Abby Ferris leads a small group activity during her summer working at Storm Mountain Center.

Abby Ferris wasn't planning to work at camp. But when her graduate school plans fell through after she finished her degree at Dakota Wesleyan University, she found herself asking, "What's my next step?" The answer would come after a call from Tanner Clark, the site director at Storm Mountain, who suggested that spending the summer at camp might be that next step.

"I said, 'Okay!'" recalled Abby. "I moved to camp and was there from May until August. It was just kind of puzzle pieces falling into place." The experience has fueled her encouragement of others to explore being on summer staff at one of our Dakotas camps. "Who knows? It might be your puzzle piece that falls into place," said Ferris.

Dakotas Camping is recruiting for summer staff at its three locations: Lake Poinsett Camp near Arlington, S.D., Storm Mountain Center in the Black Hills of S.D., and Wesley Acres Camp just north of Valley City, N.D. There are job openings for counselors, assistant cooks, kitchen staff, maintenance staff, and hospitality staff. Learn more and apply.

"Being a part of a summer camp staff can be life-changing," said Keith Shew, director of camp and retreat ministries for the Dakotas-Minnesota Area. Summer staff can make a huge difference in the lives of campers, influencing them in meaningful ways. They serve as role models, providing guidance, encouragement, and support to help campers grow in their faith, develop character, and acquire important life skills.

Summer camp staff also grow personally through trying new things, meeting new people, and experiencing a new environment. They gain leadership, communication, problem-solving, and public speaking experience. They also grow in their faith by being immersed in Christian community and having opportunities to participate in and lead Bible study, prayer, and worship. 

For Ferris, seeing how different age groups experienced camp was particularly memorable.

"I worked with a high school group, and there were a couple of kids who we could see were the type of kids that would be camp counselors one day, and we got to send them postcards after camp to keep encouraging them," shared Ferris.  "Then there were some middle school kids who just were so 'middle schooly'— just cranky that they were at camp. But then, at the end, they were involved, locked-in, and connected."

Summer camp staff are an integral part of the faith growth experience of summer camp.

"Then, working with the little ones and seeing them get so excited about singing Jesus songs—just instilling that in them so young," Ferris reflected. "You know, Jesus says, 'Let the children come to me,' and I've never worked with a group that young before, and it was so cool to just watch them learn about how much God loves them. I love that stuff."

Her time working at camp also impacted Abby's faith life.

"I was focusing on other people's faith, making sure that they knew God loved them. But in turn, those lessons were instilled in me," said Ferris. "By the end of the summer, I felt so empowered and lifted up by my faith because I had spent all summer teaching it. How could I not believe it?"

During that summer, Abby had the opportunity to create mental health first aid training for other staff and volunteers, something that aligned with her education, calling, and future career goals. The experience also helped her hone her leadership skills as she navigated the joys and challenges of leading her peers.

For Rev. Seth LaBounty, the two summers he spent working at Wesley Acres Camp were also an opportunity to grow as a leader and explore his calling and gifting.

"Over the course of working there, I just came to fall in love with what the camping ministry offers, like being able to provide that hospitality to each of the guests and the groups we would host," said LaBounty.  "It also gave me opportunities to explore some of my own gifting and calling and kind of stretch some muscles that I hadn't really used much yet as a ministry leader."

Shew himself spent four summers as a camp staffer and, like LaBounty, said the experience was formative in shaping who he became.

"While I cherished my time as a camper, it was my role as a summer camp staff member that truly inspired and transformed me, and where I felt my calling," he said. "I'm still close with friends that I worked alongside with at camp over 35 years ago!"

For LaBounty, the gift of seeing the impact camp had on a young person's faith left a lasting impression. He recalled a particular experience of stepping in to dean a camp for 3rd through 5th graders.

"We were doing campfire each night, and I wanted to offer them a safe place to ask questions, recognizing that students of any age will have questions that they may not always feel comfortable asking their pastors, their Sunday school leaders, or all these different people," said LaBounty. "Camp can be that safe place for them."

He placed a box out for people to put questions in, and they would go over a few at the campfire each night. The questions started out light and a little silly sometimes. But as the week progressed, they got deeper—a sign that the Spirit was moving in these kids.

Rev. Valerie Hummel LaBounty, pictured, and Rev. Seth LaBounty pass on their love of camp to the next generation.

"I loved the fact that they were reaching that point where they were feeling comfortable to ask these super deep questions at camp in the space that was safe for them and a place where I could then stretch myself to find a way to connect some of these deeply theological and honest questions in a way that makes sense to them," said LaBounty.

Watching that transformation occur in a camper over the course of their time at camp made an impression on Ferris, too.

"Just being able to make those connections and watching a kid at the beginning of the week be nervous about camp and at the end saying that they're coming again next year and they're so excited and they're filled with the love and the Spirit of God— it's like sparks coming out of them. It's so cool," shared Ferris.

Apply to work at one of our Dakotas United Methodist Camps! https://www.dakotasumc.org/camping/job-openings