From Camper to Staff

The night before camp begins, campers are too excited to sleep. The anticipation of riding water rockets, jumping off the blob, and reconnecting with old friends overrides any desire for rest. At least, that was the case for Whitney Young who attended Pine Cove as a youth camper every summer from 2005 to 2014.

She recalls, “I think my favorite memory was not being able to sleep the night before camp because I was so excited to get there, and drive up and smell the crisp smell of pine in the air.”

Whitney first visited Pine Cove as a third grader at the Towers. In the following years, she also attended the Ranch, Timbers, and Shores. She often enjoyed completing the high ropes course, and the boats became a favorite activity as she grew older. But Pine Cove meant more to Whitney than just a vacation; it was a place for her to worship God without being distracted by the pressures of the world.

“Pine Cove gave me a great image of what it looked like to live on fire for the Lord,” Whitney says. “Starting in third grade I was able to see that, and learn what that looked like in camp and outside of camp.”

Starting her first summer as a camper, Whitney dreamed of returning to Pine Cove as a counselor.

“In the 3rd grade, I decided that I wanted to be a counselor and get to be used by God to make an impact,” states Whitney.

Ten years later, Whitney followed through with that decision. In May 2016, she was nicknamed “Mistleflow” and became a counselor at the Shores.

“I was looking forward to serving in a place that served me so well for 10 years,” explains Whitney, “And to have the opportunity to be used by God in a camp setting.”

For two summers, Whitney has served campers in the same way that she was served: by being a friend and lending an ear. The experience has strengthened her relationship with God.

“It teaches you to come to the end of yourself, and rely on the Lord because you have nothing to offer. Pine Cove will shape you into a better man or woman. It will shape you to look more like Christ.”

God used Pine Cove to build Whitney’s faith throughout her life, both when she was a camper and when she returned as a counselor.

“If I weren’t a Pine Cove camper,” she says, “I would have missed out on the opportunity for God to work in me at a seriously fun place.”