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Work at Camp This Summer!

Each summer, we hire 30 to 40 college-aged or older adults to work on staff during the seven-week Summer Camp Program.  It's a good opportunity for students to further develop their leadership, organizational and communication skills.  Not to mention, it looks great on a resume! Many previous summer staffers have gone on to work with children on a professional or ministerial basis or have focused their education on outdoor recreation.  It's also a great way to test the waters if you interested in working with children in some capacity and haven't picked a major.

 

All we ask, is that each person applying for camp have three loves:

  • Love God and be able to share the love of Christ

  • Love children and youth from all walks of life

  • Love working and playing outside and sharing that passion with children who may never have experienced God's creation

 

If this is you, apply to work at camp in 2012!  We have various positions available (directors, counselors and resource staff).  Simply take a look at the different positions, see which one interests you, print out a staff application, and mail it in to us.  Feel free to call or email us if you have any questions.

 

Counselors

 

Counselors are a vital part of our camping ministry staff.  They have leadership, supervisory, and spiritual responsibilities for campers from the time the campers arrive (Sunday at 4:30pm) until the time they leave for home (Friday at 4:30pm). Counselors must be at least 19 of age, or have completed at least one year of college.   They spend their time and ministry with the campers giving leadership to a wide variety of programs and opportunities chosen by the campers. Responsibilities include leading daily Bible studies provided by the camp and also being involved in cabin life.
 

Work begins every week on Sunday with a staff meeting at 2:00pm and ends Friday at 6:00pm.  First year pay is $165 per regular week with room and board. (Add $10.00 per week for each additional year of service). There are 10 fully paid weeks of summer (two weeks of staff training and eight camper weeks) plus the option of an 11th week (working with our Celebration campers).  There is also the option of raising a flexible amount of up to $100 more per week of one's own Mission support.

 

Inpost Counselors

Each inpost counselor will work with a co-counselor, accompanying a small group of eight to twelve children/youth every week.  (There is also one week, or possibly two, of work with exceptional persons - developmentally delayed adults or youth).  Work will include: leading crafts and games, conducting hikes, nature activities, and organizing bible studies/worship.  These counselors supervise campers 24 hours a day, Sunday through Friday.  During most weeks there are one or two cookouts and one sleep out under a tarp.  Otherwise, these campers eat in the lodge and sleep in cabins.  Older groups may do an additional sleep out.  Counselors accompany/supervise campers as they participate in the wide range of camp activities: swimming, night hikes, singing, archery, canoeing, rappelling, frisbee fun, parachute play, skits, dancing in the street, creek stomping, stream ecology etc. 

 

 

Outpost Counselors

Each outpost counselor will work with a co-counselor - accompanying a small group of eight to twelve children/youth each week.  Living quarters for these campers and staff will vary between the Farm Barn lofts (4th-6th graders), tree houses (6th-10th graders), hammock huts (7th-10th graders) and rustic log cabins (7th-12th graders).  These counselors supervise campers 24 hours a day Sunday through Friday.  Work will include: leading games and hikes, crafts and nature activities, as well as Bible studies/worship.  These campers will cook two meals daily (usually breakfast and lunch) over a campfire and then eat the other meal in the main lodge.  Counselors will rotate from site to site over the summer.   However, we may also hire counselors for specific sites.  Staff must also be flexible and willing to work in Inpost when necessary.  Outpost counselors need to be in good physical condition, as this position requires a lot of walking and hiking.

 

Resource Staff

 

Lifeguards/Counselor Break Friends

These staffers are responsible for supervising all pool, waterhole and lake activities as well as daily cleaning and maintaining the pool area.  Resource staff live at camp in cabins along with the counselors and campers.  To apply for these positions, you must have current Red Cross Lifeguard, First Aid and CPR certifications.  Additional training will be provided on site for pool and waterfront activities.  Aquatic areas must be run in full accordance with ACA standards and these staffers are responsible for record keeping required by ACA.  Lifeguards must be flexible, willing to help with all phases of camp life and be affirming of campers and exert calm, healthy authority at the aquatic areas.  Work will begin Sunday afternoon at 2:00pm and end Friday at 6:00pm.  During off time, they provide breaks for the counselors as needed, are used as runners and help with nighttime activities.  Additionally, this position will require helping set out evening snacks and occasionally cleaning the kitchen areas after snacks.  Base pay is negotiable based on experience and certifications.  Compensation includes room and board for those 19 and older.  An optional additional $100 per week may be raised by the applicant as summer mission support.

