Dear Co-Counselors,

First of all, WE MADE IT!! I will admit that it was six very long weeks out of the summer, and there were some days it was questionable if we were going to make it, but never fear, we did! I was a newbie camp counselor this summer and I am so thankful that you guys welcomed me with open arms. I also have to add that camp is my first “real job.” I work on my college campus but it doesn’t compare. This is the first time I have worked Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm, consistently. Having to account for traffic in my daily commute and remembering to pack a lunch became routine. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of my co-counselors and staff who have contributed to making my camp season great!

Let me preface this by saying being a camp counselor is by no means easy. Only the staff and your C.O’s truly know what it is like. It is a lot of work and a job that in my opinion, is truly undervalued. Moms and dads trust us with their children and that in itself is a huge responsibility. It’s a responsibility that is almost overwhelming. I have no idea what it’s like to be a mother, but I can’t imagine the anxiety that comes with dropping a child off to camp. I have a fear of losing a child so I am “head count crazy.” Constantly counting all my campers and making sure I have all of them. Thank you to my co-counselors for helping me provide a safe environment for these kids and striving to make it the best summer possible!

Shout out to you guys for keeping me sane this summer! Honestly, I don’t know if I would have made it without any of you! Working with children every day for six weeks straight is no simple task. Let’s also add heat, bugs and rain. We had many days this summer that were over 90 degrees. You have no idea how much I appreciated walking past any of you during the day and the sympathetic smile you would wear meant the world! Knowing I had amazing people like you to work with made this task much more manageable. I loved how we could laugh for hours at the end of the day and debrief. Some of the situations we dealt with as camp counselors are some of the most bizarre things I have ever experienced. There were days we asked ourselves “is this real life? Crying at work is not usually condoned but as a camp counselor, it is part of the job description. Thank you to all of you for being a shoulder to cry on, as the tears of frustration flowed.

I also want to thank you for bringing your best every day. We had six weeks to make a difference in hundreds of kids’ lives, and the impact we made will last forever. Thank you for giving up your summer to work with kids and help make their summer and life better. Having people like all of you in the world truly is a blessing. Even on days where it felt like we were barely keeping our heads above water, remember we were impacting young lives.

So thank you. Thank you for helping to keep my head on straight. And covering my campers when I just needed five minutes to breathe. Thanks for your unending support all summer long in the intense heat and trying times. Children are not easy to work with, but having a staff like all of you, makes life a whole lot easier! So thank you for all of the laughs, the complaining, the tears and the memories. It’s been a summer to remember and I love you all.

Sincerely,

A Grateful Camp Counselor