Family. Relationship. Memories. adulthood, and that’s what they’re wanting to create for their grands – that’s where the camp comes from. “The actual name is a combination of our grandparent nicknames—‘G’ is Cindy, and ‘Pappy’ is what our grandchildren call Tom,” said Cindy. Prepping for G-Pappy Camp is done with lots of thought, care, and experience from the years of raising their boys. “All four of our boys are Eagle Scouts and attended Scout Camp each year, so we kind of modeled the packing list after that. We pretty much do laundry every day during camp week, so we just need a few outfits – the less G and Pappy have to keep up with the better,” said Cindy. “We also bought plastic totes for each of the kids so that they keep all of their stuff in their bedroom. It is their responsibility to keep up with their belongings, and actually, they do a pretty good job.” The menu is a blend of foods they know their grands will eat, as well as some new foods for them to try. “One night last year it was really hot and they were not in the mood for a large meal, so they came up with the idea of a charcuterie night. They decided what to serve and put it on the trays themselves,” said Cindy. “All of them requested we do that again this year because they enjoy preparing it.” The Butterbaughs plan a variety of experiences for the children, as they try to balance fun and education. “Last year we did Discovery Park, Magician Show at the McCracken County Public Library, a movie at the theatre, “They share our same values and behavior expectations. However, if we are being honest, they definitely consume more sugar than normal that week, stay up a little later, and we might forget to brush teeth every now and then,” said Cindy. Though they are always open to listen to concerns their children may have about the rules and activities for the grandchildren, there have not been any at this point. “The rules are the same as the ones our sons were raised under, and they align with the rules they have in their own homes,” said Tom. To make things even better, and allowing the grandkids to have some say, G-Pappy Camp rules were actually the grandkids’ idea. They had a meeting and decided what rules would be on the list, too. “This year, they have requested a whiteboard, and they are going to have more of a roundtable discussion about the rules. We sit in on the meeting to make sure no one takes complete control, but it is their cousin meeting,” said Cindy. “It is amazing to sit and watch them negotiate and make rules that make sense. We feel this is a great life lesson.” So, how did “G-Pappy Camp” get its name? Well, summer camp is always a memory that stays with a child through 26 JULY 2025 | INTHEVUE.COM
