Great Opening Day!
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 all walked to the dining room for a great buffet style lunch. After lunch, the campersranked their morning activities they were most interested in. This is important as we try to give campers the opportunity to participate in activities they enjoy doing. Activities for today were pre-assigned to help get children right into the flow. Many more fun activities are scheduled for tomorrow as the fun never stops here at GV. Over the course of 8 days of Discovery classes, they have 4 activities in the morning (2 every other day) and two different activities each afternoon. For those new to GV, morning actvities are for building and learning new skills and afternoons are more for the experience, possibly adding to those skills and trying new things. Some of the activities that Gwynn Valley offers are horseback riding, climbing, biking, pottery, marbling, felting, weaving, knitting, blacksmithing, sports, archery, performing arts, mill, swimming, lakefront fun, camping skills, nature, and the farm. 
In the afternoon, campers went to their designated activities where they made new friends and for those returning campers, possibly reunited with friends from past years. After the afternoon activities and a day full of fun and joy, we all headed back to the dining room where our kitchen staff had prepared us a delicious meal. After dinner, there were after supper activities, and then all campers attended our first evening program for the session.
Mountainside had their closing ceremony tonight and Grant and I went up to the MS shelter to honor their time at GV. Several of those campers have been at camp for as many as 8 years. We gave out blankets for 4 years, plaques for 5 years, and a compass for 8 years. We have a great staff up on Mountainside this summer and have had a wonderful session. Thank you for sharing your Mountainside campers with us for the past 10 days. Riverside spent the day on the lower Green River as they began their paddling adventure and the Young Leaders went to Sliding Rock, the Parkway for sunset, and then to Dolly’s for ice cream. A fun day for everyone.
As morning activities kick off tomorrow, know that your children are learning and living the “GV dream” as one camper said. This is our 87th year of providing a camp experience for children and teenagers. Camp takes children to a new level of community life and new experiences that can’t be repeated in other life situations. Campers have a chance to make choices and become independent in their time with us. Camp creates a sense of confidence and resilience. Camp also offers a sense of belonging to something that is greater than oneself where we still practice the GV values of simplicity, acceptance, a strong connection to the natural world and in a non-competitive setting. We’re looking forward to “B Session” and all its good times.
