Exceeding Expectations
I owe the counselors an apology.
In yesterday’s blog post, I conveyed my low expectations of the Counselor Talent Show: a boisterous celebration of silly skits and occasional skills. Boy, was I surprised! Each and every act showed a high degree of preparation. Silly skits the way they OUGHT to be: funny, choreographed to perfection, smart, witty, and really entertaining. Even old concepts (If I Were not A Greystone Counselor) were perfectly adapted to the times and made great. I was proud of the counselors and enjoyed the LONG program immensely.
Typically such a late program on the Pageant Court would include an appreciation of the moon reflecting in the calm lake. This was not to be… we could not see the moonrise (a Waxing Crescent sliver of a moon) due to the haze that continued to obscure the sky last night. Venus appeared before we dismissed, but that was the only star we could see. The haze was noticeable all day long but not in a bad way. For whatever reason, the climate during these dog days of summer is proving to be surprisingly pleasant. Today will once again feature a light breeze, low humidity (65%), warm temperatures (mid 80’s), and not much chance of rain (20%). All of these details play into our daily classes, which are pretty intense this week. Our activity areas are performing well, an opinion proven accurate by the camper surveys (the latest of which we did on Sunday).
We survey in an attempt to locate potential weaknesses that can be improved while the girls are here. It is easy for a director to assume that everything is going perfectly, only to be proven wrong after the summer when we learn the truth through the grapevine. We see the girls having fun and assume things are peachy… but sometimes, the campers are just making the best of things. So we take surveys and discover where things can be improved.
This year shows a depth of excellence across the board… most of our classes are getting “Favorite Class” status with at least a few girls. The campers may only choose one class (out of the seventy options) as their favorite, so they do not put anything down that is not awesome. Many classes are trending up in their numbers, showing their capacity to delight and inspire where it counts… the camper experience. We are very proud of the staff and glad that your girls are enjoying them so obviously.
Tonight will feature the last “regular” EP of the summer (if July Madness Pickleball Tournament can be considered regular). We will have lots of pickle-themed contests, food items, and decorations. Everything ends with the final game in the camp-wide pickleball tournament that has been going on for about a week. All will gather, watch the game, and celebrate the winning team. Nothing but fun. Should provide some great memories.
Speaking of memories… the Outdoor Skills class made a good one last night as they slept in our “outback pastures” by the hidden lake. They built a campfire, made their shelters (out of trash bags), foraged, and cooked for themselves on a perfect summer night. Had late-night storms arrived, I am sure they would have looked tired today, but with the perfect weather came a perfect night of sleep. They were all thrilled with their accomplishment of roughing it at Greystone!
- Breakfast Pancakes… perhaps the best we have ever cooked. Everyone is talking about them.
- Weather Sunny, 84 degrees, slight chance of rain
- Lunch Poppyseed Chicken
- Dinner Hot Dog Picnic
- EP Pickleball Madness Tournament Celebration
- Moonphase Waxing Crescent that we will enjoy if the Canadian Haze moves out.
