Keystone Camp: The Girls of Summer

The Girls of Summer

Welcome!
For almost a century, Keystone Camp has been
nurtured by four generations of my family. Founded in
1916 by Fannie Holt and my great, great aunt Florence
Ellis, Keystone is one of the South’s oldest camps.
Keystone occupies a sizable part of my heart. I grew up
here, spending my summers as a camper and counselor.
I now delight in my role as camp director. My home is
located on the property, a short walk to and from the
center of camp. I reside there with my husband, Mark,
and our children, Catherine, Hannah and Sam.
As the steward of this special place and its wonderful
traditions, we take our responsibility seriously. We strive
to help your daughter develop as a total person:
spiritually, physically and emotionally. In this beautiful
mountain setting, Keystone girls learn lifelong skills. They
form lasting friendships and experience the special
feeling of being part of a group. They grow in wisdom
and maturity through a variety of mental and physical
challenges in an environment that is loving, supportive,
safe and loads of fun.
Our love for Keystone is contagious. We hope your
daughter will join us and discover just what it means to
be a part of our very special family.
Looking forward to seeing you this summer,
Page Ives Lemel
The swimming lake in the 1920s
Page
Keystone Camp in the 1930s
One of our original buildings, the Lodge, is still a favorite hangout.

Picture your daughter
as a Keystone Camper
BFFs
I promise not to put a frog in your sleeping bag ever again!
Two counselors, or a counselor
and a counselor-in-training
(CIT), live in each cabin with
your daughter and seven other
campers. Our counselors are
all current college students or
grads, and they’re here to help
your daughter have the best time
ever! Our campus also includes
a large pavilion and a gymnasium
for indoor sports and gatherings.
And our infirmary is staffed by a
Registered Nurse and a Doctor
makes weekly onsite calls (the
hospital is just three miles away).
A typical cabin layout:
bunkroom
pigpen
(campers)
(counselors)
A game of Miss Mary Mac on the top bunk
The absence of age divisions in activities encourages your
daughter to work and play with those older and younger.
We’ve discovered that it’s very rewarding for a busy
teenager to help a younger girl. From our very youngest
campers to our counselor-in-training program, we offer
a continuous camping experience. Many former campers
return to the scene of their happy camping memories and
many send their daughters and granddaughters to Keystone.

A day in the life
Daily Schedule
This is our Monday through Saturday
schedule. Sundays are more relaxed,
with a non-denominational program
followed by “cabin chats,” a big Sunday
dinner and an afternoon of group
games and free swim.
Dive into the afternoon activities!
Ring! The bell wakes us each morning.
After flag raising, breakfast and
cabin clean-up, activities begin!
7:30 am Rising Bell
7:50 am Flag Raising
8:00 am Breakfast
8:30 am Cabin Clean-up
9–12:15 pm Morning Activities (4)
12:15 pm Free Swim
12:45 pm Assembly
1:00 pm Lunch
1:45 pm Rest Hour
2:45 pm Camp Store (snacks)
3–5:25 pm Afternoon Activities (3)
5:30 pm Flag Lowering
6:00 pm Dinner
7:15 pm Games & Entertainment
8:15 pm Milk & Cookies
8:30 pm Taps
9:00 pm Lights Out for Elves
9:30 pm Lights Out for Pixies
10:00 pm Lights Out for Dryads
Our dining hall
Midday
You must be starving! After assembly,
we make a bee line for lunch. Every
week we rearrange the table seating
so you get to know everyone. Meals
are so much more fun this way.
Evenings
Flag lowering
After flag lowering and dinner, we gather in the pavilion.
Your cabin might put on a skit or maybe there will be
a talent show. Sometimes the counselors entertain the
campers, and that’s always the funniest!

Let’s get physical
(and a whole lot more)!
We offer 18 different activities with qualified
instructors for each. You get to choose your
activities according to your interests. While it’s
impossible to take everything in one session, you
can change your schedule to try new activities
each week. We have seven activity periods each
day, each lasting 45 minutes. With such a wide
range of both athletic and “quiet” activities, there’s
always something fun and exciting to do!
Unleash your creativity weaving a basket...
Taking aim in the riflery shed
Taking a slide down Wet Willie!
Arts & Crafts
...or create something on a big loom!
There are so many things to try here. Pottery made from clay that has been thrown
on our potter’s wheel and fired in our kiln may turn into your Mom’s birthday gift.
Perhaps you would like to weave a belt or placemats on one of our looms. Like to
draw? Sketch a scene of Keystone to take home. Your instructors will show you how.

