Dear Team,
Today, when our guest registrations passed 500 individuals, I knew that I had to write this letter to our 2014 staff who served last summer at PSR Camp. It's a new record (for May camp pre-registration), and you really deserve all of the credit. You inspired acts of service, made excellent mentors, and the effect you had on the community has had far reaching positive results.
As we've been interviewing new people, almost everyone has told us that they heard about Pine Springs Ranch from someone who worked at camp last year. I know that your positive talk about the staff experience at camp contributed to the higher number of staff applicants. People from different schools, majors, careers, and cities around the country have applied. We've also had a record number of young people (under 16) apply or request an application. These former campers don't want to wait till their 18 to work with their favorite counselors, and I think that speaks volumes about how they feel about you and camp.
When I visit schools, or talk to parents, they ask me some really interesting questions and I have to try to remember all sorts of different fun things we did at camp on the spot. Several children asked (or begged) me to tell them what happens next in our outpost play, another young lady asked me if she could one day be a ballerina in the Sunday night program or if we only let boys do that. I fielded a lot of questions about drama camp, ropes course, basketball camp, and everyone (campers) wants to know who's coming back (staff) from last summer.
Parents have talked to me as well. Sometimes they have concerns, but usually they heap praise on counselors, instructors, and leadership staff who their children talked about for weeks after camp ended. In the age of social media, parents know that their children can (and will) track down their counselors online, and the importance of hiring the right role models has increased more now than ever. I am very proud that so many of our staff have made a commitment to be followers of Christ, and that those commitments continue long after camp is over.
I am glad that 44 of you will be joining us (again!) for our 2015 season at camp. I really believe that you'll continue to be an inspiration to our campers and all of our guests. This summer we'll have about 48 new staff, and they'll be looking to you for guidance, advice, and support. Last summer we intentionally relaxed a few of our policies and treated our staff more like camp professionals, and I really think that you collectively made an effort to put the needs of camp before your own needs.
At our last meeting at Old Spaghetti Factory last year, I wished that we'd all be able to be together again for another summer, and now I want to extend an invitation to everyone who was in that banquet room when we finished camp last year who's not planning to work at camp for our 2015 season. Come visit us on a Saturday at the Ranch this summer (it doesn't hurt to call ahead). We'll provide a meal, and I know they'll be at least 44 of your friends at camp who'll be excited to see you again.
Sincerely,
-Jeremy
Matthew 20:28
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