I spend all winter hiring folks to come care for our campers here at Camp Nebagamon, and we market the job in all sorts of ways – an opportunity to spend the summer outside, to make new friends, and to learn job skills and life lessons that will carry forward into the future.
And I tell them a few things about working at camp: yes you’ll have fun, yes you’ll learn so much, but make no mistake: this job is a huge responsibility.
So, if you don’t mind taking a bit of a detour to the usual “what’s going on around camp…” I want to spend some time highlighting this enormous responsibility our staff takes on. You, the dear reader, the loyal parent, send us your favorite thing on Earth. Hundreds of favorite things on Earth arrive in a new and unfamiliar place to spend four or eight weeks with counselors they have maybe never met. For many of our staff members, working at camp and caring for your sons is the biggest responsibility they’ve ever had by a long shot. Our staff shouldered this responsibility with care, compassion, and enthusiasm. Across every corner of camp, staff have ensured your son has been truly cared for, and not simply looked after.
This starts with our cabin staff. Cabin counselors are tireless, waking before the boys and staying up until each cabin is fast asleep. They do all sorts of work to make sure that your sons are cared for, reminding them to brush their teeth, wash their hands and take showers, supporting them through challenges, and celebrating them when they succeed. The cabin staff are as close to parents as our campers have during the summer, and their energetic and heartfelt efforts go a long way towards making the camp experience so meaningful for your campers.
Alongside our cabin staff are our Village Directors, overseeing the camp experience. These fine folks must take a broad view of the many campers in their charge, and do so with an eye for details. With multiple cabin groups to oversee, our Village Directors have a lot on their plates, and still manage to forge deep relationships with all the campers in their village.
Our infirmary staff are also a big part of care, helping campers through physical ailments, bumps and bruises, scratches and scrapes– all the normal physical care that comes along with summer camp. Their attentiveness to campers who need help lifts campers’ spirits in what could really be a trying moment for your son, showing compassion and empathy to alleviate concern. On top of that, they deliver daily medications to dozens of campers, and keep camper care top of mind when it comes to sunscreen, hydration, and hygiene.
Out on trail, your campers are cared for by a team of wilderness trip staff that are working in much higher stakes environments than in camp, and their responsibilities are expansive. They rely on their training and experience to keep your camper safe and healthy in the wilderness. And their vigilance around safety and health opens up the door for truly life-changing experiences in the woods. These staff facilitate trips to some of the most beautiful and precious wilderness areas in the country. Your campers benefit not only from the places they visit, but the guidance and teaching these staff provide.
Our caretaking staff have a big responsibility, and it’s right in the title – they take care of the people just as much as they take care of the grounds and facilities. Their daily work ensures that the environment we operate in is safe, clean, and functioning. Still, their work goes far beyond cleaning our bathrooms daily, managing our trash, and fixing up equipment. Our caretakers have a vision for what camp should look and feel like for your campers. They work with the rest of our staff to execute on that inspiring mission, making camp a welcoming and safe environment for all of your campers.
Our kitchen staff obviously care for your kids – they keep them fed! The kitchen crew is up before anyone else, prepping breakfast, putting out hundreds of meals per day, and taking special care to ensure campers with food allergies and dietary restrictions eat just as well as the rest of camp. A summer camp runs on its stomach, and this camp runs well in part because we are well fed!
The office staff takes on the responsibility of maintaining a tech-free environment and seamlessly smooth camp experience for our campers. Not only do they help with all sorts of administrative tasks that make our program run, they elevate important moments, like helping us celebrate birthdays and serving as camp’s tooth fairy. In all sorts of ways, our camp office also cares for the boys by connecting them with you, their parents – facilitating our mail system and interfacing with parents when you reach out to camp.
Our specialist team works with campers in many activities that require special expertise. Not only do these staff help across camp to ensure the program your campers participate in is top-notch. They step up all over camp to keep programs, activities, and essential functions running smoothly. Beyond that, they take on the responsibility of making some of camp’s marquee events extra special fun, putting on big events like all-camp carnivals and barbecues.
The responsibilities of a camp staffer are vast and various, but they all boil down to one main job: caring for your kids. And they find this job to be exceedingly rewarding! When we surveyed former staff this spring as a part of our strategic planning efforts, one theme rose above the rest: our staff find a sense of purpose and meaning in the work they do. Our staff come to camp for many reasons, and it’s heartwarming to know that the biggest of them all is to care for your sons, mentor the next generation, and model the values that we hold dear here at Camp Nebagamon. It’s a big responsibility, and they’ve knocked it out of the park this season. We are so grateful to have such a thoughtful, responsible, and hardworking staff here at Nebagamon – rest assured that your favorite thing on Earth has been in amazing hands all summer long.
All is well in the Northwoods!