son working at camp

[gwd-scouter 11]

The tradition continues. Younger son just received his employment packet to work at summer camp. He had sent in his application to work as a CIT as he will only be 14. Camp Director called and spoke to him on the phone for a while and told him the date for the staff interviews. Unfortunately, my son told him, he is doing Scouting for Food that day and couldn't make the interviews. Camp Director said that would probably be OK since my son was going to be a CIT and probably only work a couple of weeks (standard for CITs at our camp).

 

Well, imagine his surprise when he opened the packet and saw his contract state that while he will not be paid, he is asked to work the entire summer as a Trading Post Clerk.

 

Oh he called his older brother immediately. Older brother has worked at camp for four years working his way up to Nature Director last year. He will not be at camp this summer since he's working his co-op job for college. Older son told his brother how proud he was of him and how amazing it is to be selected to work the whole summer when he's only 14 - especially since he didn't even go on the interview.

 

Younger son just beemed from older brother's compliment. Bet they're having a good time this weekend together. They are both attending OA Spring Fellowship. Older son is the Lodge VCA, younger son very active with our Chapter and thinking of running for an office next year.

 

I am very proud of my sons.

 

 

[John-in-KC 311]

You and your husband both have right to be proud of them Room, board, and a modicum of independence for the summer. Life is good

 

Mine did his interview for 2d season position last weekend. It's sorta neat when the camp director and the prospective employee hug, and then put their heads together about what will make the program even more fun for the paying guests this year.

 

The staff calls their Camp Director "Mama T."

[TheScout 10]

Probably not as much of a compliment as the fact that they probable do not have enough applicants and are straining the budget so they found someone who will work for free.

[OldGreyEagle 5]

The first summer "away" from home, he will have memories he will take with him always. Don't let nattering nabobs of negativity get you down

[Eamonn 61]

I don't know if it's true in every Council? But "Staff-hood" that is serving on camp staff in our Council means you have joined some sort of elite club.

"The few, the proud, the staffers!"

Looking around at the active Scouter's in the Council, many seem to have served on the camp staff.

Many of my best friends in the Council are the guys I spent the summer with back in the day.

I was pleased when OJ decided to become a club member.

Of course I had the odd moan and groan.

I lost my mowing service!Picking him up and dropping him off was at times a pain. Till he took one of the cars to camp, once he took the car I worried about him driving and showing off!!

I do think that he learned a lot about how to get on with other people while he was working at camp, he seen how different Troops do things and got a better idea of what works and what didn't.

Sadly it seems this year that him and his merry little gang that last year were very much the old guard will not be returning this year. Needless to say they seem to think the camp will fall apart without them being there! But we know that just isn't true.

The camp will reinvent itself and little Lads like your son will step up to the plate and in time become the old guard.

You know from past experiences that when he arrives home he will be very tired, very hungry and the washer will need to go into over-drive.

I have to admit that not having my guy around for the summer was hard on me. I really missed him. But I'm one of those odd balls who hated to see school restart. I enjoyed the time we spent over the summer.

I'm sure in about ten years I'll hear what sort of mischief and what sort of trouble they really got into!!

At the end of the day it does come back to "Roots and Wings"

Summer is the best time to be a boy, I'm really envious!! Wouldn't it be great to be looking forward to a summer at camp with no parents, spending time with your pals doing what we like to do?

I wish him well and hope you don't miss him too much.

Even when you have to mow your own grass!!

Ea.

[gwd-scouter 11]

Wow TheScout, way to throw a wet blanket on a great moment! Sure our Council camp is probably looking at the best fiscal outcome, but I sure wouldn't dimish my son's happiness by something so negative.

 

Yes, I will miss the lad Eamonn, he certainly does a good job cutting the grass. But, if my older son is any guideline, younger son will gain so much from working at camp this summer and hopefully summers to come. He is so excited about it. For all the same reasons - a summer away from home, a summer with the Scouts, a summer at his favorite camp, and of course becoming part of the "camp staff."

