August 6 2025

What a glorious day! Partly sunny skies, almost no chance of rain, a perfect 74 degrees, and we are having another Great Day. Our last full day of classes is going to be perfect! The girls have honed their skills to a fine edge with the unique everyday schedule of August Camp. June and Main Camp do classes with an every-other-day schedule. This means that August Camp, despite being shorter, allows campers to do classes just as many times as June Camp. The younger campers find it easier to remember what their schedules are as well. Lots of reasons to like this August Camp routine!

The rain moved out last night and the temperatures are in the 70’s (which feels balmy after the cold snap). It looks like the final days of camp will be enjoyed with perfect weather like we are having today (partly cloudy, 74 degrees, chance of afternoon showers). Spirits are high as we enjoy these last days together. The girls are beaming, the counselors giddy, the kitchen crew slumps in their chairs between meals and banter amongst themselves, the cleaning crew takes time to talk to everyone they meet as they work their way through camp, and the maintenance crew is excited about starting the projects for 2026. It is a wonderful time in the summer and a great day to be at Greystone.

We know that classes are particularly important to these girls, and we do our best to meet their expectations. At this point in the summer, it is particularly important that the counselors remain engaged and enthusiastic about their activities, and this year has been especially good on that side of things. The staff is outstanding, and we are very proud of their success in mastering “the camp game”. This last full day of classes will be just as exciting for the counselors as the campers! Many counselors made “bucket lists” for August Camp (fun things to do before they leave camp). Many of these have included activities with the girls in the dining hall, in classes, and cabins. The dress-up themes have been delightful!

We pack up at Rest Hour… a very big job, as you can imagine. Camp is brutal on clothes… the girls love getting dirty! While their clothes have been washed once, when you open that trunk, you will notice those clothes look, feel, and smell different now. It is the smell of two awesome weeks at camp. Don’t worry… they will probably clean up! One day (many years hence), you will miss those smelly piles in front of the laundry machine.

Tonight we will have our Council Fire/Closing Vespers program. We will meet in our recently renovated Council Fire Ring, a lovely spot that the girls love. Here we have met to talk about “important things” for a hundred years. The moss-covered rock bench, the impressive rock fire stand, and the oversized slab benches are ringed by towering pines and rhododendrons. We walk silently up the hill and take our seats, row by row. I will tell the MeMe bird story and connect it to the secret of Greystone (unselfishness). We will give awards for great attitudes and unusual commitment to activities. While we sit quietly, we will watch the sunset as the clouds turn pink and the fireflies rise in the surrounding forest (if the clouds have not yet moved in). The evening ends with each camper gathering around the flagpole in the late summer darkness and lighting her candle, signifying the light of love that we all carry into the world. It is a fantastic night… the girls keep their candles as a memento of the occasion, and we hope that they will remember these simple lessons many years from now.

We are so grateful to have shared these weeks with your girls. They are delightful beyond words, and we are proud of how they have grown. They have filled our little world with light and will be missed when they go home.

Be safe as you travel.