Polar Bears and Banana Slugs and Grand Slaminals, oh my!

If it’s your child’s first time at GRP, don’t be surprised when they come home with a completely different vocabulary. Day-to-day life at camp here is full of all kinds of strange phrases and expressions, all of which point back to the quirkiness that makes GRP such a special and magical place. It’s common to see polar bears daily, even in this climate–any camper who stands under Uncle’s Falls and shouts “Polar bear!” three times is inducted into the Polar Bear Club and recognized at lunch for their fortitude. Campers travel to their hikes in repainted school busses, kept entertained with a variety of silly bus songs about the favorite bright yellow banana slugs, something called a rick-a-bamboo, giants, and a blue jay with a whooping cough. We spend mornings on the lookout for the four grand slaminals (3 of which have been spotted already!), striving for a celebratory ice cream party. These songs and sayings, and the resultant silliness, give departing campers something to hold onto during the winter months and help us all get excited for next summer!

Story by Lillie Wright with photos by Brandon S. Marshall