July 16 2024

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As Christians, we are called to be generous. I was taught to give generously, and most of our Greystone community believes likewise. We have all been blessed, and it is an honor and a delight to bless others. Such an attitude enhances the world in a special way, especially when done for the glory of God, so we give as Jesus instructed when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Today I will tell you about a gift given secretly this week by the counselors.

Once every week, we have a full-staff meeting. I lead off with observations of the week past and anticipations for the week to come. Our Head Staff goes over a few details, and then we celebrate moments of delight and inspiration with “shoutouts” (rapid fire, whole staff, quick one-sentence acknowledgments of specific people who went above and beyond). It is an hour well spent, for it reminds us of why we are here.

This week, we considered the surprising fact that many of our campers come from humble backgrounds. We thought it helpful that the counselors understand that many families make extraordinary sacrifices to send their daughters to camp. That we (camper and counselor alike) have been drawn to camp for a higher purpose. That many of our campers would not be here were it not for the generosity of others (grandparents, relatives, friends, and the Great Day Fund).

There are countless stories of such generosity. Grandparents living on a fixed income, watching every penny so that they can help pay for camp. A mom who always paid for her secretary’s daughter to attend Greystone because she loved that child so much and knew that she would benefit from the experience. A family who provided a full camp career (as many years as they wanted) for a non-related camper to attend any session she wanted, just because they knew of that particular girl’s difficult circumstances and excellent character. Grandparents who every year generously cover all camp expenses for each of their grandchildren with little fanfare. And alums who think of camp after being gone for decades and send donations at surprising times and in surprising amounts. Previous camp parents who, touched by the impact on their daughter many years ago, choose to support the parents of this generation. Some decide to make camp a primary target for their annual giving, making contributions of over $50,000 every year.

We do our best to help anyone drawn to camp, even if they can’t afford it. There are two ways we do this… We sponsor local girls who wish to attend Greystone through the Camplify organization. More significantly, we provide scholarships through The Great Day Fund. Every year, we give over $250,000 in assistance, and that need increases every year.

My pitch to the counselors was this: seeing the impact of camp… do you want to participate in this fund? Their response was breathtaking… over 70% elected to give a portion of their final paycheck to the Great Day Fund, $7,461 as of today, and the gifts keep coming in. It is humbling, and it is encouraging… you should know that this is the character of our staff. They are amazing people with generous spirits, and The Lord is working through their lives to bring light to the world.

My pitch to you is this: consider adding The Great Day Fund to your charitable giving. This tax-deductible gift plays an important role in providing a quiet, dignified, and generous gift to a family who has been drawn to our community. Our camp is better because they are here and we are grateful for any help you can provide. We appreciate your consideration.

Donate to the Great Day Fund