May 28, 2026

The clouds moved out yesterday afternoon, providing a perfect setting for the carnival. It was a beautiful evening: warm but not hot, blue sky mixed with fluffy white clouds, a light breeze, and even a full moon for anyone who notices such things. I thought that life was perfect and based on the hundreds of campers and counselors enjoying the Carnival, most of camp felt the same way.

One of the nice things about a rainy day is the sunny day that follows. We appreciate all weather at camp but in the “real world” this is often not the case. At home we don’t walk in the rain, we ride in the car. We don’t sweat in the heat or shiver in the cold but we stay comfortable inside air conditioned or heated places. That isn’t the way it is at camp! We are deeply connected to the weather and celebrate every change with mindful appreciation.

We notice the moon after the sun sets, the wisps of cloud that rise from the mountains after an afternoon shower, the feel of the first rays of sunlight in the morning, our hair rustled by a puff of wind during evening program, the soft heavy air of a humid day and the crisp bright air when a cold front makes the sky bright blue. At camp, we notice the world we live in and we give God thanks for it’s majesty. We appreciate the world more at camp than we do in other settings… and this appreciation will stick with us long after we leave this place. It is one of the gifts of summer camp.

I will write again tomorrow, but this is my last “regular” blog of Junior Camp so I will take this opportunity to say thank you.

Thank You for sharing your girls. Many of you were particularly worried about camp this year. You thought of all the things that could go wrong, of how much you would miss her, of all those days that you would miss with her, those experiences she would enjoy without you, all those friends she would make that you don’t know, all those counselors who you just had to trust would do a good job. SO MANY THINGS that you just had to trust us to do well. Thank You for allowing us the opportunity to provide this experience.
Thank You for your support. Not just for choosing our camp, but supporting our mission. You are glad that our devotions always have a Bible verse foundation. You are glad that we pray before meals, when dismissing from a program, when ending the day in the cabin. That our counselors are all strong Christians. That our policies (even ones that are perhaps not your favorite) are rooted in our mission To delight and inspire for the glory of God. We appreciate your feedback (you will get a survey tomorrow afternoon… feel free to be honest), and appreciate how you support us even when you see areas that can improve. We can’t imagine a better group of families to serve!

Today, the girls will enjoy a full morning of classes, enhanced by the glorious weather. Lunch will feature a very popular treat: Taco in a Bag! If you have never done this, give it a try. Children LOVE IT!!! Afterwards, we pack our bags and clean our cabins during a long rest hour (sorry about all the dirty laundry), enjoy our last Shoppe, our last assembly, and have our final Flag ceremony before Banquet.

We love Banquets at Greystone, and this one is special. The theme is carefully protected and includes counselors dressing up, acting in a skit that is seen after Flag in the Pavilion, the girls get nametags and a last cabin photo, then take their places in the transformed Dining Hall for a special dinner. All are honored in toasts at the end of the meal, we sing some favorite songs, we thank the girls for the summer, then have a final Vespers program. The image of so many candles is a beautiful image that we remember long afterwards… the girls keep their candle to remember the moment, many light them again on Christmas the following year. It is a wonderful way to end a session.

Thank you for reading the Blog, it has been an honor to share these days with you. Safe travels, see you tomorrow!

Weather: Sunny, 15% chance of rain, 83 degrees.
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs, Home Fries, Sausage, Fruit, Etc.
Breakfast Club: The Frog and the Scorpion
Lunch: Taco in a Bag
Dinner: Banquet (Chicken Tenders, Pasta Salad, Chocolate Stacks)
Vespers: At Council Fire