GROUP COUNSELORS

"I just loved my campers and am so happy for the time I got to spend with them…all the great little moments added up to a wonderful summer. I hope to work (at Roughing It) again in 2003…the past two summers have been amazing and I love (camp) so much..."

- Carla, Group Counselor (2nd year staff member)

"Being with kids all day can be tiring, but it is always a lot of fun! You can be feeling tired one minute, and then a camper will say or do something and your whole perspective will change for the better...Summer 2002 was by far one of the most amazing, insightful, rewarding, and fun summers I have ever had, all due to working at Roughing It."

- Katie, Group Counselor (1st year staff member)

"Kids have amazing imaginations, and they know a lot more about life than we think."

- Ryan, Group Counselor (3rd year staff member, long time Roughing It Camper, CILT, and Junior Counselor)

"Helping campers to conquer new challenges, and watching the uncertainty in their eyes be replaced by the confident and courageous look that only comes when you have reached deep down inside of yourself, and conquer your fears…Seeing this happen to a member of your group is something I hope every counselor is able to experience…this is really what our job is all about!"

- Ashley, Group Counselor (1st year staff member)

"I think that it's much more important to act as a positive role model than to act 'cool.'"

- Molly, Group Counselor (1st year staff member)

"…on the last day of camp (a camper) told me `I don't have friends at school, but now I do…" (and when) his mother came to camp to hug me and thank me…she said I was the reason (her son) was always smiling now - that's when I knew I had made a difference."

- Eric, Group Counselor (2nd year staff member)

"I loved the times when campers would share something from their "outside" life with me. It showed that they valued me as more than a counselor - as a friend."

- Andrew, Group Counselor (1st year staff member)

"Working at Roughing It, I learned that kids, no matter what they do, aim to please."

- Darryl, Group Counselor (1st year staff member)

RESERVOIR STAFF

"Few would disagree that the Roughing It Overnights generate some of the most eloquent bonding moments among campers and staff…Although they may have been the most challenging two or three hours I have ever worked, they were by far, the most rewarding and inspiring…there are times when the campers' attention is hard to grab, but they really are listening to what we say…(it is) moments (like these) that have reminded me…no matter how caught up we get in the supervision and safety of campers, we are the ones who help provide them with everyday and lifelong knowledge."

- Aaron (1st year staff member, former Roughing It camper)

WATERFRONT STAFF

"I learned a lot about working as part of a team, and how to appreciate all the different things in each camper that makes each child special."

- Ashley, Rowing Counselor (1st year staff member)

"Despite the fact that it can be challenging at times, working with kids is always rewarding in the end."

- Michael, Canoeing Counselor (1st year staff member, former Roughing It camper and Junior Counselor)

"Thank you all, so much, for an awesome summer! I still haven't run out of camp stories to tell…"

- "Kayaking Kristen", Kayaking Counselor (1st year staff member, former Roughing It camper and CILT)

"I discovered new ways to communicate with children, how to fix a fishing pole, and a lot about how to not only communicate with children, but to also read them and deal with their various moods."

- Neil, Fishing Counselor (1st year staff member)

SWIM STAFF

"My last nine years at Roughing It have been very rewarding. Moving from being a camper to a CILT to a Junior Counselor to a staff member, I've learned that kids are probably the best possible group of people to work with. This camp has been a significant part of my life."

- Leslie, Assistant Swim Director (2nd year staff member, long time Roughing It camper, CILT, and Junior Counselor)

HORSE STAFF

"I loved the bus rides, the giggles, the raking out stalls, and the teaching. Roughing It has truly given me the ability to believe in myself as a teacher and an individual."

- Erika, Horse Day Camp Counselor (1st year staff member)

"My most memorable moment at camp was seeing a camper lope for the very first time on the trail, and knowing she had learned to ride correctly because I taught her!"

- Kim, Ranch Day Camp Counselor (1st year staff member)

"I want to thank you…for treating all of your employees like family."

- Sarah, Horse Day Camp Counselor (1st year staff member)

"Camp this summer was great because I was teaching children who wanted to learn and watching them succeed beyond my expectations."

- 1st year Riding Counselor

"Working at Roughing It helped me realize that when the going gets tough the tough REALLY get going."

- Shivani, Assistant Riding Director (1st year staff member)

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

"The summer of 2002 was full of many fond memories for me. I will remember many campers for many reasons, but what I will remember most is the sound of laughter and the sight of smiles that I saw every day this summer. I'd like to thank all of the counselors who, through their kindness, caring, and friendship, made Roughing It a fun place for (all of us) to come to. I'd also like to thank the campers for their enthusiasm, which made working this summer less of a job and more of a treat. Thank you all for the fond memories."

- Eric, Unit Leader (3rd year staff member)

"There was always something in my day to make me smile. The B2s' jokes, the B1s' huddle, the Little Raccoons' cheers, hugs from the G1/2s, G2 saying hi when I pass; I just loved to see kids having fun in a healthy way."

- Wendy, Unit Leader (2nd year staff member)