Camp Counselor Appreciation Day!
If you ask campers what they love most about their time at camp, the answer is often surprisingly simple. While they may remember the horseback rides, canoe trips, campfires, and special evening programs, the thing they talk most about is their counselors. Long after the summer
ends, campers remember the counselor who encouraged them to try something new, made them laugh when they were homesick, celebrated their successes, and made them feel like they truly belonged.
Counselors are the heart and backbone of summer camp. They are the ones who uphold the magic that makes camp such a special place. Every Tajar Tale, song sung before a meal, and every meaningful conversation is made possible because counselors pour their energy, creativity, and compassion into every day. They help create an environment where children feel safe enough to grow, confident enough to challenge themselves, and accepted for exactly who they are.
The work they do is anything but easy. Camp counselors work incredibly long hours, often from the moment campers wake up until long after they’ve gone to sleep. They do this for weeks at a time with very little personal time and for pay that could never truly reflect the value of what they give. Yet they continue to show up every day with enthusiasm, patience, and a smile because they too believe in the power of camp and the difference they can make in a child’s life.
For many of our counselors, working at camp also means putting their “regular” lives on hold. They pause college internships, step away from jobs, travel far from home, or spend their summer away from family and friends. Some journey from across the country, while others travel from around the world, all because they believe that creating unforgettable summers for children is worth it. Their different backgrounds, experiences, and cultures make our camp community even richer, reminding our campers that kindness, friendship, and joy are truly universal.
Today, on Camp Counselor Appreciation Day, we want to say what cannot be said often enough: thank you. Thank you for their patience, their laughter, their leadership, their flexibility, and their unwavering commitment to every camper. We thank them for dedicating their time, energy, and heart to making camp such a magical place.
Camp simply would not exist without great counselors. They are the role models, mentors, cheerleaders, and everyday heroes who make each summer unforgettable. We are endlessly grateful for everything they do and incredibly proud to have such an amazing team. Happy Camp Counselor Appreciation Day to the people who make the magic happen every single day.
– Annika Carlson
