July 29 2025

Our first day of classes is now fully underway, and we have already accomplished many big things. Yesterday afternoon the girls made their schedule (we help), signed up for the classes, took their swim test, moved from place to place with the bugles and bells of camp, learned the flag ceremony, found their seat in the dining hall, enjoyed dinner, went to Evening Program, caught fireflies, got ready for bed, and were tucked in by their counselors. This morning they awoke to a bugle (always a shock), got dressed, made their bed, packed their book bags with all the things they will need for the day, gathered for the flag ceremony again, found their table again, discovered the fruit bar (almost everyone ended up wanting fresh fruit and berries) and Gervais’s famous biscuits, did their first Morning Assembly, and are now going to classes for the first time. It is a lot… and they are thriving! Soaking up every minute of this experience, literally! They make the most of every challenge, and you would be proud to see them running around so confidently.

A quick word about the food at camp. Everyone knows that great food is a foundation for a great attitude. It is hard to feel good about a day when eating dull, bland, unappetizing food. Unfortunately, many places consider food an afterthought (contracting with the least expensive service they can find). We consider the kitchen to be the heart of our camp, and as such, it should be a place where love is felt in the food. We make everything from scratch and use only the finest ingredients. It takes more time and costs more money, but the effort pays dividends. You experienced our famous scones yesterday; well, that is just the tip of the iceberg! Hundreds of loaves of bread are baked every morning, gallons of honey are consumed every day, fresh cookies, pies, and brownies… add in the prep/salad crew (who work hours upon hours washing and preparing the produce) and finally the cook crew (who make every hot dish from scratch, carefully seasoning as they follow old family recipes adapted for camp use). The combined effect is magical.

Our family-style meals make every camper feel comfortable and well cared for. Our breakfast has become famous for its endless fruit bar (yogurt, strawberries, pineapple, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and granola). I always go last and was surprised to find that everything (including the raspberries) was still full in every line (we have six lines) even though many of the salad crew is brand new to camp (a new crew of teenagers come every session… it is a challenging but fun job… I did it when I was their age). Congratulations and a great big Greystone Thank You to Gervais and Leland for serving us so well!

Reading about the great food might make you think that camp is nothing but sunshine and happiness… well, this is only partially true. A surprising component of this experience is successfully overcoming homesickness. Some of you might be VERY worried about this subject because you don’t want a “bad feeling” to impact your daughter negatively. It is a valid concern. We agree that homesickness is not a good feeling and can be emotionally damaging. We take it very seriously. But we also know that homesickness is normal. Occasional tears might come as we adjust to this new setting. Our goal is to ensure every girl loves her time at Greystone, especially if she gets a little homesick early on.

The first days of camp are marked by moments of uncertainty and adjustment. This is entirely natural and leads to resiliency. A resilient girl will get past moments of sadness or discomfort with ease- for she has learned what to do when she feels that way. We lead by example in our classes, at our tables, and in our cabins by our actions (always positive and encouraging) and by our words (a quiet conversation during a teachable moment works wonders). Such experiences cause incredible growth and build confidence. It is a 21st-century skill that is vital for children to master.

If a camper is not adjusting well to camp, we will call you and seek your insights. Your insights always help, and together we will fix it quickly. We do not call you every time a camper has a sad moment because that is not a problem. We expect sad moments, but also expect the girls to get over such moments and quickly enjoy camp again. If you aren’t getting a call, it means things are OK! Our good friends over at Alpine Camp paired up with Sissy Goff (Raising Boys and Girls) to make a fantastic podcast about adjusting to camp and getting over homesickness; it’s worth the listen!

The counselor skits last night were a huge hit. It never ceases to amaze me how much delight arises from the simple fun of camp. A typical Netflix show is highly produced and features talented actors with mind-blowing special effects. It costs millions of dollars to make a 30-minute episode, and many/most shows can’t hold our attention for 5 minutes. Yesterday, we sat entranced as the counselors did their little acts. Girls were rolling with laughter after some of the acts! It capped off a day where we had a blast doing things like sliding down a plastic sheet, playing ga-ga (Jim-ball), swinging, stomping in puddles, playing tag, and getting our pictures taken. Time flew by, and we loved every minute.

The Details:

Breakfast: Fried Ham and Apples with homemade biscuits
Breakfast Club: Smile… how to make friends in new situations.
Joke: Talking Dog
Weather: Sunny, 86 degrees, chance of rain this afternoon.
Lunch: BLT’s (with homemade bread still warm from the oven)
Dinner: Taco’s (hard shell, ground beef, all the fixings)
EP: Tentalows - BU2 Lip Sync… a great cabin bonding performed on the Pageant Court stage.
To send an email to your camper, log in to your Greystone account and click the Email button. We print emails at 11 a.m. each day. You can also use the Campanion app.
To see photos of your camper, log in to your Greystone account and click on the Photos button. Or you can use the Campanion app. You can download photos for free! We take thousands of photos daily, so you should see photos every day or every other day. If you aren’t seeing photos of your daughter, email her to remind her to jump in front of the camp camera.