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Council Fire Renovation Complete

It is with glad hearts that we can finally announce that our Council Fire renovation is complete! After 5 years of waiting, we put the finishing touches on the renovated space before this past summer. We loved welcoming girls back to the “flower of the night” for our traditional Council Fire programs this year.

During our 100th summer in 2019, we set out to raise money for the Great Day Fund. We planned to honor alumnae and families who donated $1000+ to the Fund during our centennial year with a commemorative plaque at the entrance to the space. Many of our alumnae and families gave generously, and plans were in place to start on our Council Fire renovation in 2020.

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With the pandemic that soon followed, plans for the Council Fire renovation were put on hold. However, this past year, we were finally able to break ground on this project, and the wait was worth it!

Renovation Details

The renovation was planned with past campers and future Greystone girls in mind. Overall, the space remains very similar to what was in place before it but with some key design changes that make it more functional for the future.

  • The benches were constructed from 3 inch thick, 20-foot-long slabs of poplar that were custom milled and kiln-dried for the project. Each bench was sanded, stained, and coated with varnish before installation.
  • With the new layout, the benches now have a center aisle as well as access along both sides. Walking up to receive your awards is now easier than ever!
  • We added 30% more seating with the new layout without taking up any more space. Even with our full camp sessions this year, we had empty seats! As many of you probably remember being stacked into Council Fire like sardines, spreading out on the benches was a great relief this year.
  • At the entrance to Council Fire are new stone columns. The fire pit was also reconstructed out of stone for the space. Both the columns and the fire pit were built from Tennessee field stone, which is only appropriate with Greystone’s Tennessee roots.
  • Along with the renovation, fifty trees and shrubs were planted, surrounding the space with greenery. In 20 years, these efforts will dramatically transform the space.

As a final step in the renovation process, we were also able to finally honor our 2019 Centennial Donors with a bronze plaque on one of these new stone columns that flank the entrance to our Council Fire. We are grateful to all our donors from our 100th year!

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Using the New Space

This summer, it was a heartwarming experience returning to our Council Fire ring as a camp community. The space not only looks good, but also keeps the heart of the mission alive with its design. Girls loved being “round the blazing Council Fire’s light,” as they remembered the generations of Greystone girls who had arrived at the same space for the same ceremonial camp experience.

Along with using the renovated area for our traditional Council Fire programs, our Main Campers also enjoyed Opening Vespers at our Council Fire. As the sun slipped below the mountains, hundreds of girls lifted their candles high in this special place. We anticipate continuing our Opening Vespers services at the Council Fire, starting a new tradition in this iconic camp location.