More Than a Job: Camp Staff Share Their Staff Training Stories

Elexis

“My name is Elexis, and this is my first year at Caroline Furnace. I will be working as the Agricultural and Environmental Science intern. At first, I was nervous about this summer since I didn’t know anyone, but as soon as I arrived, everyone was so welcoming that it immediately made me feel at home. We worked so well as a team once we had built relationships with each other, and it made training go so smoothly that it felt like we were just having fun at times. The atmosphere of the people and the nature around us has really helped me feel closer to God. My programs here will hopefully help campers feel the same way. Campers will be able to learn about stewardship and forestry practices through a walk along the property. In addition to this, they will be able to learn more about what lives around them in creek exploration and gardening activities. Stewardship and respect for the land here is such an important part of Caroline Furnace’s values, and I’m honored to be aiding with that. 

I also began lifeguard training a week after moving in at Caroline Furnace. Before this, I had to complete a class on life guarding, first aid and CPR. The physical training would begin immediately after breakfast, and we would go until dinner. This made it physically demanding, and even at times, mentally challenging. It is one thing to learn all the skills in theory but physically reenacting them was a whole new thing. We spent hours in the water running drills and rescues so we would be prepared for anything that could occur. I’m so thankful for our instructor and my coworkers that I completed the training with, as they encouraged me to feel more confident in my abilities. Despite how difficult the training was, I still knew how important it is. These valuable life skills, as well as certifications, will be able to follow me where I go in life. The experience has helped me step outside of my comfort zone more and to stop doubting myself before I even try something new. Overall, it’s made me feel prepared to lifeguard for Caroline Furnace’s campers this summer and it’s made me excited for the amazing summer at camp I will have!  

Josh

“Staff training was definitely very hectic. We were all very much learning by doing and a lot of our time away from campers was spent training. I came to Caroline Furnace to be closer to the wisdom of nature and learn from it, but I found that over these last two weeks despite being so close to the trees and water, I was always running around or walking to the next activity without time to sit down and actually watch all the nature around me. So instead over these two weeks as I’ve been running around, it’s actually been all the tiny bugs and gnats that seem to never leave us alone that I have been watching. It’s kind of crazy how they have absolutely no fear for humans the way a rabbit or fish would run away when they see you or never come up to you. Because of this, I’ve really been spending time with the bugs and getting close to them and watching them all. I think it’s really magical how they all are little self-sustaining machines that power and move themselves.”  

Luke

“This is my first year at Caroline Furnace. I am a Senior at Roanoke College majoring in Business Administration and Communications. I have the privilege of being a Cabin Leader as well as a Marketing Intern. My favorite memory from training was when I was building a bridge with Emileigh, Finley, and Ruthie. We were tasked with moving a bridge from downstream back up to where it was meant to be. We listened to country music, joked around, and had a lot of fun just building a bridge. My favorite skill that I have learned so far is how to cut down a tree and use the logs to build a path. I learned some new things about myself such as I need to remember to focus on myself. I also found out that while I should take time for myself, even just chilling with my other counselors and listening to music/chatting really helps me recenter myself. Building bonds with others helps me be my best self. I see God in the bonds I have made especially when I laugh until my ribs hurt. I see him during outings to Walmart and when we are out to dinner with the rest of the staff. I love spending time away from camp with others because of the vibes. We just love and care for each other and you can tell we have a special bond. Bonding with my counselors will help me leave my shell when I am with children. It will help me be comfortable at camp, especially since this is my first time in a camp environment. This is a stressful work environment. You are literally living at your job, and you have little time away from your job. So, learning coping skills for this environment will help me learn how to maintain a healthy work/life balance in a corporate setting. Camp really makes you feel all the emotions. I have had extreme roller coaster emotions. But having my friends has made this experience easier and has made me less stressed. We are just taking it one day at a time and seeing what we have to deal with that day.” 

Ruthie

“I have been with Caroline Furnace for 5 years now, doing a wide range of job positions, but this year I am the Adventure Coordinator, which is a role I have worked towards for a while. My favorite memory from the week of staff training was celebrating my birthday with the staff! I also enjoyed the late campfires before all the kids arrived where we just had the opportunity to be silly singing karaoke or laying under the stars. We all became close pretty early on thanks to the wonderfully infectious silliness. When we were all being silly with one another, it helped break down the walls faster and really allowed us to bond oddly enough. This also presented the opportunity for me to see God through my fellow counselors, who now feel like close friends, because we are all eager to help one another learn through the challenges of learning new things. I feel like my confidence in my abilities within my leadership role has grown as they all grew alongside me in training and started feeling more comfortable putting their trust in me. Their faith in me gives me faith in myself. This feeling of growing confidence and believing in myself not only makes me feel prepared for summer camp but also will help me throughout any role or task that I may be presented with. Although it’s a big responsibility, and I’m a little nervous, I’m mainly very excited. I’m mostly excited to share my passion for camp and my energy with everyone on site from kids to staff in a new way.”  

Aaron

“I have been a camper myself at Caroline Furnace for 9 years, but this year is my first time as a cabin leader. My favorite skill I learned throughout staff training was lifeguarding. It’s an extremely useful skillset to know, and there’s a lot more knowledge and learning that goes into it. I’m happy to be done with lifeguard training because although I feel prepared and useful for if an emergency occurs, it was very nerve-racking and strenuous. With that being said, I am glad to have had the opportunity to complete it through Caroline Furnace, because with the costly factor of the training, I probably wouldn’t have done it at any other time in my life. This experience has helped me learn to better connect with new people and become less introverted. I saw God throughout the couple weeks of training within in my fellow staff members when we had outings off-site and could just hang out with each other more without the stress of training or responsibilities for a couple hours. I also got to be around a lot of nature during training which always makes me feel connected to God.”