Holding on to the Days

Today marks our final day of mentor hikes for session 4, with campers heading off this morning onto the Preserve for one last walk in the woods before our GLP days start tomorrow. This final day—though it is not the last of the session—always holds a curious sense of nostalgia and serves as a reminder of the finitude of our time here at camp. “This is the last lunch we’ll have on base camp,” some campers say. Others cling to the mentor hikes, mourning the fact that they will have to wait another year to return to Lower Bald or the River.

But with the closing of these routine days comes the opportunity for extended exploration as campers set out for the final two days of camp. Tomorrow, camp will disperse into a number of groups to complete Group Learning Projects, which include activities like flute-making, Farm Golf, a rock climbing expedition, or a day full of pottery and poetry.

These days, exciting as they are, nevertheless mark the end of the session, and we can’t believe how quickly this two weeks is coming to a close. There are still myriad experiences to be had over the next two days, and we—both camper and staff—find ourselves clinging to these precious moments and embracing the magic with a newfound fervor.

Tonight, we’re looking forward to the Variety Show, where campers will get the chance to show off their talents and skills in front of a welcoming audience. We are excited to see the amazing things our campers can do, and to celebrate all that they are both tonight and over the next few days. Because although we staff members are here all summer, it is the kids who come here that make GRP the fulfilling, enchanting, adventurous, and inspiring place that it is.

Story by Katherine Poore with Photos by Samantha J. Keebler