WHAT'S IT LIKE TO BE ON SUMMER STAFF?

This is a photo of last year's staff, we take one of these every year.  It helps document our history and it's fun to look back after a few years.  The amount of people in these photos has been growing steadily in the last many years.  It's been necessary as our camper numbers have grown. Good stuff.

So what is it like to be on staff?  Let's start with a first timer... You show up in the afternoon, greeted by program staff (summer leaders) and you kinda dive right in.  You get your summer t shirt, finish up a couple paperwork items if needed and are guided to your housing.  Then it's a bit of hangout and get to know you time, generally head to the low ropes course (or Lopes) for some team building, and away we go.  Training is a week long full with a bunch of workshops and fun activities.  

There are a couple main goals we want to accomplish... One is to give staff all the tools to be successful.  Basically how to be a counselor and also department specific knowledge and skills if they are support staff (such as adventures, ranch, waterfront...).  Another part is to build strong relationships, so by the beginning of summer it feels like family and they learn to trust each other.  It is pretty crazy how fast that happens, partly because of the acceleration of time. We pack so much in that it seems like much more than a week.  Another part of training is to make sure everyone knows where to be, where things are, what to do, all that kind of thing.

For the returning staff... This is fun to watch.  When they pull in and see others from last summer, it's like a family reunion, only better.  When you serve side by side for a whole summer, the bond gets pretty strong.  Most will end up gaining at least a couple of close friends for life.  No kidding.  I have experienced this very thing.  So they catch up a bit, move in and start getting to know new people, and naturally turn into leaders.  

Some fun highlights we have done in the past... One is what we call "Chosen".  It's our version of Shark Tank.  Every summer staff is part of a family, where there are kids from each department, some returners and some new just to mix them up and get to know each other better.  Anyway, each family presents an idea that would make camp run more efficiently, be more fun or whatever.  They come up with some great ideas and it gives them some ownership and a different view of how things are done around camp.  Often we do a gong show which is a bunch of creative and fun skits, makes some great memories.  High Ropes Course, beach parties and all those type of things are also fun.

So what's it like to be on staff?  Training is a bit of a fire hose of information and fun, but a good fire hose.  Then summer is a lot of work, many long hours not a lot of time off.  At the end of each week we have a staff meeting to share about how the week went.  That's when we hear about the many great things God has done.  How a kid got sick and on the way to the nurses center, accepts Christ... or how a returning kid that found Jesus a year ago has since told their family about Him and they have been saved.  Obviously that's why we're here, and sharing those stories form the week keep everyone energized and encouraged.  

For this summer, we have quite a few staff hired and are still looking for more.  Some specific areas of need are lifeguards and college aged wranglers.  If you or someone you know should be at camp this summer, spread the word!  Otherwise, come to camp and enjoy the awesome staff!