Crowd Sourced: How Do You Display Your Camp Memories?

There’s a reason your trunk feels much fuller going home than it did on your way to camp (and it’s not just that all those dirty clothes seem to have expanded!). No matter how long your session, you leave with all kinds of mementos, awards, and letters that serve as physical memories of camp all year long.

These patches, plane letters, stickers, t-shirts, posters, art projects, and Banquet awards (just to name a few!) are treasures that many Greystone Girls keep for a lifetime. That begs the question: how is everyone else storing and displaying these things?!

It’s not uncommon for campers and alums to store their Greystone memories in their trunks (that’s what I always did growing up!). This can be a great solution for many - your items are protected and contained in one place, and you know exactly where to find them when you want to look through them or show them off.

But what if you want your camp mementos visible or displayed in some way? It can be so wonderful to have that reminder of camp every time you pass them by. Who better to ask than our current Greystone Girls? We put out the question on our Instagram and received a lot of smart responses. Here are just a few ideas!

• Hang up a corkboard somewhere you’ll see it every day and make that your “home base” for all things camp memories. Campers suggested displaying this on the back of a closet door, over a desk, or even on the back of their bedroom doors so they see it on their way out of their rooms each day.
• The Greystone jacket is a classic with our alumnae, though it’s rare to see one around camp these days. Consider sewing your Council Fire patches to something else you could sport around camp. We love the idea of displaying them on your bookbag, but use your creativity!
• Many campers create camp scrapbooks that they add to year after year. These can hold so much more than pictures - try using sheet protectors or clip-in pouches to display your nametags, friendship bracelets, plane letters, and more. With time, this scrapbook will become an heirloom you’ll cherish forever!
• One of the most common suggestions we heard was a simple one - print out those camp pictures! We’re all guilty of just leaving them on our phones, but your camp memories are too precious to not print. Keep it simple and just pin them up or go all out. A nicely framed camp photo is a great holiday gift!
• Not sure what to do with those outgrown camp t-shirts? Many of our campers love making them into t-shirt quilts! It’s the perfect way to get them out of a drawer and into a cozy blanket you can enjoy every day. A t-shirt quilt can be an investment, but it’s sure to be enjoyed for many years to come (and it is also a perfect Chrismas gift!).

We hope these ideas have sparked some of your own, but we know that we have only scratched the surface! Each Greystone Girl is unique in the way she displays her camp memories, and we want to hear how you treasure yours.

Share your ideas and tips with us and we’ll compile an even more robust list to share in the future!