Highlights from our 100th Year

As we are ending 2019, we look back with a bittersweet feeling. We can’t help but anticipate summer 2020 (we truly can’t wait!), but the past year celebrating our 100th year was magical. We are sad to see it go!

When we started planning our 100th celebration a few years ago, we had high expectations; but, we had no idea just how extraordinary the celebration would be. Every part of our 100th year was grand, and we look back with such awe and gratefulness. Thank you for helping to make our 100th year so wonderful!

Here are some of our favorite highlights from our centennial celebrations:

Opening Registration for the Reunion: On February 5th, 2019, when we opened registration for our 100th Celebration, we had 134 alumnae register in the first 24 hours! As this was our kick-off to our 100th year, we were so excited to have so many enthused alumnae ready to join us back at camp for the big celebration coming in October.

Decade Blog posts: As we counted down to our 100th summer, we highlighted specific decades in blog posts throughout the year. Many of you loved seeing and remembering fun facts about your specific decade at camp. Brought back many memories!

Website Rollout: We created a 100th celebration section of our website to highlight the very best of the past 100 years at camp. Seeing lists of 100 years of Banquets or finding which year beloved camp songs were written – so much fun.

Countdown to 100 Summers: Our campers counted down to our 100th summer by using our Countdown Calendar, marking off each day as they anticipated the start of our 100th year.

Opening Day Celebrations: We wanted to truly celebrate 100 years from day one at each of our sessions, so we embraced that joy in numerous ways. From special 100 balloons, to a 100th specific photobooth backdrop, to counting down from 100 to release girls to their cabins, to enjoying the famous scones on specialty 100th napkins, we loved these fun touches on the first day.

Greystone Birthday Party: While we still celebrate with the Birthday Ball each summer, everyone at camp was able to celebrate with camp’s own birthday celebration! Girls wore party hats, enjoyed decorated tables, ate delicious food, and all sang Happy Birthday to camp before blowing out a candle on individual cupcakes.

Fireworks: We hired the best pyrotechnic expert to be found in the area and celebrated during the summer with amazing fireworks displays. Synched to music, our campers sat in awe of these magnificent shows.

Evening Program celebrations: Throughout the summer, we celebrated the 100th with our campers. From overnight campouts, to foam pits, to food trucks, to camp-wide challenges, to gameshows, to the Night on Broadway Banquet, to passports, to SWAG galore, the summer just oozed 100th fun.

Archive Displays: On Opening Days and then also at the Reunion, campers, families, and alumnae could explore camp’s physical archives with our archival displays. Showcasing pictures and memorabilia thematically, Greystone girls loved exploring the history of years gone by.

100th Celebration Tabletop Book: To celebrate the 100 years of Greystone, we loved putting together our 100th book. This 430-page tabletop book highlights so many different aspects of Greystone’s history. The orders started rolling in as soon as the book went live on our website – a true 100th keepsake!

Reunion: THE REUNION! The highlight of the year for us, we loved welcoming 615 of you back to Greystone to celebrate for the weekend. The only word that I can think of that accurately describes the weekend is “magical.” What a celebration!

Videos: Throughout the year, we released many videos to highlight our 100th summer. We started with our first big release video One Hundred Summers, and followed up with our 100 Years of Fun. We snuck in some fun videos highlighting 100 years of Traditions and Activities, and highlighted the best moments from our 100th summer. And, from our Alumnae Reunion, we enjoyed our Recap of the Reunion and Because of Greystone. It was a fun year for video!

These are just some of the ways we celebrated our 100th birthday at camp. We are so grateful for such a fabulous 100-year celebration with all of you. Thank you for making it so special for us!!