Day 1

By Green River Preserve on June 12, 2016

Whether you could recite the routine with your eyes closed or you’re brand new to camp (like me!), the first day of camp is exciting for everyone! As my co-counselor and I bid farewell to our campers’ parents, we soon got to see what power a little independence could bring to our cabin of 10-11 year olds. Sure, there was some unadulterated goofiness, but there was also bonding over the finer points and themes of Harry Potter, setting group standards of cleanliness, and accepting each other’s comfort levels with creepy-crawlies gracefully. For obvious reasons, counselors are trained to handle the worst and expect the unexpected, however, at GRP we are privileged to have a truly awesome set of campers. They ask fascinating questions and have brains like sponges. After only ten minutes into our first hike of the week, an entire group of kids could consistently identify four types of plants! As a first-time counselor who’s spent the last week soaking up as much Blue Ridge ecology as possible, I was certainly impressed. Even more impressive, though, was their group dynamic. They are curious, polite, and eager to help each other. We’re settling in, but beyond that, we’re creating a community.

-Lauren Betz

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.