Welcome to Camp!
Oh how I love opening day of camp!
It really is so wonderful. Sure, there is a lot of work (getting up early, walking up the hill, making bunk beds). Sure, there is a lot of emotion (nerves are keenly felt by all and questions make many unsettled at first). Sure, there are occasional tears (saying goodbye is not easy for camper or parent). But after the work comes the play!
August Camp is so much fun and the girls are SO EXCITED to finally be at camp! They have been waiting all summer long! Their expectations are sky high and their enthusiasm is infectous. The girls spent the morning with their cabin doing all the things one does when starting a session.
- Schedule Classes… the girls choose their own classes and they have a blast doing it! Their counselors and their friends help make it easy… it only takes about 10 minutes to get a whole cabin scheduled. They write the schedule on their nametag so that it is easy to find whenever needed!
- Health Checks… we make sure nobody feels sick and check everyone’s hair. A big sound system is playing fun music, the girls chat with eachother and practice dance moves for the big EP tomorrow night… done in no time!
- Cabin Pictures… we go by the lake and take cabin photos in the white Adirondak chairs. Will post those online soon.
- Swim Check… every camper gets a chance to show her ability to tread water. Passing the swim test makes you eligible for all water activities… we work with any girl that doesn’t pass the test and make sure she is able to do it as quickly as possible. Usually a day or two is all it takes.
- Tours… cabin groups take little tours around camp. Greystone is a pretty easy place to figure out, but to a young girl it looks really big at first. We will help the girls get comfortable… it is not unusual for girls to need help for a few days so we are constantly out giving directions!
Lunch will be a big buffet that features great smoked turkey, pasta salads, ham, cheese, fruit, chips, and brownies. The girls get their food then eat a picnic out in camp (each cabin has picnic blankets to make such occasions nice).
We will be having normal activities running this afternoon… so no “down time”. August campers are all about doing stuff, they like talking but would rather be in a great class. They love getting into camp with a minimum amount of fuss, and who can blame them? Camp is awesome!
Camp is the best place I have ever been. There is a sweetness that is poignant, sweetness formed from simple smiles and joyful moments shared doing awesome adventures. As we live together in harmony we find that life grows richer in all the details. We are sure that your girls will love it here.
Read the blog for details of the days. Things like the weather, the food, the EP’s… they all become big news at camp. By including such details in your letters and emails, you help your girls focus on the good things they are experiencing at camp (not what they are missing at home). FOMO should not be a thing at camp, there is no missing out of anything here!
Thank you for choosing Greystone. Our 99th year is drawing to a close and it is a pleasure to end it with your wonderful girls.
Sincerely,
Jimboy