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Session 5 Begins!

By Green River Preserve on August 06, 2017

While there are many camps out there, I truly believe there is nothing quite like Green River Preserve. The welcoming atmosphere is surrounded by all that is good in the world. Love and hope, truth and beauty, reverence and inspiration. We here at GRP are ever thankful for all of the blessings this life has bestowed upon us. Today, many parents dropped off their young ones to this camp for the very first time. I have seen many new campers arrive not completely ready to be away for the first time. This was not the case, this afternoon. First time campers were just as pumped as those who’d been here before. Walking around and exploring just a fragment of this magical kingdom, you see that it’s a pretty sweet setup. The trout in the fly fishing pond are hungry and in mass numbers. Our waterfront has a dock which wraps around the swimming area, as well as providing a tall jumping tower for the courageous campers, willing to brave the heights. A zip line stretches across the far side of the lake, allowing for an exhilarating plunge into the depths. With lifejackets for everyone and a swim test to ensure capability, we make sure all of our campers can experience the waterfront safely. The most common question I was asked today was, “Can we go off the zip line?” Well, the answer to that my young compadres, is a resounding yes!

The joys of GRP don’t end with the waterfront. Mentor Hikes start tomorrow morning, where our campers will venture out into the wilds of the Preserve, with Mentors and Counselors, to learn of the land, the animals and all that exists in this lush wilderness. They’ll learn of respect for the land and all the dwells within. They’ll hear tales of the history of how this land came to be and all that were here before us. While some of the hikes will lead to the tops of mountains, some will take our campers to remote waterfall or sections of the Green River, where they’ll have the chance to take the Polar Bear Challenge and stand under the rushing waters of Uncle’s Creek Falls or Big Laurel Waterfall. They may find crayfish, fishing spiders or perhaps may even be lucky enough to see and salamander’s face. With a little luck and a lot of looking, we just might get a Grand Slam, which happens when a camper(or campers), along with a staff member, spot the four Grand Slaminals—a black bear, a deer, a turkey and a venomous snake. Apparently, we’ve had good luck in the past during this time of year, so here’s to hoping for a Session 5 Grand Slam. Oh, and did I mention we get a huge ice cream party for the entire community in the event of a Grand Slam!? Yeah, that’s right. It’s pretty much the coolest thing ever.

Anyways, the next five days will be jam-packed with adventure, fun and games of all kinds. From what I’ve seen today, our campers are having a blast, already. Can’t wait for tomorrow.

Story & Photos by Brandon S. Marshall

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.