 

High Adventure

These staffers help with the climbing, archery, rappelling, tubing, kayaking, and canoeing programs, as well as camp games, worship, meals, and chores.  You must be proficient in water or ropes and have documented time as a participant on river or ropes to qualify.  Attendance at Conference Resource Training or equivalent training is mandatory and you will be expected to follow all ACA standards, as well as maintain a careful inventory of all camp equipment.

 

To become a resource staffer, you must have certain training or certification in one or more of the following OR be willing to receive nationally-recognized training (paid for by the camp).  Please note that priority will be given to individuals with flexibility (both ropes and water or lifeguarding).

  • Ropes - significant experience and training by nationally recognized organizations.  Documentation of significant hours of rope leadership must be in-hand.  You must be 21 or older.  These instructors must follow all ACCT standards and be prepared to do the extensive logging required by the ACA for safety purposes.

  • Water - lifeguard certification is required.  You must be 21 or older.

  • Kayaking - swift water rescue training is required, as well as proof of ACA whitewater kayak instructor status.

  • Tubing - swift water rescue training is required.

  • Archery - by NAA certified.

These staffers additionally help in all areas of camp life (helping with evening programming, lead devotions, help resource cookouts, help with evening snacks, and occasionally with kitchen needs).  Pay is negotiable based on experience and includes room and board.  An optional additional $100 per week may be raised by the applicant as summer mission support.  Driving record must be impeccable and must be approved by our insurance company as an eligible driver.  It is helpful if applicants have a commercial driver's license.

 

Crafts and Archery

This staffer will lead archery sessions with our staff and supervise craft hut activities and will be NAA certified.  Additionally, they will fill in for counselors on break.  Often, counselors will take breaks during archery and craft segments.  This staffer will also help with general chores around camp.  You must be positive, uplifting, and ready and willing to sub in for counselors in the event of sickness or scheduling conflicts.  Base pay is negotiable based on experience and includes room and board.

 

Directors

 

Day Camp Director

Responsible for directing the Day Camp Program including organizing registration, planning curriculum and designing/coordinating schedules with all day camp groups.  He/she will supervise all day camp co-workers.  If living on-site, this individual will also help with Sunday check-in for the main camp and will be part of the leadership team developing all camp evening activities and covering leadership team evening chores.  Work will begin every Sunday with a staff meeting at 2:00pm and ends every Friday at 6:00pm.  First year director pay is negotiable based on experience and includes room and board.  There are 10 fully paid weeks of summer, plus the option of an 11th week of working Celebration Camp.  There is also the option of raising an additional flexible amount of up to $100 more per week of one's mission support.

 

Younger Elementary Program Director

Responsible for directing the Test Your Wings Program every week by planning curriculum, closing activities, and design and coordinate all younger elementary camp schedules.  On weeks where the camp has more then one Test Your Wings camp, they will be responsible for all younger elementary teams.  They will be a counselor-director (directing the program, but also counseling the same age group).  First year director pay is negotiable based on experience and includes room and board while camp is in session.

 

