Downtime at Camp
Rest, Recharge, Ready to Go
Serving at Camp Echoing Hills is rewarding. Nothing is better than connecting with your campers and helping them accomplish things they never thought possible. Although you come to be of service to others, it is nice to have some time for yourself too. And the good news is, there is time for that!
When campers are on-site, the days are packed full. Individuals are up and out the door by 7:00 a.m. and not going to bed until 9:00 or 9:30 p.m., with a time for rest built into the day too. During the rest break or after campers are in bed for the night, counselors can enjoy time for themselves.
You can find staff enjoying the staff lounge, complete with a TV, comfy chairs, and snacks (thanks to our Director Jimmy and his wife, Maria). You may also witness team members enjoying a hobby or calling their loved ones.
During breaks between camping weeks, staff members can go home or stay on campus. When staying on-site, we take advantage of the activities that we are typically helping others enjoy. You may find us swimming in the pool, taking side-by-side rides, enjoying a bonfire, or brushing up on our archery skills. You know, all so we can impress our campers the following week.
During our downtime, we sometimes leave campus to enjoy outings together. We have kayaked, gone to Amish Country, and taken a day trip to Columbus. No matter what we do, downtime together is a fun bonding experience. It allows us to grow closer, becoming stronger for our next week of camp.
A great thing about downtime is how Jimmy and Maria ensure we all know how appreciated we are. As I mentioned before, they created the staff lounge for us. In addition, they have the staff over to their home for food and fellowship, and help to plan outings for us. Although Maria is not on staff at camp, she is VERY much a part of the team. She does so much more than you could imagine!
Well, it’s almost time for another Camp Echoing Hills summer season to begin! I’ll be signing off to prepare over these next several weeks, and getting lots of rest. I hope you have enjoyed reading more about camp from this counselor’s perspective. And I hope you will join me on this amazing adventure!
