June 6, 2024
Last night everyone from Bungalow 3 to Cabin 12 performed with their cabin on the big stage. It was a fun show… great choreography, fun costumes, and unexpected twists. Greystone Girls LOVE a show. It is part of what makes camp awesome!
Camp is very effective in building confidence. We learn new skills, walk into rooms filled with people we don’t know and quickly connect and make friends, and cope with confrontation. The lessons of camp pay dividends for a lifetime. Despite being an introvert, at camp nobody thinks of me that way; I’m “Jimboy” (a minor celebrity who is very approachable).
At camp, all are accepted, and many are celebrated for their unique personality traits. When the basis of our relationships with each other is kindness and love, it is amazing how the little things that separate us in “the real world” just fall away. We learn to make eye contact with each other and strike up a friendly conversation. Hundreds of interactions in a day are marked by smiles and acceptance. The confidence that arises from these brief interactions lifts our spirits and fills our hearts with joy.
If you have never gone to camp, you will just have to imagine how wonderful this feels. My great-grandfather saw its impact on his daughter, Virginia. She and the other campers thrived under the love and support of so many friends and mentors. He left his career as a minister to impact the Kingdom of God through camp. The growth that happens here is powerful and it is profoundly good. We are grateful that camp still resonates.
Last night, the singing in the Dining Hall became shockingly loud. This marked a point in camp where everyone just settled in and their high spirits found expression in singing together. Campers make camp awesome! They sense their power for good and this power spurs them to try new things and assume leadership in various settings. It is wonderful to see!
Tonight’s EP is a cabin bonding event that we are calling “Would You Rather.” It is a super active (super fun) EP that challenges cabins to work together as a team doing lots of fun challenges all around camp. At the end of the program, we gather at the Pavilion for a final contest and big dance party. The girls LOVE it… a nice change from the less active shows we have enjoyed to this point. We will give the girls lots of time to clean up afterward then enjoy a great night’s sleep.
Thank you very much for providing this experience for your daughters. We know it is a big deal to spend so much money/time. To be away from the family. We saw your tears as you drove away on Monday morning- tears of happiness mixed with the deep emotions that only parents understand. Your girl is growing up and you sense that time is short. We think camp is one of those things that will prove to be worth the effort.
- Breakfast Club Joke Two Tents
- The Weather Sunny, 80 degrees, slight chance of rain
- Breakfast scrambled eggs, corned beef hash, hash browns
- Lunch Honey Chicken, French Fries, Cookies
- Dinner Beef Stroganoff, green beans
- EP: “Would You Rather” Cabin Challenge
