2021

It is hard to know who will even read this blog.

August camp parents and campers are not likely to spend the time… school starts soon and there is a lot to do as we finish our summer and transition to the next season.

Junior, June, and Main camp parents and campers have moved on. They will join the frenzy to Early Bird next week, but the blog is not on their mind right now.

Alums and counselors are the most likely audience as they are the ones most likely to get nostalgic when camp closes for another year… so my heart joins with you friends as I reflect on the summer that has passed. It is a summer that I will never forget and it began in March 2020.

We prepared for our 2020 summer with the warm glow of the alumnae reunion flavoring our plans. Our 100th celebration summer was a tough act to follow but we were ready to do exactly that! It would all start with counselor orientation, so we decided to focus our brainstorming sessions and staff retreats on this important part of camp. It was very productive and exciting work that promised big returns. A well-trained, settled, happy, and motivated staff form the foundation of any great summer. We were going to make sure 2020 was the best and we spent countless hours assessing every facet of the camper experience. Programs, facilities, food, special events, traditions… everything was going to be better than ever as we entered the next 100 years at Greystone.

But as the pandemic exploded upon the world it became clear that our many plans would need to pivot. Things got worse and worse as the days passed and by the end of the month the emergency decrees and uncertain protocols made it clear that few of our big plans would work. Our camp is just too big and the program too complicated for effective socially distanced protocols without facility changes… and the situation was not at all clear (circumstances and rules changing every day. So we canceled the summer and began planning for 2021.

We tightened our budget to weather the storm. Time to pray.

God has been present in the valley of this storm. We have been comforted, provided for, and found peace in turbulent times… and that has been true for our entire camp family as well. We were all being prepared for what was to come in 2021.

This summer has been amazing. Shockingly difficult in the preparations and shockingly delightful in the participation. The many prayers of support paid dividends big time. Each session has been spectacular and we consider this summer to be an unqualified success. A home run, slam dunk, runaway success in every way. Much could have gone wrong for much was out of our control… but everything clicked and worked exceptionally well. God is good… always.

So we close this chapter of camp history with a profound sense of gratitude.

• To our parents who trusted us.
• To our campers who made every day a delight.
• To our Head Staff team, year-round employees, and counselors whose inspired hard work inspired and instilled confidence.
• For the weather Never have we had better weather for camp. It was perfect!
• For The Lord To HIM be the glory!

Thank you for reading… it has been a pleasure.