Camp Green Lane Blog Post July 5th
Every once in a while we, have a guest blog post and tonight, we are posting an essay from Lauryn Weinshank, who has been part of the Camp Green Lane family since 2017 when her son attended Rookie Day and as they say, “the rest is history.” That is her son Justin in the picture you just clicked on!
A Parent’s Perspective: The Magic of Sleepaway Camp – Lauryn Weinshank
I didn’t go to sleepaway camp. Neither did my husband. It just wasn’t “a thing” in the places where we grew up.
But then came my freshman year at Syracuse. I remember watching classmates run through the dorms, hugging their “best friends from camp,” glowing with excitement. That’s when I made a quiet promise to myself: When I have kids, they’re going to camp.
And so, we found Camp Green Lane.
Green Lane is magic. That’s truly the only way I can describe it. There’s something about walking through those arches—something that takes over and fills the air with connection, joy, and belonging. The alumni return rate is incredibly high, which is rare these days. As a non-alumni family, I’ll admit—I worried we might not “fit in.” But from the moment we said “yes” to CGL, we were welcomed with open arms, like we’d always been part of the legacy.
My son is spending his final summer as a camper—seven summers (it should’ve been eight, thanks COVID) of growing up in the same bunk with the same amazing boys. This past winter, a few of them got together, and my husband gave them a ride. When he got home, he said, “They were giggling and laughing like I haven’t heard in months—it was like bromance on speed.” That’s what camp does. It creates lifelong bonds—brothers, not just bunkmates.
My daughter is now in her fourth summer. I wish I could bottle the way she lights up when she talks to her camp friends—eyes sparkling, smile stretching from ear to ear. It’s a kind of pure joy that can’t be manufactured. You don’t just hear it—you feel it.
And the friendships aren’t just for the kids. Through “living 10 for 2,” I’ve made some of my closest friends. The parents of my kids’ bunkmates are now some of my favorite people. I even reconnected with my sorority sister from Syracuse—our daughters are now bunkmates and besties. Full circle moments like that are the magic you never see coming.
The staff? They become family too. The Upper Staff love your children as if they’ve known them forever. Through daily photos, you watch counselors grow from spirited campers to leaders. I’ve celebrated college decisions for staff I met once—on Visiting Day—for all of an hour. And when we vacationed in London, we reunited with my son’s first-year counselor—five years later—and it was like no time had passed.
As summer kicks off, you’ll quickly learn all the CGL lingo—and if you don’t know something, just ask. Soon enough, you’ll be fluent in Bunko, “All God’s Children,” and what three Booms mean. You’ll wait anxiously for Color War to break like you’re right there with them. You’ll refresh Facebook for the daily blog, craving that glimpse into camp life. And somehow, through the screen, through the words—you’ll feel it. The laughter. The joy. The unmistakable camp smile.
As Summer 2025 begins, take a deep breath. Your child is about to have the time of their life. Every summer somehow tops the one before it. Sending our kids to sleepaway camp has been one of the best parenting decisions we’ve made. The growth, the confidence, the independence, the connection—it all happens between those arches. And nearly seven weeks without electronics? That’s just the cherry on top.
The countdown is over… Bleed Green and White!