I feel so fortunate to work with such a talented, creative, bright, and mission-driven Director Team. I am constantly amazed at how much I learn from them on a daily basis, especially in the realm of technology (including a little bit about the power of AI), program, Gen Z, and most importantly, the importance of […]
Having just celebrated Thanksgiving, one of my favorite holidays, and Gwynn Valley’s 90th summer, I am so grateful to be a part of a place with such a clear mission and strong values. The values that Miss Mary created when she opened camp in 1935: simplicity, acceptance, an appreciation for nature, and a non-competitive program. […]
We were excited to be featured in Southern Living’s June / July publication in the Editor’s Letter who recognizes the power of the simple joys camp offers. If you haven’t seen it, check it out!
We awoke this morning to rain and thunder which passed over us by 8:00 just in time for campouts to return to camp for breakfast. As we made our way to the dining room, the campers noticed all sorts of the Tajar’s folly with all kinds of pranks in downtown GV. There were so many […]
We have had a couple of wonderful days here at camp. When you’re having a great time, things tend to speed up and go too fast. We held sign-ups this morning and after lunch so campers took this opportunity to do things they love to do and try some new activities as well. Several cabins […]
We have had a great start to our last three weeks of camp with lots of sunshine, blue skies,cool evenings and warm afternoons. We jumped into lots of activities on Opening Day which has continued with our campers participating in their 4 morning activities that we call Discoveries. Campers rate their top choices and then […]
We just finished our Tajar Ball celebration and although it didn’t rain much today, it has been cloudy with some light showers. The skies cleared just before the Ball and we were able to picnic outdoors. We had hamburgers, hotdogs, chips, watermelon, slaw, and baked beans. It is a fun cookout! As many of you […]
What a fun day at camp. It was of course “special day” here where we don’t run normal programming and all the activity leaders have the day off. We just finished our Sunday Service and the theme was Love and Community. That’s a broad topic and as you might expect there were a variety of […]
Our wonderful C-1 campers departed today and we are down to those terrific children who are staying at camp for three weeks. It’s a special day for them because our numbers are reduced and there are fewer folks here. Afternoon programs went very well with everyone involved with sign-ups and choosing their favorites for the […]
Wow – the fun never stops here. Yesterday was an unbelievable day as we celebrated the 4th at camp. It was such a full day! Although warm that afternoon, everyone enjoyed the nice weather and sunny skies. There was a chance of some storms and rain but fortunately, the storms stayed to the north of […]
The weather has been beautiful this week and today was no exception! It was our last full day of programming and it started out with a bang. The Tajar was full of folly last night and left much evidence of his mischief as we arrived for breakfast. There were kayaks on the Green and paddles […]
Yesterday evening, Hillside finished their day with stories about the Tajar acted out by their counselors. Laughter and calls came from the camper peanut gallery as their counselors made death defying life leaps, covered themselves in eggs (not really), danced on all the camp mattresses, as well as in the moonlight, and made breakfast for […]
We are so excited you have chosen to send your child to Gwynn Valley and recognize the significance of the decision you made to enroll your child in camp. Our goal is to partner with families to help your camper have a fun, enriching, and positive camp experience. Besides having fun, camp provides children the […]
As we welcome September, we are so grateful for a positive, fun, and successful camp season and a joyful 85+2 camp reunion. Having waited for two years to celebrate Gwynn Valley’s 85th summer, many generations gathered after we closed camp to see old friends, make new ones, and to share the many stories and memories […]
We awoke this morning to the Tajar’s folly with all kinds of pranks in downtown GV. There were so many things moved and out of place we hardly knew what day it was and where we were. There were boats in the dining room with staff sleeping in them. Tubes from the lake were all […]
What a great start to our last week of camp for our new campers who arrived yesterday for E session and for our three weekers. Although it was a rainy day, we didn’t have any storms and were able to carry on with activities as we held our first day of Discoveries. Campers were discovering […]
