! We will make wood fired pizza’s at next week’s Carnival. This is sure to become a new camper favorite for special events. It might provide the backbone of a new program area one day (imagine an outdoor kitchen by the lake!).
• New Giant Slide is being installed today… this was supposed to have been done in May, but the rains delayed our contractors till today.
• New Fine Arts Porch is proving to be a game changer… it expanded the facility by 30%, making all crafts classes function much better.
• We have a very healthy camp. Only one girl admitted in our first week. This is something to be very thankful about!

A word on Photos… I am still working on my blog (awaiting confirmation on a couple of details from CampInTouch). We experienced an equipment glitch last night when one of the camera memory cards broke; thus we only uploaded 1/2 the photos that we took… the odds ended up having less coverage.

Have a great day…