Inpost Director

Responsible for the coordination of residential camping programming, coordination of scheduling, running dining room flow, and nurturing the whole staff.  They are the key leader of Sunday afternoon staff meetings and will co-lead Friday afternoon processing times.  He/she will assist the Camp Director with staff supervision, mid and year end interviews and help coordinate camper registration.  He/she will be particularly responsible for arranging flow and ensuring supervision of evenings at camp, using other resource persons and day camp or support staff as his or her evening programming team.  Particular care must be given by this person to to see that resource staff persons are scheduled in such a way as to undergird the whole camp community, and to insure the coverage of all camp chore areas.  He/she will share camper care responsibilities with the rest of the leadership team, particularly as special needs such as homesickness arise.  He/she will be a key person involved with transportation and support of campers/counselors when they need to go to the doctor. He/she will have a major role in staff training, helping the camp director design the week, leading key units, and insuring that all is taught in accordance with American Camping Association standards. This person will often make trips to town for supplies.  Administratively this person will set up camp for each new week in terms of charting of groups, housing assignments, and managing data forms.  He/she, in consultation with the camp director will help make counselor assignments.  He/she will spear-head the distribution of weekly evaluations.  He/she will nurture the staff, providing guidance and spiritual undergirding, adopting the role of community builder/chaplain to the staff.  This person must be extremely flexible, calm and balanced, willing to serve in any role, as needed.  He/she will design in-service training sessions for the staff and will play a key role in weekly staff meetings.  He/she will see him or herself as a servant/minister to the entire camp community, radiating a center of wholeness and well-being.  He/she will also help resource worship and our Ministers In Residence folk as schedule and gifts allow.  He/she will utilize whatever his or her gifts are to the full program-wise - whether they be in music, or archery, or nature study - programming him or herself as schedules allow.  Work will begin every week on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. and end Friday at 6:00 p.m.  Base pay will be negotiable based on experience and includes room and board. Applicant should be at least 21 and preferably have a Bachelor's degree.  Must have current CPR/First Aid trainings or be able to attend certification week. CPR/First Aid Instructor Training is a plus.  As with all of our summer staff positions, there will be the opportunity to raise an additional flexible amount, in this case, up to $100, of their own support per week in mission funds. 

 

 

Outpost Director

This individual will live up on the mountain in the "Hermitage" or Outpost Director's cabin up on Chestnut Ridge.  He/she will have responsibility for directing the Farm, Tepee, Eagle's Nest, and Tree House units, co-directing outpost counselor training, and nurturing counselors according to ACA standards.  He/she will be a counselor and resource to the Outpost counselors, providing them with love, nurture and guidance, helping to resource groups particularly when group struggles arise.  He/she must be able to drive the four-wheeler and truck up the mountain safely, as she or he is a key supplier of the camps, running water, ice, luggage and pack-outs to them.  He/she will be the primary person responsible for the well-being of the borrowed animals at the farm barn.  He/she will be the key parent contact in times of sickness and homesickness, working together with the Camp Director and health officer in making decisions regarding camper/group well-being.  He/she will plan and run Sunday afternoon and Friday afternoon meetings with the Outpost staff - including the components of processing, nurture, guidance, evaluation and team building.  He/she will give key attention to the Spiritual Nurture of the staff throughout the summer. He/she will spear-head direction, supervision, observation, and evaluation of Outpost staff throughout the summer.  He/she will be the primary person responsible for ensuring that Health Department and ACA standards are maintained at the units throughout the summer.  He/she will see him or herself as a Servant/Minister/Leader of the Outpost Ministry team.  Other duties include Outpost scheduling and programming, organization of camper registration, charting of camper meds, and adventure leadership as skills and timing allow.  Base pay is negotiable based on experience and includes room and board.  Applicants should be 21, preferably with a Bachelor's degree.  An additional flexible amount, up to $100 per week may be raised by the applicant as summer mission support.

 

Health Officer

This individual will live at the main camp and be responsible for the collection, record keeping, and dispensing of medicines to campers, as well as general health care for campers and staff as needs arise.  This includes decision making about care needed when a camper/staff is ill, injured, or homesick.  Occasionally, this position will involve transporting campers or staff to the doctor or hospital and it will often involve sitting with and caring for those who are sick or homesick.  This person will share the role of contacting the parents of injured, sick or homesick campers with the camp director.  This person will be responsible for keeping the infirmary area clean and ready to house any sick camper or staff.  Record keeping duties will include filing health forms, data forms, filing insurance and accident reports. Health officer will also help with general secretarial responsibilities as time allows - facilitating general camp organization, filing, phone work, letter writing, messages, computer work, and communication with counselors/kitchen about campers and their special needs.  This person will be a key provider of love and care to the total camp community.  The job will begin Sunday at 1:30 p.m. and end Friday at 6:00 p.m.  Base pay is negotiable based on experience and certifications, it does include room and board while camp is in session.  An additional flexible amount, up to $100 per week may be raised by the applicant as summer mission support.  This job may be combined with that of an RN who is paid by the hour and visits the site daily for consultation/coordination.  All applicants must have current first aid/CPR certificates or be free to receive these during staff certification week.  We prefer that applicant have advanced medical training (First Responder, EMT, Paramedic, or RN would be best).

 

 

 

 

 

Buffalo Mountain Camp is an outreach of the

Holston Conference Camp and Retreat Ministries and is accredited through the American Camp Association.