If you’ve ever wondered what camp feels like halfway through the summer, there’s one simple answer:
Camp is camping.
The excitement of Opening Day has settled into a familiar rhythm. The bugles ring, the bells sound, campers race to activities, friendships deepen, skills improve, and somehow the days feel both wonderfully full and impossibly fast.
As I write this, we’ve already completed Mother-Daughter Weekend, Mini Camp, and a fantastic First Term, and we’ve just welcomed our Second Term campers through the gates. Family Camp is now just around the corner, and it’s hard to believe how quickly this summer has flown by.
Every session has been filled with laughter, growth, and countless moments that remind us why we love what we do.
Here are just a few highlights from the summer so far.
Bolt Has Been a Hit
Without question, one of our favorite additions this summer has been Bolt, our new Perry Weather station.
Bolt has become a bit of a camp celebrity.
Our staff relies on it constantly to monitor lightning, rainfall, river conditions, and changing weather, helping us make informed decisions throughout each day. Campers have quickly learned what the siren means, and one of my favorite memories happened after a passing thunderstorm. When Bolt announced that we were officially “All Clear,” cheers erupted all across camp. It was completely spontaneous and made all of us smile.
What started as a new safety tool has quickly become part of camp life.
Beating the Heat
We’ve certainly had our share of hot weather this summer, but we’ve been ready for it.
Whenever temperatures climbed, we added Gatorade to lunch, dinner, and Snack, scheduled two Free Swim periods each day, encouraged plenty of fresh fruit and water, and adjusted activities as needed. Counselors moved campers into the shade, shortened strenuous activities, and built in frequent hydration breaks.
Our philosophy has always been simple: safety comes first.
Thanks to thoughtful planning, an incredible staff, and plenty of trips to the river, campers stayed happy, healthy, and cool while continuing to enjoy everything camp has to offer.
Thirty More Minutes of Sleep
One of our biggest initiatives this summer has been a pilot of a slightly revised daily schedule.
After attending a conference this spring, I became intrigued by research showing the benefits of just 30 extra minutes of sleep for campers. We spent months carefully evaluating our schedule before deciding to give it a try.
Reveille now sounds at 8:00 a.m. instead of 7:30.
The best part is that campers haven’t lost activity time, meals, Rest Hour, or Evening Activity. By trimming just a few minutes from several parts of the day, we were able to preserve everything campers love while allowing everyone to start the day a little more rested. The rhythm of camp still feels wonderfully familiar, and we’re hopeful those extra 30 minutes are helping campers wake up refreshed and ready for each day.
We’ll continue gathering feedback from campers, counselors, medical staff, and support staff throughout the summer as we evaluate whether this is a change we’d like to continue in the future.
Twenty-Three Outstanding LITs
Our Leadership in Training program has been especially fun to watch this summer.
With 23 incredible LITs, this is one of our larger groups in recent years, and they have embraced every opportunity that comes their way. From their four-day wilderness backpacking trip to lifeguard training, community service, leadership workshops, and mentoring younger campers, they have approached every challenge with enthusiasm and maturity.
More importantly, they’re simply a wonderful group of young women. They support one another, laugh often, work hard, and truly enjoy being together. Watching them grow into leaders has been one of the highlights of the summer.
Behind the Microphone
One goal I set for myself this year was to keep our Ghany Gatherings podcast going throughout the summer.
I’ll admit there have been days when fitting in a recording felt nearly impossible! But somehow we’ve managed to release about one episode each week, and I’m incredibly proud of that.
This summer we’ve introduced our Head Counselors, taken listeners behind the scenes with our Operations Coordinator, recapped our LIT backpacking trip, and even recorded one of my favorite episodes yet: four Alleghany moms talking about raising Camp Greenbrier boys.
We have plenty more ideas in the works, so stay tuned!
Every summer has its own personality. Some summers are remembered for the weather, others for a particular group of campers or a new tradition. I have a feeling this summer will be remembered for something different: a camp community that has embraced a few thoughtful changes while holding tightly to the traditions and values that have made Alleghany special for more than 100 years.
Camp Is Camping
The biggest update, though, isn’t any one program or new initiative.
It’s watching camp settle into its wonderful summer rhythm.
Campers are making lifelong friends. They’re mastering new skills, overcoming fears, laughing until bedtime, earning activity levels, discovering confidence, and becoming just a little more independent every day.
The sounds of camp have become familiar again. Canoe paddles splash across the river. Songs drift out of the Play Hall. Counselors gather with campers on porches after Evening Activity. Laughter echoes through tent row. The little moments, the ones that become the stories campers tell for years to come, are happening every single day.
In other words…
Camp is camping.
And that’s exactly what we hoped this summer would be.
As always, thank you for allowing us the privilege of sharing this special place with your families. We can’t wait to see what the second half of the summer has in store!
