20 Reasons You Should Work at Camp!

With Summer Camp Registrations launching this last week, there's one other thing on our minds. Staff. We are looking for some crazy (in a good way), ridiculous, fun, Christ-loving staff to love on and hang out with kids this Spring and Summer.

I started working at camp back in 1999. But I knew YEARS before, when I was still a camper, that I wanted to work at camp. I wanted to be a camp counselor. I wanted to be crazy and fun and dress up ridiculously. I had a deep desire to tell every kid at camp that they were special and that God loved them. People always ask me why I work (or keep working) at camp. Not much has changed since I was that young kid. I still find myself being crazy, getting excited to lead campfire songs, and finding costumes for theme meals. More than that - and more than EVER, I want to make sure every person that comes through Evergreen knows that they are loved and that God loves them.

I'm a pretty firm believer in every person spending AT LEAST one summer at camp. It's. Life. Changing. If you don't believe me - ask ANYBODY that has ever worked at camp. Life. Changing. I realize that you may want more tangible reasons why you should give up that "higher paying" job in your hometown. So - I'll give you some reasons right here.

A Few or 20 Reasons you should work at camp:

1. Serious Life Skills. You may not be thinking of building your resume right now but you probably should be. Where else can you put landscaper, dish washer, kitchen help (working with a Red Seal Chef), organizing and leading games, outdoor education instructor, drama leader, primary supervisor of children and youth, out-trip leader,...... Are you seeing it? No two or four month job could potentially give you ALL of these things. If you are willing to take the risk and work at camp - the experience is priceless.
2. Wildlife Awareness Wednesdays. If you have a shirt with an animal on it. You'll get to wear it on Wednesdays at Evergreen. Every. Single. Wednesday. Yippee.
3. Staff friendships. Many of the people you will work with at camp become your best friends. Years later you can meet up with people you worked at camp with and the memories will come flooding back. The shared summer experiences leave an impression in our lives.
4. Camp Traditions. Whether it's getting a craving to play Jug 'n' Jog, watching old clips from Homemade Jam, eating ice cream for breakfast, or finding an octagon to play a pick up game of Willsonball. Those camp classics will follow you forever.
5. It doesn't feel like work. Sure, you'll get tired - but I can't tell you how many times I hear staff say - "I can't believe this is what I get to do for my job." or "We get paid for this?". One of the only jobs where singing, dancing, dressing up, and playing wide games is what you're expected to do.
6. You'll be really clean. I can almost guarantee that there will be shaving cream involved in your time of employment. Whether it's because you were found during Counselor Hunt, you lost at Cleanest Cabin (or maybe you won), or it was part of a wide game...at some point there will be shaving cream, bars of soap, or mud involved which will all mean more showers.
7. Bacon. You'll eat more bacon while at camp than you have in your entire life.
8. You get to be a hero. Your campers will look up to you. They'll want you to do their hair, their make up, they will want to know what music you listen to, and how you got your camp name. And then they will want you to give them a camp name because they love you so much.
9. Bracelets. So many bracelets.
10. You'll have good stories to tell everyone "in the outside world". And I'm going to bet they will start with..."This one time at camp..." and they will be the best memories.
11. Mastering the art of 2 minute showers and getting ready for the day in 5 minutes. When there are 6 showers and 70 females on site (boys never seem to have the same issues, go figure) - everybody figures out how to shower quickly before the hot water runs out. You'd be amazed at how this will revolutionize the rest of your life. Think of ALL of the sleep you gain!
12. The tan. Or should I say tan lines. Bracelet tan lines? Check. Buff tan lines? Check. Sock tan lines? Check. Farmers/Wranglers tan lines? Check.
13. Surviving without your cell phone. I realize that this may sound like a deterrent. Around Evergreen, we fondly refer to our black hole for technology as the "Camp Bubble" - I'd like to think of it as "freedom".
14. You will achieve master level of the Puns. You'll be sooooo punny.
15. The feeling of "Coming Home". When you hit the three kilometers of gravel before our camp sign - there's a distinct feeling of "coming home". Disneyland isn't the happiest place on earth - camp is. (Ranger and Beaver might disagree on this one).
16. Sunsets, sunrises, and the stars. You will be out in the middle of nature. Surrounded by moose, deer, and even the occasional bear. These are amazing moments to stop and really watch a sunrise or sunset. You'll recognize the Milky Way. You'll even know how to recognize when to start hauling your campers away from absent-minded moose.
17. You will know the power of a nap. If you've never known the difference 20 minutes can make in a day...you'll find out quick.
18. You will become a Parenting Guru. If someone ever tells you that you have never had kids and therefore do not know what it's like to parent...You can tell them that you've worked at camp. Maybe you haven't had one, two, or three kids but you've had about 100. One hundred kids that you got to breakfast on time with their hair mostly combed and almost always clean clothes. Hundred of boo-boos kissed better, monsters under the bed chased away, homesickness solved, and major life achievements celebrated (like making it to the top of the climbing wall). These are the training grounds not provided in ANY parenting book.
19. I saved these last two for last because they're the anchors of what we do here. It goes right back to the beginning of why Evergreen exists in the first place. It's the Campers. Everything we do is all about these kids. We exist to see lives transformed by the power of Jesus. We would not be here if it weren't for that.
20. Seeing Lives Transformed by the Power of Jesus. The Campers' lives. The Staff Lives'. All of us. We get the ultimate privilege of sharing the Gospel, being Salt and Light, and seeing the Holy Spirit change hearts. Not only in the kids but in our own lives too. Because when you're part of something as amazing as camp - it is nearly impossible to walk away unchanged.

Are you ready for a life changing summer? Do you know someone that would thrive in camp ministry this summer? Share this blog - send this link to them. Don't let one more summer go by without being part of camp. Here's the link to apply: http://www.camp-evergreen.com/node/47

If you have questions - please contact Courtney at the camp office: 403-638-4230
Peace,
Jogee