STAFF SPOTLIGHT: GIFT SHOP DIRECTOR

Gift Shop Coordinator: Debbie Bloomquist

Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.” It might seem odd that this is one of my favorite verses when I live and work at a place that is very seldom still.

Herb and I are in our 33rd year of working at camp! Even as I say that, it’s hard to believe. After high school, I took a summer class to learn how to sew. It was at a company at that time that called Stretch and Sew. I loved it, and actually decided to make Clothing Textiles and Design, my major at Stout in Menominee Wisconsin. I continued working with Stretch and Sew for 12 years including a stint in Covington Kentucky and another teaching sewing on the road!

I did that until the company didn’t make changes to their business plan, and knit fabrics went out of style and wovens became the fabric of choice. Interesting, it’s all back again! Herb and I met growing up at First Free Minneapolis. We were engaged at the end of the summer of 1982, and married in April 1983. We moved to Chicago where Coley was born and in 1986, we decided to leave Chicago without a job to go to! A simple meeting with Dave Auker, the director of Camp Shamineau at the time, resulted in us moving from Chicago to Motley two weeks later!

Herb was hired as the Program Director and I helped in different areas and took care of Coley, eventually specializing in the Gift Shop. Kelsey was born in 1988, and surprisingly Anna in 1999. Growing up in ministry must not have been too bad – Coley and Kelsey are both married and in vocational ministry and Anna is in the midst of college.

After 33 years, like everything else at camp, the gift shop has grown exponentially and we are hoping to hire a gift shop apprentice. If you’re interested, just give me a call and ask for details!

While it may never be “still” at camp, we always get to “know that He is God.”