Evening Programs

By Green River Preserve on July 06, 2015

The first week of Green River Preserve’s three-week session is has already flown by, but there is still so much more in store for our campers. The past week has been chock-full of engaging and hands-on activities, challenging and rewarding mentor hikes, and so very many delicious meals gathered around the table with close friends. Although these are all integral parts of the GRP experience, this list lacks the gusto of our evening programs. Created with fun in mind, the evening programs usually occur after dinner and provide the campers with something special to look forward to at the end of the day.

On the first Monday, the camp session commenced with its Upper Council Fire ceremony. This is a reverent time for the campers to be introduced to the traditions of the ancestors of the Green River Valley and learn about the importance of the Woodcraft Laws in relation to stewardship of the earth. The campers are led up to the Upper Council Fire fire ring which is surrounded by the Spirit Stones of the campers who have come before them. The campers sit around the fire and watch as the smoke rises from the coals and trails through the trees while Sandy reads the ever-pertinent and symbolic letter of Chief Seattle. Throughout the ceremony, campers sang good old classic songs like “Wagon Wheel” and Mud”.

The Upper Council Fire was just the beginning, and since then campers have gotten to participate in many more exciting evening programs, such as Predator/Prey. This is an educational, yet riveting, game in which the campers divide into teams of insects, frogs, snakes, and hawks. It’s a little like hide-and-seek, except there are much more profound implications of the food web and the effects of DDT on that food web. The campers had a blast and learned so much about Rachael Carson and her work to eradicate DDT from the environment.

Campers also enjoyed Twinner, the hike to view the Long Rock sunset, movie night, and the stomp-and-holler fun of the Shindig. We all have so much in store for them, and this is only the beginning of the second week! Last night, campers enjoyed a great game of Capture the Flag as they played among all of the friends they have gained over the course of the week. As the score is always Fun-to-Fun, it was an epic blast! In the future, campers can look forward to the Variety Show, the Science Fair, Lower Council Fire, and so much more! Fun is always just around the bend!

-Jessica, Spirit Winds 2 Counselor

Green River Preserve
Green River Preserve

Green River Preserve is a non-competitive, coed summer camp connecting children with nature. Located on a 3,400 acre private wildlife preserve in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, this extraordinary natural setting inspires campers to have a greater understanding of themselves, their environment, and their fellow man. Designed for bright, curious, and creative children, our program nurtures character development and fosters skills like perseverance, curiosity, communication, optimism, creativity, and GRIT.