What a great day here with beautiful breezy weather starting our morning. Today we were starting our week with A Day Discovery Activities. When you’re having a great time, things tend to speed up and go too fast. We had a little rain shower just after lunch but no thunder boomers. Several cabins took the […]
As I write, my window captures our mountain’s silhouette of 5000 and 6000’ peaks, darkened by the vanishing sunlight that has created that orange to blue night sky. It’s been a great couple of days here for our D Session campers and older programs. Laughter and joy has abounded as returning campers came back to […]
We just finished our Friendship Campfire for the three week and 10 day session. What a great time we’ve had tonight and all day long as well. At campfire we honored the campers who have many years of Gwynn Valley summers. As a tradition at our final evening program we recognize those who are coming […]
Every Sunday at camp, when it’s not an opening day, is “Special Day” and today was very special despite the rain! The theme today was Disney. Campers moved around camp participating in different activity stations with their cabin groups. We had games consisting of relay races, balancing on a barrel in the lake, paddling on […]
We welcomed our new campers for C-2 today and got off to a rousing start to begin that session. For those of you that dropped off your children today, I hope that you’re safe and sound and at your destination. You were shown to your cabins today by our SIT’s (staff in training). They are […]
It was an almost perfect day here at camp with great weather, a big rain during rest hour and everyone enjoying the best that GV has to offer. The rain extended our rest hour for about 30 minutes and I think everyone enjoyed a little extra down time. Main Camp enjoyed a big scavenger hunt […]
Here we are at the end of another busy and beautiful day. We had some rain early this morning but it stopped right when it was time to come down to breakfast at 8:30. Several cabins were again camping out tonight, cooking dinner over an open fire and it’s the perfect night for it. Every […]
Our first full day at camp was pretty darn good. We had a wee bit of rain just during lunch and it was over before the end of sign-ups and allowed a rain free rest hour and afternoon. Having a tin roof on your cabin is different than home where you rarely hear the rain […]
Today was truly a golden day of summer! We have enjoyed cooler temperatures, a lovely breeze today and lots of blue sky and gorgeous sunshine. With Riverside still in camp preparing for their next trip, Mountainside doing sign-up activities today, and Young Leaders back from their rafting trip, our entire camp community was on site […]
It’s been another great day at camp although hotter than usual. We thought we might get some rain or a storm but it passed us by. Even though it was hot, we hit the trails at GV going in all directions by foot, hoof and bike. Campers from all over camp traversed our many trails […]
Opening Day for B Session was the best. Thank you for dropping off many returning campers as well as new campers to Gwynn Valley. We know everyone will have a great time over the next couple of weeks. After the campers greeted their counselors and cabinmates, got unpacked, and were settled in their cabins, we […]
Today happens to be a very special day at Gwynn Valley. It’s the Tajar’s birthday! No one knows for sure how old the Tajar is, but he has been around Gwynn Valley for a long, long time. For those of you who haven’t heard about him yet… The Tajar is part tiger, part jaguar, and […]
We had another great day here in the Valley with beautiful weather, brilliant blue sky, sunshine, and a lovely breeze blowing. Even when it’s hot outside we seem to have a great deal of shade to cancel out the heat. I would say about 90% of our trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding are […]
What a wonderful opening to camp we have had with lots of sunshine, cool weather, fun, and friendships being formed. We are off to a great start! After counselors helped their campers unpack and make their beds yesterday, we all headed to a buffet lunch. We signed up for our morning Discovery activities before cabin […]
When is the last time you put your hands in the dirt to dig a potato, held a baby piglet, or maybe had a baby goat (kid) walk on your back? At camp, these are some of the activities and learning opportunities our campers are able to experience. Our Farm program was started in 1982 […]
