By: Chris “Topher” Aderhold

Today is May 19th, though today might actually be July 22nd.

We. Are. So. Excited. About. Summer. Camp. 2015! (For some reasons putting  period after each word seemed to add emphasis!)

We. Are. So. Excited. For. Summer. Camp. 2015! (For some reason putting periods after each word seemed to add emphasis!) 

I’m posting this writing on Tuesday, May 19th, though because this’ll likely be the last post until fall, it’ll be the top story on the Camp Gray Blog until September.

With that in mind, I’ve prepared this post to be filled with information and shenanigans that are pertinent now, on May 19th, and they will also be pertinent on July 22nd (and August 7th, and June 19th, and every other day between now and September…)

So, regardless of when you’re reading this post, please read on. I’ve said it at least 23 times, but I’ll say it once again: It’s a great joy for me to update the Camp Gray family with the happenings of Camp Gray through the writing of this semi-regular blog. Thanks for reading, and enjoy!

Two weeks after Summer Camp 2014 concluded, planning for Summer Camp 2015 began. That was 259 days ago.

259 days.

259 days of brainstorming, dreaming, planning, promoting, and hiring Summer Camp Staffers – all to ensure that 2015 is better than 2014.

Of course, these days, Camp Gray welcomes more than 3,000 youth for our various retreats between September and May, but we’re certainly ready for warmer weather, and for the return of the Cassidy Games, and for table cheers, and for stuff like this, this, this, thisthis, & this. Oh, and this, this, this, and this. And this. Okay, that’s enough… (How about one more? Okay, this.)

Though the first session of Summer Camp doesn’t begin for a couple of weeks, and our official all-staff training doesn’t kick off for another week, a few members of our top-notch Summer Camp Staff have already begun to arrive at Camp Gray.

Our Wilderness Team headed north this morning for their training trip (please pray for their safety!). Additionally, a gaggle of folks are here getting certified as lifeguards. Later on the in the week our rock wall inspector/trainer will be here to train a few of our crew, and this weekend there’s training on our low ropes course. In other words, we got lots going on! And again, these are all trainings that take place before Staff Training even begins!

Summer Camp 2015 will no doubt be jam packed with laughter, joy, and faith! Praise the Lord for the gift of Camp Gray!

Summer Camp 2015 will no doubt be jam packed with laughter, joy, and faith! Praise the Lord for the gift of Camp Gray!

Why so many trainings? Why so much planning? Why so much effort? Why?

Put simply, because we strive for greatness here at Camp Gray.

You put a great deal of trust in us to care for your child. You trust that we’ll ensure that each and every one of your child’s needs are met every single day that they’re at Camp Gray.

It’s been said that successful people live up to the expectations that they’re given.
 We’re continually raising the bar at Camp Gray. We have high expectations for ourselves, and for the experience your camper will have – you should have high expectations, too.

We strive for greatness at Camp Gray because we were made for greatness.

Keep an eye on Camp’s facebook, instagram, & twitter for copious amounts of updates from training and from Summer Camp (and check out the 12 Days of Musical GRAYtness, which kicks off on May 26th, and even if today is July 31st, you should still check out the 12 Days of Musical GRAYtness by visiting our youtube channel).

Thanks for your abundant support of Camp Gray, and thanks for expecting great things from Camp Gray.

We’ll live up to the expectations.

Peace!