Traditions and How to Pack for Them - New Camper Blog Series
Hello new Greystone parents! As we’ve reached the middle of April, we bet packing for camp is on the mind. Packing is a big undertaking so know that we are with you in spirit and solidarity! There’s nothing like labeling all of your daughter’s socks to make you an official camp parent. It’s a rite of passage for sure!
Today we are going to be talking about some of our camp traditions and then how to pack for those specific traditions. Our packing lists in our Parent Handbook and on our Packing for Camp page have many of these items listed, but here’s a better explanation of what you’ll need for our different camp activities.
Lip Syncs
Each cabin will perform together in a Lip Sync at the beginning of the session. It is a great way to learn teamwork, and many girls feel so accomplished after performing together with their cabin group. For Lip Sync, girls often wear some sort of costume, depending on which song they choose. For packing, a good bet would be to throw in a few dress-up clothes, some old Halloween costumes, or a dance recital outfit. Girls get creative with these options!
Vespers and Banquet
We set aside different times at camp to really focus on the true mission of Greystone, celebrating that we can see the light of God’s love in each of our campers. For these special Vesper events, girls will wear plain white clothing. Girls will also wear whites on Sundays (at our June and Main sessions) and during our end-of-camp Banquet celebration. These “whites” (as we call them) are just a plain white t-shirt and plain white shorts. They don’t need to be fancy!
How many whites should you pack? Junior campers will just wear whites one time for our Banquet celebration. For August camp, girls will need two pairs of whites, so they are ready for Vespers and Banquet. At our longer sessions, girls typically pack 2 – 3 pairs of whites.
Sunday dresses
On Sundays, we have a church service as a camp community. At Junior Camp, this is a short service before the start of classes; girls do not need a dress or skirt at Junior.
For our June, Main, and August sessions, we set aside the entire Sunday morning for a slower pace as we enjoy church together. Girls will need a simple dress and simple sandals to wear to church. For August Camp, girls just need 1 dress as we only enjoy one church service. At our longer sessions, girls typically bring 2 – 4 dresses.
Camp teams, Team Fires, and Challenge Day
Girls will be placed on a team at camp: our Odds team (green) or our Evens team (gold/yellow). This team is based on your cabin number, which you won’t find out until Opening Day. Because of this, we encourage girls to pack one green and one gold/yellow t-shirt or outfit, so they are ready to be on either team. You can also purchase team gear from the Greystone Store; the Store will deliver this gear after Opening Day, once your daughter knows her team.
Girls will wear their team colors for our Team Fires (a team pep rally) and Challenge Day (team competition) events – it is a lot of fun and filled with tons of energy! If you have a green and/or yellow shirt at home, go ahead and throw it in. While not necessary, girls do like having some fun extras for dressing up (think socks, necklaces, tutus). The Greystone Store sells many good options!
Talent Show
At our June, Main, and August sessions, we host a Camper Talent Show, where girls can audition to then perform in front of camp. If girls want to try-out for the Talent Show and need anything specific (i.e., a musical instrument, specific music on a USB or CD, costumes, props, etc.), girls should bring those with them.
Production Night
At our June, Main, and August sessions, girls taking performance-based classes will showcase their skills at the end of the session. Classes that perform include things like ballet, hip-hop, jump rope, guitar, music, drama, and more. If girls enjoy these activities and have special clothes that they would like to wear (such as ballet shoes or a dance leotard), it is great to bring those. However, they aren’t necessary!
Main Camp: 4th of July, Corn Roast, 5 Year, and Synchronized Swimming
While we don’t have any new campers at Main Camp, these Main campers pack 4th of July clothes for our big celebration as well as bluegrass-style clothes for our Corn Roast (i.e., blue jean shorts, overalls, plaid shirts, etc.). These are some of our most beloved camp traditions! Also, campers who have attended camp for 5 or more years and are eligible for our 5-year ceremony will bring a white dress. Our Synchronized Swimming performance is also a favorite camp event, and girls participating need a black bathing suit.
This is a good overview of some of our favorite camp traditions and how to pack for them. If you have any questions, comment below or reach out to us – we’re happy to help!
We will see you next week for another post in our new camper blog series. Have a wonderful week!