How Do I Know if Greystone is the Right Camp for Me?
When you are looking for a camp for your child, there are thousands to choose from. In our Western North Carolina area alone, there are over 50 camps in a 30-minute radius of Greystone. As a family who is considering sleep-away camp for their daughter, why would you choose Greystone over any other camp?
Here are some of the reasons:
We are a Christian camp: Greystone was founded by a Presbyterian minister, and while not connected to any specific denomination currently, we believe that Greystone is dedicated to the glory of God, and every detail of camp reflects this mission. We hire Christian counselors, pray multiple times a day as a camp community, start the day with our camp-wide Morning Assembly, and end the day with cabin devotions. We want each camper to understand that she is a dearly loved child of God and that she has great worth in God’s eyes. Our schedule, our cabin set-up, our counselor hiring and training, our events, and so much more are crafted through the lens of wanting to honor God and show his goodness to our campers in all that we do.
With that being said, we are not a Bible camp. We don’t push Christian teaching on any of our campers; instead, we present Biblical information in what we believe is a fun and inviting way. We know that the most powerful way of teaching the girls about Jesus is not by preaching, but by providing a community of love that honors The Lord in all things.
We are a community-based camp: At camp, we do things as a community, and our campers rarely leave our camp property. We see our camp community as a family and treat it as such: we eat meals family-style, enjoy almost all of our Evening Programs as a full camp group, allow girls to take many classes with campers from a multitude of age ranges (instead of just within their specific age group or tribe). We find this community-based camping approach to provide a rich and deep relational connection between the counselors, campers, and directors that is unique to Greystone.
We are a 100-year old camp: Greystone has been around for quite a while, and with that comes many years of growth, fine tuning, stretching, and growing to provide the wonderful Greystone experience girls enjoy each year. Camp is owned and operated by the same family who began camp in 1920 (with the 4th generation currently leading the helm), and this long-lasting family tradition provides such strength, focus, and passion to the current operations of camp. There’s something to be said for a great-grandson pouring his heart into the same camp his great-grandfather began over 100 years ago; there’s a family history that runs deep, making the daily work all that more meaningful and purposeful.
With that 100-year old history, Greystone is a camp of traditions, with campers enjoying some of the same activities and experiences that girls in the 1920s also enjoyed. So, why does this matter? The simplicity and message being shared with girls over 100 years ago is still relevant today: slow down, connect with a friend, allow God’s light to fill you and then shine from within you, and believe that you are worth so much. The steady continuance of Greystone traditions over the years gives girls a sense of place and confidence in camp.
We have a track-record of excellence: With a 100-year old history comes years of successfully opening, keeping campers safe, and providing an over-the-top experience for generations of campers. We are accredited with the American Camp Association, go above and beyond all CDC recommendations in any given summer, and have thousands of alumnae and parents who can speak of their positive experience with Greystone. Safety is paramount for us, and completing risk-assessments and safety evaluations of every aspect of camp is something we diligently complete each year.
We have a high return ratio: At the end of every summer, almost 95% of our eligible campers re-enroll for the following year. Campers love Greystone, and you can see it with our high re-enrollment rates.
We provide girls with the break they so desire: We are technology-free at camp, with girls turning in any cell phones or other electronics on the first day. Girls need this break from the pressures of the world, and they can find that relief at Greystone. Campers learn to have long conversations about deep (or sometimes even meaningless) topics. They learn to support each other, forgive each other, and just play. We often see 17 year olds rolling down our grassy lawn; we provide a place where carefree living like this is celebrated and enjoyed. Kids can confidently and safely be kids, and it is joyous!
We have campers from all over the country: At Greystone, you won’t just see your school friends in your cabin or in your classes. We have campers from 35+ states and 5+ countries each summer, giving girls a wide variety of friends from all over the world.
We improve the camp facilities and experience every year: While many camps have a very sparse year-round team, at Greystone we have 10 full-time directors with a combined total of 288 years at Greystone (!!!) whose sole job is to make the camper experience the very best it can be. Our leadership team reads surveys, asks questions, brainstorms ideas, and creates brand new classes, exciting events, and intentionally meaningful moments that are different from the year before. Our facilities are updated and improved each year, grounds meticulously maintained, and new buildings and structures added each summer to delight and improve the camper experience. We are always asking, “what can we do better?” and we work to answer that question each year.
We have a low staff to camper ratio: Our current staff to camper ratio is 1:2, allowing us to give hands on love and attention to each camper in camp. Our staff greets campers by name, asks about each girl’s day, helps resolve conflict, and serves as a big sister or best friend during the session. The relationships that our campers form with our staff are a highlight of the Greystone experience, one that makes Greystone unique.
We offer a wide variety of options in many different ways to meet our campers’ needs: Greystone is made up of four different sessions with different lengths available to fit your family’s over-night camping desires. If you’re looking for a shorter, two-week camp, we offer one, but we also offer the longer, more meaningful five-week camp that you can choose as you get older.
At Greystone, we offer 100+ different activities. Because girls stay on the property and we don’t divide them for age group style activities, our campers are able to take many classes while they are here (at our longer sessions, girls sign up for 14 total classes – it’s a lot!). Girls can change classes if they don’t like what they are taking, allowing the camper to really tailor her Greystone experience to what she will enjoy.
Food variety is huge at Greystone! We provide so many different food options that even the pickiest of eaters would have a hard time complaining. We accommodate food allergies of all kinds and work with these families to provide tasty food alternatives to anything we are eating.
The list could go on and on about how Greystone is unique, but we encourage you to check out different aspects of the Greystone experience on our website: explore our activities, learn about cabin life, see how we connect with new campers, and read a letter from our current Directors about sending your daughter to Greystone. We hope to see YOU at Greystone soon!
