Grandma Camp

I did it for the grandkids every year. And every year I felt as if I had to outdo myself

- By PEGGY FREZON, Rexford, New York

On a Monday morning in late August, my daughter and son-in-law dropped off their two girls and their bags. Grace and Lily scrambled on top of me, a tangle of skinny arms, wispy red braids, giggles, hugs and kisses. “Hurray! It’s time for Grandma Camp!” they said.

“It’s going to be great!” I said, pushing aside my tiredness to match their excitement. I'd stayed up late making sure I had all the supplies for today’s projects lined up.

I’m blessed to live close to my grandchildren. My husband, Mike, and I babysit and often take the girls for overnights. And for the past four summers, I had devoted an entire week to something extra special: Grandma Camp. It’s a week full of crafts, stories, snacks and adventures, all wrapped around a fun and educational theme.

“This year, our theme is All God’s Creatures,” I told my granddaughters. I wanted to share my passion for animals and animal welfare, and I hoped Lily and Grace would come away from Grandma Camp full of awe for all creatures, great and small.

I'd been preparing for this week since spring, throwing myself into research and planning, trying to get every detail right. Partway through my prep, Mike walked by the living room, which I'd turned into Grandma Camp headquarters, and did a double take.

“You've got so many craft supplies and books piled up there, I almost didn’t see you,” he said.

“There’s so much I want the girls to learn,” I told him.

“Do you think maybe you're going a bit overboard?” Mike said.

“No, I have to do this,” I said. “They are going to love all these crafts. Plus, I want to come up with a service project for the humane society and teach the girls about wildlife conservation.” I opened a heavy reference book and started jotting interesting facts about wild animals in my notes.