August 8 2025

If you do one good deed your reward usually is to be set to do another and harder and better one. C.S. Lewis, The Horse And His Boy

I write this (a blog that is unlikely to be read by many people) as a comfort on this poignant day. Writing has become a crutch and a comfort to me this summer. It is a routine that somehow supports me emotionally in this crazy job. If you are reading this it is because you, like me, love camp. The Blog has become part of your daily routine (perhaps surprisingly). I can see how this would happen:

The subject resonates (you might have been a camper or sent a camper to camp for many years). For you, it sometimes sparks a memory that makes you smile.
The pictures are often fun (campers and counselors in moments of authentic delight are always compelling).
The site only consumes a minute or two of your day. Much more, and you would have stopped reading a long time ago!
The daily check fits into your routine. I love a good daily routine and expect you do as well.

If you are reading this… know that your routine is about to change… I won’t be writing it tomorrow and will likely not post anything until next summer. Instead, you will hear from some of the other people who are vital to camp (Catherine, Sarah, Ellen-Anne, and Peter). Their passion for camp is worthy of a public forum. They always do a great job, but blogs will be posted much less frequently when campers are not here.

I have written the Blog every morning since June 1. That is about seventy days… a routine that I have loved for many years. The Blog encourages me to notice the little things about camp that make it so delightful to those of us who live here (first rays of sunlight in the morning, the light of the moon, dew on grass, rain on face, children playing, adults working with beaming smiles). Life is good at Greystone, and its goodness should be shared.

The delight and inspiration of life are evident when the campers and counselors are enjoying life here. Those moments are nonstop… 24-hour-a-day 7-day-a-week experiences (good and bad) formed by the people who call it home. I live this life in a very similar way to the campers and counselors (delighting and despairing of situations that arise unexpectedly). When such a moment occurs, I pray (including Him in the moment). Later on, I write… thus the Blog. You, the benefactors of camp, should know the delight and inspiration of this place.

My Thoughts On The Summer

Various viruses hit us in June and were a challenge God intended for 2025. About 4% of our camp was impacted over the summer, and that was hard on the nurses and doctors (not to mention those who felt poorly), but everyone managed the situation well.
The counselors, kitchen, office, maintenance, and cleaning crews worked together better than ever. They accomplished every routine and unique request exceptionally well. We have never done better… Impressive, as we were understaffed in maintenance.
The campers were wonderful… as usual!
*The cabin bathroom renovations didn’t work as intended. While the space is bright, clean, with lots of storage, and provides two showers instead of one, they were often wet. We will fix that problem with an improved shower design and have perfect bathrooms next year!
Every session was amazingly good… Best survey scores of any summer ever.
Every session was safe… Given the inherent risks of life, this is a blessing we never take for granted.

I look back on the past few months with a profound sense of gratitude… Thank You, Jesus! It is very hard to say how it could have been better. 106 is in the books.

So we close this chapter with a profound sense of gratitude.

To our parents who trusted us.
To our campers who made every day a delight.
To our team who delighted and inspired without fail each and every day.
To God We do this work for His glory!

Thank you for reading… it has been a pleasure.