 

Our Council Camp dining hall has a display of tooled leathers for each year all around the hall with the names stamped in of all the staff members through the years. Younger son will have his name on this year's leather. THAT is a COOL thing in our Council. I know that because older son pointed out that while his name is stamped on many leathers, last year's leather has his name with a Fleur-de-lis next to it - indicating he was a Director. He is very proud of that.

 

[TheScout 10]

Wasn't trying to rain oun anybody's parade.

 

I spent a few great years working camp staff and was a Nature Director as well. A great experience, I learned a lot and will forever be thankful for the opportunity.

 

But everyone who works at a scout camp quickly sees through the budget problems every year. It was a joke on our staff of what the management would do to save money. We didn't blame them, we all knew the predicament, but it was still funny.

 

I'm sure your son will see soon enough, or at least another camp staff member will let him know why the Camp Director "hired" a 14 year old who probabably couldn't legally work there anyway depending on your state's laws. (It's happened where I used to work and the 14 year olds are technically "campers" when the state health inspection team visits)

 

Regardless I am sure he will have fun and learn a great deal. I'm sure everyone who has worked on staff will agree.

[gwd-scouter 11]

Hey TheScout - no worries - we are fully aware of the frugle nature of our Council. Older son reported after his first year working at camp that he actually made 79 cents an hour. It cost us more in gas money to pick him up on Saturdays and return him on Sundays than he made. Money is not why he worked there and not why he went back for three more years. Younger son knows full well that even if he was paid it would be a pittance. It's not why he feels so thrilled to have been chosen to work there.

 

The experience that older son got and younger son will now have an opportunity for is priceless.

 

 

 

 

[local1400 10]

I view the four years I worked at my councils camp as the best times of my life. Yes, I could have made better money doing something else, but you don't do it for the money. The experience is great! Having your name on the Staff Totem is a source of pride when you read it years later, and see all your friends names too! Ahh, the memories.

[Lisabob 13]

I worked on camp staffs for years in varying capacities, many of them unpaid and most of the rest seriously under-paid. We worked hard but I have extremely fond memories and it was such a learning experience for me. At 14, there are things you can only learn from someone other than your parents (well that was true for me anyway) and camp is a great place to learn those lessons. Hopefully your son will enjoy it too. Congrats to him!

 

[scoutingagain 20]

Wow, work as a CIT for free! What a deal! At our council camp the CITs PAY THE COUNCIL for the priviledge of a week of NYLT and then working at the camp for a minimum of 3 weeks! I might add they usually get more applicants for this program then there is space available.

 

My son is headed for his third summer on camp staff as well. It's been one of the best experiences he's had in scouting.

 

SA

[gwd-scouter 11]

scoutingagain, you're right. I hadn't considered the payment for NYLT he is attending and then, of course, the uniforms we had to buy for him to work at camp. Yep, paying to be a CIT. His first staff weekend is coming up and I think he is more nervous than excited right now.

[gwd-scouter 11]

dropped son off this morning for the first week of summer camp. He said as he got out of the car "see ya, Mom, gotta go check in. I don't even think he heard me say "OK, son, I'll wait for you here."

 

Waited around in the check in building "camp office" talking to other staffers I've known for years, only to look over my should and see that my son has come back to the parking lot, picked up his footlocker, and made is way up the trail to his quarters.

 

Hmmm. Obviously, Mom as transportation to camp was done and no need for him to look back.

 

Hah, cornered him as he made his way to the trading post where he'll be working. Met his boss and gave my son a hug in front of his coworkers as they chanted "oh, give him a kiss Mom, give him a kiss....we let OUR Moms do it."

 

Have a great summer, son!

 

 

[John-in-KC 311]

gwd,

 

Very, very cool. It's a good cutting of an apron string

[ccjj 13]

Well, I leave bright and early tomorrow morning to take my son to work at our councils summer camp. He will be gone until around the 8th of August. Unfortunately, due to my regular job, and being the Summer Camp Administrator for our Cub Scout Camp, I doubt I will be able to visit him. But, he will survive, and hopefully have fun.

 

ccjj