A Letter to Dr. Sevier

Dear Joe,

I was so surprised to get your letter last week… the stamp was AMAZING (was that solid gold??? Looked like it). The impact of getting such a letter was great, as I am sure you can imagine.

Everyone in the office wanted to take a look and all were impressed that you still cared about what was going on at camp. Your handwriting was a thing of beauty and so easy to read. I am typing my response because my penmanship is pretty bad, I would be embarrassed if you couldn’t read it! I hope you will enjoy hearing my perspective on your questions and hope that you are encouraged by the way God has blessed Greystone over the years.

The campers still enjoy most of the same activities (fun is fun). Swimming, dance, drama, tennis, canoeing, riding, crafts, and ceramics are still very popular. Some of the things that the girls of this century enjoy might strike you as crazy: the ropes course, climbing wall, zip line, waterpark, glass studio, metal studio, kayaking, zumba, and aerial yoga classes would have never occurred “back in the day”. I don’t know if you had an actual fishing class, but as it turns out the girls really love doing that too!.

Perhaps most surprising (and some of those “great idea” classes) are dog camp (I know you loved dogs), Farm & Garden (I know you loved “critters”), and cooking (now our most popular class!!!). Basically, the classes are similar but there are a lot more of them and we probably have much nicer facilities than you would have thought possible. It makes me wonder if you do things like fishing, climbing, and swimming in heaven. Do tell!

Living at camp is no longer as “rustic”… there are even bathrooms in the cabins! Nobody liked the old shower houses or rickety toilets, and they really didn’t like the cold water (never fun to take a cold shower)… so we added nice bathrooms in all the cabins a while back. We also fixed up buildings in ways that are super nice (you would be amazed to see places like White Hall, the infirmary, the dining hall, Fine Arts Center, and Barn). We have even built little “Ice Huts” all over camp (places where you can get ice, water, and snacks any time you like). All in all, I think it is as nice a camp as you would have in heaven! By the way, do you have camps in heaven?

We still do the most important things of camp in much the same way as you did a hundred years ago. We welcome all campers as “Old Greystone Girls” after the first meal, we still do the ceremony of light at opening and closing vespers, Council Fire is still a big thing for the girls (I still carry your torch and sit in your chair!), Church service is still the highlight of our Sunday, the counselors are still awesome, and most importantly… the girls still live in harmony and love as they grow to love God in a deeper way.

Give my thanks to all. We experience the Holy Spirit’s impact every summer, it seems more powerful at camp than anywhere else in the world these days.

Well, I could go on but it is a busy Monday morning and there are a lot of things to do (we are working on a new water park element that requires huge poles be put into the lake; the contractor is supposed to arrive any minute now). Do keep the letters coming, and if you can manage a visit please do so: we would love to “see” you!

Love You,

Jimboy

PS Give everyone a big hug from me… miss them but so happy they are with you and The Lord!