Culture of Camp Greenville
All great camps are built on tradition and YMCA Camp Greenville is one of the best. Whether it’s getting an update from Captain Food Waste, singing Ole’ Lady Leary, taking a Fog Jog or becoming a Monk’s Old Timers, everyone can join in on over 100 years of exceptional tradition. Read below to discover what traditions your camper can participate in this summer!
Core Values
At Camp Greenville our core values that we expect campers and staff to uphold at all times are caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility. We also recognize our values in action by giving out our core value pins.
Morning Shine
Monday-Friday mornings we meet at the Opening Campfire for a short talk. This happens just after cabin clean up and before we start our cabin activity rotations.
Monks Old Timer
This is the top honor of Camp Greenville. Those campers who are here for their 5th summer become Monk’s Old Timers (named for legendary Camp Greenville director Monk Mulligan). These campers have a special ceremony, get a Monks old Timer t-shirt and get to light the closing campfire.
Early Morning Activities
Monday-Friday mornings campers can choose different activities to do before breakfast. This includes Polar Bear plunge each morning but then various counselor led energizers throughout the week.
Battle for the Paddle
Each day we announce the winner of the cleanest boys and girls cabin and they get to carry the paddle until another cabin may win it the following day. The cleanest cabin for the week gets an award and to celebrate with “dirt cake” on Friday night.
Pajama Jam
Every Saturday before breakfast the whole camp gathers at the gaga court in their pajamas for one last dance party.
Packout
Each Division has an evening outdoor experience at our packout sites. D3/D4 cook dinner (and smores!) and sleep overnight, D2 cook smores and sleep overnight, and D1 cook smores and go back to their cabin to sleep. D2 adventure also use packout shelters on their adventure trip.
Cabin of Excellence
This award is given to those cabins who do all of the following: keep the cabin clean every day, complete 2-3 hikes, perform a song or skit, do a small service project for Camp and do a random act of kindness.
Double Monks Old Timer
Building on the top honor of Camp Greenville, becoming a Monk’s Old Timer, this is for campers who are here for their 10th summer and is camp most secret club.
Herbie the Heron
This is the award given to campers who do the Polar Bear plunge in Lake Sudie each morning.
Breakfast of Champions
On Wednesdays campers have the chance to begin their morning with watching sunrise at Pretty place, jogging back to camp, tackling the bouldering wall, stretching out with yoga, completing a round of Gaga and ending the morning with a jump in the lake for Polar Bear plunge! The you receive the Breakfast of Champions pin.
Parade Ground
Before meals the camper gather at the flag pole for songs, roll call and flag raising and lowering.
Chapel at Pretty Place
Once a week we have a chapel service at Pretty Place. Chapel is lead by our Executive Director and always a focus on one of the core-values of camp; caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.
Vespers
Each night the cabin group evaluates the day and learns about character development through our camp core values.
Diversity and Inclusion Statement
By prioritizing diversity and inclusion, we seek to ensure that all segments of society have access to the YMCA Camp Greenville and feel welcome and fully engaged.
The camp is made up of people of all ages and from every walk of life working side by side to strengthen communities. Together we work to ensure everyone, regardless of race, gender, income, faith, sexual orientation or cultural background has the opportunity to live life to its fullest.
The camp is a force for building bridges among all people as we share the values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility.
If you’d like to learn more about how Camp Greenville handles various issues our campers face as it relates to Diversity and Inclusion, please reach out.