At Keystone, we ride every day!
We have three riding rings, six
miles of trails, a hunt course and
several large pastures. Our stable is
filled with horses especially suited
for riders of all levels. Thanks to
our personalized instruction and
experienced teachers, you’ll learn
quickly. Beginners can look forward
to learning how to post at a trot,
canter and jump, while experienced
riders will learn advanced skills.
Keystone owns most of the horses, so your favorite...
Horseback riding
From pretty braids to hoof care, learn it all!
Horsemanship
...will be here year after year!
This class will teach you all about caring for these wonderful
animals. By the end of the session, you will have learned a
great deal about what it takes to keep a horse healthy and
happy. Taking care of a horse isn’t simple, but it’s so much fun!
You’ll be jumping in no time!

Water sports
Never fear. . . Keystone lifeguards are here!
After demonstrating good swimming
skills during the aquatics challenge,
you can qualify to learn canoeing on
our larger lake. Work hard here and
you’ll have a chance to go on a canoe
trip down a nearby river. As you
progress, we’ll tackle more challenging
rivers. Whitewater, here we come!
Splash down!
Canoe Lake shenanigans
Learn new strokes!
All of our counselors are qualified American Red Cross Instructors. Learn
different strokes, diving, synchronized swimming and, if you’re old enough, take
water safety or lifeguard training. Make a splash with your swim buddy at our
daily “free swim” and slide down “Wet Willie,” our totally awesome water slide.

Hiking &
Campcrafts
Campcrafts classes teach you how
to build a fire, pitch a tent, pack
your gear for an overnight hike
and all the rules necessary to be
a safe, leave-no-trace camper. We
practice outdoor living before
going on day hikes or overnight
camping trips in Pisgah National
Forest. Keystone is located in “The
Land of Waterfalls.” Are you ready
for a hike? Let’s see how many
waterfalls we can find!
There are also several nice
camping sites with shelters right
here at Keystone where you
and your cabin mates can have
a cookout or campout without
leaving the property.
Nature
Leaves, bugs, rocks, and
snakes—that’s nature for you!
In our nature cabin, learn the
names of trees, wildflowers,
insects and native animals. We
also have hiking trails right here
in camp, along with a beautiful
nature trail. Walk through
the camp property and you’ll
be amazed at what you find
(including yummy blackberries).
Our instructors lead the way in safety!
We have an impressive 30-foot
climbing wall and a small bouldering
cave on site. Begin class by learning
safety rules, knots and how to wear
your harness and helmet. With
practice, you become eligible for
climbs in Pisgah National Forest.
Hiking buddies!
Our ducklings love to play in the kiddie pool!
Climbing the face of Looking Glass Rock!

Archery & Riflery
limb on!
Gymnastics
Tumble on the mats. Glide
across the balance beam.
Tackle the uneven parallel
bars. Gymnastics takes
a lot of practice, but it’s
worth it when you get
to perform for everyone.
Drama
Are you a drama queen?
Write a play. Direct a
musical. Be a star. Learn
about make-up. And bring
it all together on stage with
costumes and props!
Dance
Experienced dancers can
stay in shape and beginners
can discover this wonderful
art form. Together we’ll
steal a little from ballet and
a little from jazz to create
our own unique routine!
Tennis & Badminton
Our five quick-draining tennis courts are in almost constant use. We stress tennis
because it’s so fun to play when you are home in the winter. Be sure to pack your
racquet! Our regulation badminton courts give you the chance to hit the birdie.
In these two activities, safety always comes first. After learning the rules
and receiving expert instruction on handling, it’s time for target practice.
Golf
Your instructor will teach you all the tricks!
Learn the proper clubs and how to use
them on our small, but beautiful, course.

Special Events
We do lots of other fun things at Keystone. Every Sunday
night we gather at our campfire circle behind the lake
for songs and awards. We also have a dance night with
a nearby boys’ camp. On July 4th, we celebrate with
sparklers, a picnic, and watermelon! On Keystone’s
Birthday, we celebrate with ice cream, cake, and games.
If you have your birthday at Keystone, you’ll get a cake!
Sloppy joe jealousy.... mmmmm!
In a special trip off camp grounds, you
will take a tubing trip down the beautiful
French Broad River where you can relax
and let the river carry you along.
Your Keystone
Camp Application
is included,
along with some
other important
information.
On the last evening of camp we hold a special banquet. When you arrive for dinner,
the Aides will have transformed the dining hall into another world. Afterwards, we
head up to our campfire ring for our final awards. Then we have a beautiful ceremony
where we float candles on the swim lake and say goodbye until next summer!
Our aim is to get
you really
excited about
Keystone!

Keystone Camp
101 Keystone Camp Rd.
P. O. Box 829
Brevard, NC 28712
(828) 884-9125
keystonecamp.com
Page Ives Lemel,
Director & Owner