Dear Gwynn Valley friends and families, As we near the summer, we are getting very excited to welcome our campers and staff back to camp for Gwynn Valley’s 87th summer. We have been very busy getting ready, hiring staff, planting at the Farm, cleaning trails, and preparing dynamic, fun programs as well as planning our […]
As we approach the summer of 2022, we are really excited about the staff who will be joining us! Working at camp is a fun and rewarding job plus it helps young adults build skills for professional development such as leadership, communication, problem-solving, and teamwork to name a few. Most of our staff are […]
We were watching the weather today here at camp and were fortunate to have a clear morning with no rain until rest hour. Morning programs went on as planned including a hike to The Rock which is always a “high” light. The view was good today as the campers looked out over camp, the valley, […]
We’ve had beautiful and warm weather today with lots of blue skies and sunshine. The lakefront, pool, and hiking to Connestee Falls were popular activities. We have several cabins who are camping out tonight who hopefully have enjoyed a good meal over a campfire and s’mores with their cabinmates. Campouts are good bonding times for […]
We had a great day at camp today and were fortunate to not get rained on during activity times. It was International Day here at good ole GV and we celebrated and learned about Columbia and Jamaica. The whole day was mixed with good food and fun with football this evening and Jamaican and Columbian […]
I hope you’ve all safely arrived either home or to your destination. Opening day was great with cool nice weather and the campers all seem to be happy as clams. Thank you all for the adjusted drop off procedures and your patience as we aim for a safe and healthy session. One grandmother who […]
Greetings from the land of FUN! The Tajar visited us last night and there was evidence of his mischief in Downtown GV this morning. Boats, buckets, bowls, tables, chairs and anything that didn’t grow hair was somehow amiss. If you don’t know who the Tajar is, just ask your child. Each session we celebrate his […]
We just finished our farm campfire (evening program) which was great fun with skits, baby animals, a band, stories, and a little dancing. Our farm staff hosted it and our performing arts sign up activity put on a wonderful short play about vegetables and teaching children how delicious brussel sprouts, broccoli, lettuce, and peas are. […]
Though the threat of thunderstorms loomed over our valley all day, activities went on all day without a hitch across our programs. This morning saw Main Camp going through their A-Day discoveries after breakfast. The waterfront is a particularly popular spot throughout these hot summer days, and hearing the joyful splashing and playing of children […]
We were sad to say good-bye to our C-1 session campers today but are so happy to have our three week campers from C, Mountainside, Riverside, and Young Leaders still at camp! Riverside went to the Tuckasegee today and is heading to the Nantahala tomorrow to take the plunge (let’s hope not literally). The Nanty […]
Happy 4th of July and hope you all have had the enjoyable day we’ve had. Our day started with a bit of history as Paul Revere charged through camp warning us that the British were coming. We actually missed our Brits this year due to Covid restrictions and will welcome them back in ‘22 as […]
Here at Gwynn Valley we are at the end of another busy and beautiful day. Although they were calling for rain, we had lots of sunshine and only a sprinkle of rain around 6:00 which only lasted a few minutes. Several cabins were camping out again tonight and cooking dinner over an open fire. Every […]
Wow and the fun doesn’t stop even in the rain! Yes, it was a very rainy day today but fortunately, we were still able to climb, bike, and play with our raincoats on and soggy feet. The sun came out at dinner so that we could enjoy After Supper Activities and Evening Program. We have […]
What a wonderful opening day with only one small shower early this morning and then lots of sunshine and smiles. It’s nice to see so many familiar faces and returning campers from previous years along with our new campers, many of whom have waited two years for this session. As many of you know, we […]
What a great day here and I can’t believe the week has gone so quickly! Isn’t that how it works. When you’re having fun things tend to speed up and go too fast. The older I get the more time flies. I always convey to our staff to really enjoy the moment because the nine […]
As I woke up early this morning to the sound of rain, I thought about our Mountainsiders all out on adventures and our Riversiders backpacking in Pisgah National Forest. Hopefully their tents and tarps kept them dry as they slept and as they enjoyed breakfast. Fortunately, the rain stopped at 10:00 and the sun peeped […]
