Grafton Tales

 

 

2000+

I remember I was scared MINDLESS about going to a sleepaway camp, away from home... I cried when mom drove away, and I didn't sleep the first night at all. But then the concept of "wide-games" and "theatre sports" was introduced, and I cried when I left cause I didn't want to leave such an oasis. That was when I was seven, and here I am, 7 years later, training to become a leader along with so many memorable people in my "career" that I'm slowly developing here at Camp Grafton. Grafton is literally a home for me... Biffies, cold showers and hard beds. I love it, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

M.J.

1969
I was a camper with CGIT the summer of 1969. This was the time when Simon & Garfunkle's album with Bridge over troubled waters came out. I think all of us girls thought we had figured out the meaning of live through those songs, and I still to this day go back in my mind to the camp when I hear 'The Boxer' What wonderful memories. ( is the multi-seated outhouse still there ?)
Gillian.
1970s-80s
Hi! I cannot send any pictures of Grafton, because they are all in my heart and my memory (and they didn't have digital cameras wwwwaaay back then :))) What I can share with you is, the love, the warmth, the bonds of friendship that have weathered some 20 odd years, all spent at Grafton.
First when I was a kid, and then when I took my wee ones there. Grafton
was a place where I could go and be myself...plain and simple, and
more importantly I suppose, to be accepted as such. I went through
plenty of teenage growing pains, both mental and physical, but I
always had my friends around me to help me and commiserate. It is
something you sometimes tend to take for granted when you are a
kid/teenager, but looking back now.... well, all I can say is I wish I
had to innocence to put myself out there emotionally as i did, and the
wisdom I now have, to know that it is o.k., and not to become as jaded
as I have in today's modern world.

Camp Grafton was my oasis, away from parents, away from the
concrete city, and in some ways, away from myself...to have
the chance to make mistakes, try my wings, and always learn
from others.
The fresh air, the hot sun, the starry nights, and let's not forget...hauling the 3 ton wooden canoes down the the lake every morning LOL!!! Well, they seemed that heavy!! :)) It was a very special and so important part of my growing up, and one that has woven itself into the fabric of my life, never to be forgotten, nor the people who were such an important part of that time, and are still today.

Jean C.

From Kim, a former leader...Check out her pictures!

Hello Dan! So, Grafton's hit cyber-space I see! Fabulous! I was flung straight into nostalgic mode looking at the pictures and reading the descriptions... okay, I'm inspired- let me know any way I can get involved! At the very least, I'd love to come out and give the kids a one-night star-gazing workshop or have a session talking to the CIT's about creative program planning and brainstorming. And, of course, I'm always up for cabin-painting, trail clearing and all that other fun stuff :) I thought you might enjoy these aerial Grafton shots and maybe find some space on the site for them. My dad got his pilots license around the same time as I got my digital camera, and we've been an unstoppable pair ever since! This was the flight I'd been waiting for: over Grafton on a clear summer day. Actually, I've been dreaming of aerial Grafton shots since that computer assignment in grade 9 when I did a Grafton program (remember that?). Anyways, enjoy!

1990s
I remember when I went to this camp. I think I went for a couple years in a row. I was known to the councillors as the accident-prone one. One year I got bet $10 that I wouldn't hurt myself. All was going well until the last day when I was playing football and broke my finger. I also remember the year the creek flooded the campsite and they had to send everyone home. That year I went out there twice. I was so sad when they didn't open it for a couple of years. My Mom was too, because it was the couple of weeks in the summer she could pawn me off on someone else... I'm just kidding about that, but we were pretty sad. Thank you for letting me share my experiences. I hope everyone loved this camp as much as I did.

K. Jamieson

As a kid I spent many wonderful hours at Camp Grafton. I think that I was 10 years old the first time that my dad dropped off me and my little sister (who got squeezed into the same camp as me even though she was a year younger than the minimum age requirement. She went on to earn the nick name "Mouse") standing tearfully next to a broadly smiling and cheerful cabin leader. I particularly enjoyed the backwards dinner, and doing a skit where I stood behind the same cabin leader. I hid under a shirt and played the "hands" and fed her chocolate pudding in the eye and up the nose. I still clearly remember the shiver of awe that tickled my spine the first time I walked up the little trail to the chapel in the woods.

As I grew older and joined the youth group initiated by the then minister, D--- H---. First the C-------'s, then the B---'s generously donated their time and humor and supported an enthusiastic bunch of us through the challenging experience of transforming ourselves from children to young adults. I enjoyed learning to water ski under water when someone brought out their motor boat, and I particularly remember midnight cabin raids when everyone "thought" we were asleep. I generously ignored the same activity when I went on to become a leader myself.

C. Favell

1980s
Getting married at the camp was really special. We weren't the first, nor the last, but the magic of that place and time still glows in our family. There were lots of quirky, funny things that happened that day, but my favorite memory is of standing in the chapel, with my brother and friends, waiting for the other half of the wedding party. When I saw my wife-to-be coming up the trail, through the trees, with her friends in their fancy dresses, some part of my brain yelled to the rest of me in panic: "OH MY GOD! IT'S A BRIDE!" Luckily the rest of my brain got that part bound, gagged and under control before I could bolt. We had a great time getting married and the minister, Fred, and his wife Alice gave us a beautiful painting of the camp's chapel that now hangs in our living room.

D. L.

1980s

I remember my first time at camp Grafton when we pulled up the camp I wasn't sure I wanted to stay, but when I saw alot of my friends from school there, it was only a few seconds before I jumped right in, I even forgot to say good-bye to my mother. That summer was the best, first time away from home without parents:"GREAT TIME". I returned every year for 5 years, it was a special time to see all the friends year after year, I also went to the guys only camp one year, went on a very exciting and long canoe trip up to the narrows, we didn't loose anyone so it was a success. Still to this day a meet friends I made at camp.
I'm sending my daughter this year and my son soon to follow, only to hope they get all the fun and adventure out of it as I did.

 

J. L.

 

We hope you enjoy the following stories from campers and staff. If you'd like to submit a story about the camp, use the form below.

Contact Dan to add pictures to the Camp Photo Album!

Please read our Privacy and Security policy on the home page before using this form.

Name:
Email Address:
Area code / Phone #
From what era is your story?
Your Story: