Special Events
Start the Day Off Right
We start every day with Breakfast Club led by Jimboy. This tradition was started by JimDaddy (Jimboy’s dad) many years ago and remains a much enjoyed routine of the day. Jimboy gives a short talk on one aspect of our 4-fold philosophy of growth (from Luke 2:52: spiritual, mental, social, and physical), always ending with a silly joke to get us smiling.
After breakfast, we enjoy Morning Assembly. We sing fast songs and dance like crazy then slow things down with counselor-led praise and worship songs. We end with a short 5-minute devotion before heading off to class.
On Sunday mornings we run Stumblers! Those who want to join our Running Club are invited to meet us on the Track to either walk or run our River Trail before breakfast. Those who “pay the price” earn a t-shirt prize, given out on the final Sunday of camp. The Greystone Stumblers club is the beginning of a fun lifetime hobby of moving your body!
Carnival
We jump right into the fun on Carnival night with all of our favorite things: inflatable rides, a crazy dance contest, and food booths galore! You’ll love sailing down the Adrenaline Slide, jumping on the Velcro Wall, racing through a huge obstacle course, or dunking a friend in the ice cold waters of a Dunk Tank. Then take a break and dance to the music while snagging some of our great carnival food, including chicken and waffles, funnel cakes, fried pickles, cotton candy, hot french fries, ice cream sandwiches, and even grilled cheese. We end our Fourth of July Carnival with a firework show like you’ve never seen!
Banquet
On the last night of each session, the counselors put on a themed Banquet play for the campers. The Banquet theme is EXTREMELY secret, revealed on the final night to squeals and applause. Cheer on your counselor in the play then head as a cabin to see how the Dining Hall has been transformed to a beautiful banquet hall. Banquet awards, the highest in every activity area, are presented after the big feast. Banquet is a celebration – the joyful culmination of an unforgettable camp session!
Corn Roast
Grab your cowboy boots, Main campers! Enjoy North Carolina BBQ and whole ears of corn by the lake while watching the sun set on a golden summer afternoon. Cups overflow with Abita root beer as we lounge on picnic blankets, play carnival games with friends, and dance until the stars come out!
Traditions
At Greystone, lively Evening Programs like camp-wide games and dance parties are balanced by the peaceful and contemplative nights of Council Fire and Vespers. These calmer programs are steeped in tradition and provide meaningful moments of reflection and recognition as we mark achievements and celebrate the growth happening within each girl.
Council Fire
Council Fire is a beloved Greystone tradition, never announced until the last minute. It begins at the flagpole, as we silently walk to the Council Fire Ring in the woods, where tall pines have guarded sweet Greystone girl memories for decades. We sing quiet songs, Jimboy gives a short inspirational talk, and counselors give awards for achievement in activity skills. At each of our Main Camp Council Fires, girls who exemplify the characteristics of our Honor Council pledge (sincerity, courage, honesty, kindness, and truth) and our Honor Code can be recognized with our Spirit of Greystone award.
Vespers
Vespers is one of our most cherished and significant Evening Programs, enjoyed by Greystone girls since 1920. At Opening Vespers, we tell the story of “the Keeper of the Flame,” a true story of light and love through generations. Every girl receives a candle, and after all of them are lit, the entire community holds their candles high, showing the breathtaking impact of many lights shining together for Christ. At our Main Camp Closing Vespers ceremony, each camper floats a candle on the lake, signifying the way that each girl will leave Greystone and take her light into the world.
Special Camp Celebrations
Birthday Ball is a special celebration for all the girls who have birthdays during camp. The birthday girls celebrate by enjoying a meal as guests with the Directors, and each birthday girl receives hand-made favors, a gift, and a huge birthday cake! Afterwards, the entire camp enjoys the Camper Talent Show, where the birthday girls are the guests of honor. It’s a birthday party like no other!
Five Year Celebration is a beautiful Evening Program celebrated during Main Camp where we honor all of the girls who have attended Greystone at least five years and the 11th graders who are in their last camper year. It’s a poignant time for all as the seniors share their favorite memories and reflect on why they have come back to Greystone year after year.
Senior Celebration gives 10th and 11th grade campers the chance to be on the stage one last time. On this night, the entire camp celebrates the talent and inner beauty of all of our seniors. The program culminates when the “Senior Court” is revealed — a high honor chosen by the camp community to recognize the fruit of the spirit in these girls’ lives.
Campers are placed on either the Odds or Evens team based on their cabin number; the Odds are green and the Evens are gold. Throughout each session, campers earn points for their team by completing simple tasks like cleaning their cabin, showing up to Flag on time, and attending all of their classes. These points are added to the “Big Competitions” of Challenge Day and Watersports Day. The victorious team is announced on Banquet night to thunderous applause.
On Challenge Day — a single, action-packed event in each session — campers compete in good-natured challenges across camp to earn points for their teams. During Main Camp, the rivalry heats up as we end the morning with a camp-wide softball game. Everyone represents her respective team, and we all cheer like crazy!
During Main Camp, we also have Watersports Day, an entire day devoted to fun water competition at the pool and on the lake. From swimming relays to water balloon tosses to musical water buckets, you’ll have a blast getting to make a splash for your team! The night concludes with a camp favorite, the Watershow, where girls perform their amazing synchronized swimming routines for the camp community.