How the “Crackers” Tradition Explains Camp
Most evenings at camp, girls go through the Dining Hall and grab two vanilla wafers on the way to their cabins for the night.
This event is known simply as “Crackers” and is one of many rituals that might seem strange to anyone outside the Greystone bubble. But this small moment at the end of our days is actually a window into what Greystone is all about.
Meeting Needs
In the beginning, Crackers were originally called “Crackers and milk.” Campers would stop by for a couple of saltine crackers and a small glass of milk. The goal was to avoid sending campers to bed on an empty stomach, so the staff created a way to fill the gap.
The “Crackers” have gotten a bit sweeter over the years, but the heart behind them hasn’t changed. We still do our best to meet the needs of our community. Sometimes that means helping someone move a box, sitting with a friend who’s having a hard day, or the Health Hut giving out icee pops in the heat of the day. Crackers is just one small, everyday expression of how we try to look after each other.
Fun for Fun’s Sake
Crackers is now less about staving off hunger and more about delight. It’s a treat and a small bit of fun at the end of the day, and that suits us just fine.
At camp, lots of things exist for growth (Great Day 5K anyone?), but plenty of things also exist simply because they’re fun. Carnival, talent shows, the Jimbolympiad… you intuitively get what they’re about. They’re joyful, they’re silly, and they’re part of what makes camp feel like camp. Crackers fits right alongside them. It doesn’t need a big reason to exist – it’s fun, and that’s enough reason for us to keep doing it.
Serving Behind the Scenes
It’s easy to dream about being out in front at camp, but the truth is that Greystone runs because a ton of people serve faithfully behind the scenes. From the Kitchen Staff, to Program Staff, to the nurses, and the folks in the office – camp functions because so many people quietly do the work that keeps everything running smoothly.
Crackers is one of those behind-the-scenes efforts. It’s simple, but it requires consistency, attention, and a willingness to show up every evening. It would be easy to skip (and we sometimes give the guys a night off), but the Men Staff take it seriously, and they treat it as one more way to care for the community.
Utilizing Our Men
Speaking of the Men Staff, our guys spend most of their time doing exactly this kind of unseen work – moving trunks, shifting bunks, sorting luggage, and handling so many practical jobs that keep camp running. They’re energetic and service-oriented, and they do a lot more than most campers ever realize.
Crackers is one of the few times they’re able to interact with the girls, and it’s a fun moment for them as well. They get to hang out with each other, hand out cookies, and be part of a tiny daily tradition. (Laura typically reminds them not to “cut up” while the campers are coming through the line, so they do a great job of just smiling and providing this little bit of joy at the end of the day.)
In the scheme of things, Crackers is just two vanilla wafers at the end of the day, but it’s a real way to understand camp. It’s a small tradition that shows what we care about: meeting needs, creating moments of delight, and serving faithfully even if nobody is watching.
At Greystone, memories are built from years of tiny moments like this one. Crackers may be a small thing, but it’s a daily reminder of who we are and how we care for each other – one wafer at a time.
