Countdown to the 100th: the 1990s
Welcome back to another of our Countdown to the 100th blog posts. Today, we are looking at the 1990s - such a great decade in Greystone’s history! The 1990s were filled with fun (and funny) activities. From llamas to helicopters, from Jimboy t-shirts to radio class, many events that happened in the 1990s only occured during that one decade, which made being a camper during the 1990s extra special and unique. Ready to learn all of the cool things that happend during this decade? Let’s jump into the 1990s fun!
Facility Improvements:
The 1990s continued much like the 1980s - Jim and Libby, and then Jimboy and Margaret, improved the Greystone campus with many facility updates. During the 1990s, campers enjoyed these new improvements:
- Forty-five foot climbing wall built.
- Ropes course with giant swing installed.
- Forty-foot “blob” added to the Waterpark area.
- Canoe docks refurbished.
- New cabins built, including Cabins 6, 7, and 8 (The Palace) and upper stories added to The Castle.
- Cabins restructured to include personal showers in each cabin.
- Fine Arts Center constructed.
Banquets of the 1990s
- 1990: The Wizard of Oz
- 1991: The Sound of Music
- 1992: You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown
- 1993: The Little Mermaid
- 1994: Mary Poppins
- 1995: Annie
- 1996: Alice in Wonderland
- 1997: Dumbo
- 1998: The Lion King
- 1999: The Wizard of Oz
Changes in Leadership
The 1990s officially started the fourth generation of leadership at Greystone. Jimboy came on as an Assistant Director in the early 1990s and official took over directing camp by the mid-1990s. Jim and Libby stayed on as Senior Directors throughout the decade.
Katie Miller Grant began the Junior Camp session, adding camp’s fourth session to the summer. Serving as Director of this session, Katie gave young campers the opportunity to try camp for one-week, getting a great taste of the Greystone experience. Through her work at Junior Camp, a steady stream of young campers then re-enrolled in longer sessions, thus creating full sessions and the start of the camp Wait List.
One Time Wonders
Helicopters
In 1995, Stuart Miller (Jim and Libby’s son), along with his fellow marines, landed helicopters on the soccer field. The Marines greeted the campers and performed an impressive flag ceremony.
Peanut Drop
In an effort to delight the campers, Jimboy released peanuts from a plane across camp’s property. Girls then searched for the “golden peanut” to win a grand prize.
Lllama Treks
For a short period of time in the 1990s, cabin groups would go on an overnight with llamas. Sleeping in tents, and hoping the llamas wouldn’t spit on you, it was quite the memory for many campers.
Hot Air Balloons
During the mid-1990s, campers had the option to sign up for a hot air balloon ride. These balloons were stationed on the soccer field, and campers could go straight up and down with their friends.
Special Guests
Campers of the 1990s enjoyed visits from many influential Christian speakers and writers including Elisabeth Elliot, Joni Eareckson Tada, and Edith Schaeffer. Campers loved learning about each of these women and their love of the Lord, often seen despite immense hardship in their respective lives.
75th Annivesary
Greystone celebrated its 75th Anniversary in 1994 with a large alumnae reunion during Main Camp. Through the hard work of Elizabeth Abernathy, in culling Greystone’s alumnae mailing list, and Deanie Walburn Strength, in organizing the reunion events, Greystone welcomed over 800 alumnae and their families for the event. Campers performed for the guests, and alumnae enjoyed participating in events like the flag ceremony. It was a wonderful celebration of what God had faithfully done at Greystone for 75 years!
Corn Roast adds Bluegrass Music
The Corn Roast celebration received a fun upgrade in the 1990s. While food had been a big part of the Evening Program for many years, campers in the 1990s enjoyed live bluegrass music as part of the fun. With musicians like Silars Bald performing for the girls, campers feasted on hot corn and juicy watermelon down at the blob dock area.
Hymns of the Year
- 1991: A Mighty Fortress is Our God
- 1992: Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee
- 1994: Come Thou Fount
- 1997: Be Thou My Vision
- 1999: All Creatures of our God and King
Popular Classes
Radio
Located in the middle of the Fine Arts Center, Radio class allowed for girls to run their very own radio station. Campers in other classes would tune into the station to learn the inside scoop going on in camp, most importantly, what was for lunch!
Street Dance
A popular class started in the 1990s was Street Dance, whose name later changed to Greystone Groove. Camper Kristy Webb brought this choreographed dancing to camp, with campers and counselors learning the dances on Sunday afternoons to dances such as “Gloria,” “Free Your Mind,” and “Sweet Dreams.”
River Trips
Sweetie Seifart Stewart and Dr. David Jones took advanced paddlers on river trips throughout the 1990s. For those girls who loved the water, these trips were a highlight of their camp experience.
Synchro
With the buildling of the pool in the late 1980s, campers began flocking to the Synchronized Swimming program. Campers worked all session to perfect their routines, performing their “water dances” at the Watershow at the end of the summer.
You may have been a 1990s camper if you remember:
- Sunday night Camp Life with John John.
- Playing endless Around the World tennis games.
- The Nurses performing the Sister Act skit for the Counselor Talent Show.
- Pulling the chain at the pool to rinse off prior to putting on your swim cap.
- The St. Vidas Day dance contest at Carnival, with the possibility of winning a Jimboy t-shirt.
- Ed Cash spending a summer at camp teaching guitar and leading worship.
- Going to Don Pablos in Greenville as a senior camper.
- Walking to the bungalow showers.
- Ice cream gutter sundaes.
- Overnights at Perry Mountain.
- Getting your green Candy Shoppe card punched, and the horrible feeling when you lost it.
- Wrinkled Egg packages.
- Dancing to Morning Assembly songs Big House and Walk in the Light.
