June Camp Opening Day

Welcome to “Camp” everyone! Thank you for caring enough about Greystone to read the blog, it shows that you are a “fanatic” and we could not be more excited to have you in our community.

There is a tradition that after the first day every girl is considered to be an old camper, well, we have decided that this blog counts for your opening day… so HELLO GREYSTONE GIRLS! This is officially your first year at camp!

We know you are disappointed about Greystone not having any sessions so we’ve created a special website just for you that we hope will give a little “taste of camp” at home. We’re calling it The Camp Connection! Check your emails today for the information and links to this special page. You will want to check it out throughout the next 3 weeks as we post fun activities, songs, and videos that we hope will make you smile.

Let’s take a moment to imagine what this day was supposed to be like. You would have arrived at camp very early in the morning (starting around 7:30 AM) and found out what cabin you would be living in for the rest of your session. Everyone would gather on the softball field and wait patiently for the “bunk run” at 8:30… I always love seeing your happy, excited, sometimes nervous faces. It is also always fun to see how fast you run up the hill with squeals of delight as you move in.

Remember making your bed? How much fun it is to put up your pictures, arrange your pillows, get your drawer arranged, and all that? Actually, your mom probably did all that for you, but it is still exciting! You would check out every name tag, introducing yourself and guessing who is likely to be your best buddy (we always find ourselves making lots of friends at camp… the best part of the summer for sure).

You may not be making your bunkbed today, but wouldn’t it be fun to still set up your room for “camp” these next few weeks? Grab that laundry bag and trunk. Pull out your camp memories. Decorate with pictures of your camp friends. It’ll make you smile each time you see it!

After about 30 minutes someone in the cabin would remember… SCONES!!! Everyone runs out at the same time, perhaps promising to bring some back to the counselor (who has to stay in the cabin until everyone has checked in). The scones are amazing and are something we are kind of famous for. They are surprisingly easy to make, here is the recipe if you want to try today!

The rest of the morning would go by in a blur of activity… touring camp with your cabin, health checks, cabin photos by the lake, swim test, scheduling your classes, and then LUNCH! By that point you are so hungry you could eat a horse. The buffet is always so good and it always has lots of Greystone Bread. Yum.

Then it is back to your cabin for some get to know you games until our Afternoon Assembly in the Pavilion… the first time we are all together in the same room. It is so exciting to be jam-packed in the pit, elbow to elbow with hundreds of girls who you know are likely to become your best friends.

Then we let you go play… slip and slide, waterpark, sidewalk chalk art, Jimball, tether-ball, frisbee, football, soccer, swimming pool, and lots of other stuff calls for your attention. Many of you just want to sit by the lake and take it all in… basking in the warmth of a day that is turning out to be about perfect.

Our first flag-lowering ceremony is followed by our first meal in the dining hall. It takes you about a minute to find your table, this is where you will be eating for the next week… sometimes it is a bit crowded in the dining room but you don’t care, you just want to EAT!

We always have the same meal that first night, a crowd-pleaser for sure: Spaghetti and Greystone bread and honey! This one is easy to re-create at home: just make your family’s favorite spaghetti recipe! You can also try your hand at our famous bread if you’re feeling confident.

Evening Program is shortly after dinner and it too is always the same… a fun program that introduces you to all the counselors (who do funny skits). We end by reading the four Bible verses that hang around the Pavilion (a tradition that goes back 100 years) then it is back to your cabin where you get ready for bed, hear a short devotion by your counselor, then snuggle under your covers for your first night at camp.

You think to yourself as you drift off to sleep… I can’t believe I am here, this is going to be GREAT!

And even though you’re not falling asleep tonight with 10 new best friends to the sound of the crickets, these next few weeks are still going to be good. God has something good for you in it, and we invite you to look for it! So follow along on the Camp Connection and on our social media accounts. Reach out to your camp friends. Get outside! And know that we are thinking about you and sending you love. Happy Opening Day, June campers!