A Letter to Our Main and August Campers

Dear Main and August campers,

Phew. Yesterday was a hard day, wasn’t it? It was a tough one in Tuxedo too. Hard as it was, we were completely overwhelmed with all the love and support you showed us. We can’t tell you how grateful we are - our community is incredible. No matter if you expected this outcome or not, there’s no way to prepare for the impact that hearing your favorite thing in the world has been taken away from you for the summer.

This spring has been full of disappointments and canceled plans, and none of us ever expected that Greystone would be one of them. You might have cried when you heard (we have cried a lot), or couldn’t believe it at first. Maybe you called your bunkmate or counselor, or just cuddled up to your dog for some comfort.

Camp means something different to each of us, and we all respond to heartbreak in different ways. But one thing we share? We’re sad. This isn’t what we wanted the summer to look like. Your tears may have dried by now (or maybe they’re flowing fresh again this morning), but just know whatever you’re feeling right now, we’re with you in it. There is a whole world of Greystone Girls out there who are sharing in the sadness - it’s powerful to know that you are not alone, that you have friends and loved ones who know exactly what you have lost.

So today we meet no matter how you are feeling we want tell you just a few things that we hope you’ll remember even in the midst of the hard.

• It’s okay to be sad. The Great Day attitude doesn’t mean slapping on a smile in all circumstances. It’s about processing life’s hardships through the lens of God’s good and gracious plan for your life. Letting yourself feel those emotions is a big part of the healing process. Not sure how to think through it? Make sure to read Sandi’s devotion on disappointment.
• We haven’t forgotten you. You have been at the forefront of our minds through every part of this decision, and that won’t change. We shed tears yesterday thinking about you hearing the news, and we have been praying for you ever since. You are still our 2020 campers, and you still matter to us! We will be working hard to keep you included and give you a small taste of camp during your session, so keep an eye out, and stay in touch. We love nothing more than hearing from you!
• The camp community still surrounds you. It’s easy to feel close to God and your friends while you’re in that bubble, but there’s no reason you need to feel distant this summer. It wasn’t an accident that we worked through a blog series all about the many types of camp community and you can find lots of ideas there. Whether you join a city Facebook group, keep writing your Penpal (longest Penpal streak in Greystone history, anyone??), or cook a favorite camp recipe to bring to a neighbor, there are so many ways to bring the spirit of Greystone home with you this summer.
• Camp is going to feel even sweeter next year. We know this summer is going to be hard and weird and maybe even a little lonely. But we have something so wonderful to look forward to even in it. Can you imagine how wonderful that dewy grass is going to feel like on Opening Day 2021? How big are you going to smile during the Royal Reception? How much sweeter are DMCs going to feel? And don’t even get us started on the homemade bread. The old saying is true - absence really does make the heart grow fonder, and we are all going to be very fond of Greystone next summer.
• The God you know at camp is still the same, and He is with you now. You can still grow spiritually at home! (check out our Devotions if you don’t know where to start.) The world feels so uncertain right now, but God is our firm and steady foundation. We can have total confidence that He is good, He loves us, and He is using this for our good and His glory, even when it feels hard. Run to him with everything you’re feeling. He is near.