The weather has been beautiful this week with crisp, cool mornings, warm afternoons, and lots of blue sky. They are calling for rain this evening and tomorrow but hopefully it will decrease as it moves over the mountains. We finished our day a little while ago with a peaceful time in the dining room where […]
Tuesday, June 15th dawned bright and with a refreshing mountain-crisp edge. Breakfast was burritos with egg, fresh seasonal fruit, and cereal (some tables got lucky with the ever-popular Raisin Bran!). Today, camp saw a very full day of fun and activities! This was a “B” day, meaning Main Campers rotated to another two morning discoveries […]
B Session Opening Day! With one session of Main Camp under our belts we had a great opening day for B Session. Lots of returners as well as many new faces here at Gwynn Valley. Many of you told us that you were ready to come in 2020 and as we all know that one […]
It’s been a full day at camp and unfortunately the last full day of Session A. We just finished our evening campfire program by neighborhood which is always called Friendship Campfire on the last night of camp. It’s been a super session and we celebrated by showing many of the pictures that you all have […]
It was another beautiful day at camp with the perfect mix of clouds and sun. Our day started off with homemade scones, fruit, cereal, eggs, bacon, and yes, chocolate milk by a local dairy, French Broad Creamery. We had a delicious stir fry tonight for dinner with rice, Asian salad, edamame beans and fruit. We […]
Camp empowers young people! It was an early morning for Riverside as they grabbed breakfast at 8:00 and headed out on their climbing adventure. This small group of 11 campers and their four staff, plus the two climbing specialists, will spend the next four days camping off site and climbing. Their first stop was to […]
Dear Parents and Friends, Wow! We have been waiting two long years for today and what a great day it was at GV! Opening day for the summer was beautiful, not too hot with a cool breeze blowing and blue sky. It was so joyful to have so many children and teenagers enjoying being together, […]
We are so excited to greet our first campers on June 5 and have been working hard to get ready for a fun, great summer! In 2020 we built a new, large Mountain Biking Center on Brookside that includes a wonderful spacious pool deck. Both activities will have access to new bathrooms, large covered decks […]
We are excited to open camp this summer and can’t wait to greet you on Opening Day. It’s been over a year since COVID-19 changed and disrupted our world but it is encouraging to see numbers in the US decreasing and vaccinations rolling out. We have heard from a number of our staff who have […]
Greetings from Gwynn Valley, A new year always brings opportunities for growth, change, and hope and we are especially excited about 2021 and this summer! We really missed having our campers at Gwynn Valley last year and can’t wait to welcome you back or for the first time when we open camp on June 5. […]
Welcoming a New Year As we say goodbye to 2020 and welcome 2021, we are all hoping for a healthier and…
Please consider a donation to the Gwynn Valley Campership Foundation. “As I write to you…
We need camp more than ever! As we plan, prepare, work on changes, and dream about Gwynn Valley…
Dear Gwynn Valley Families, We hope all of you are healthy and well as we move through these challenging…
Dear Gwynn Valley Families, We want to thank you for your patience, support, and love over the past several months as we’ve all been trying to imagine how camp might fit in with this pandemic. As we get closer to summer, no words can express the sadness we feel as we announce the closure of […]
Closing our June Sessions As we enter May, no words can express the sadness we feel as we announce the closure of our June sessions (June 6 – 26: Main Camp A+B, Mountainside MS1A+B, Riverside 1, and Young Leaders 1). Knowing how much all of us need camp right now, we explored many options to […]
Dear Gwynn Valley Families, We are thinking about all our camper families and staff who live in so many different places both near and far and the challenges we are all facing as we respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope you are well, focusing on taking good care of yourselves and your community, and […]
Although it is early February, we’ve had some beautiful spring weather here at camp with temperatures in the 60s, blue skies, and daffodil shoots pushing up through the ground with their bulbs waiting to open. All these changes in the natural world are reminders that camp is right around the corner, and we are SOOO […]