How to Spot a Pine Cove Staffer in the Wild

Outside of their natural habitat (camp), it can seem daunting to try to identify a Pine Cove staffer. You may be asking yourself, “Self, why do I need to identify Pine Cove staffers in the wild?”

Well, Self, perhaps you’re interested in learning more about Pine Cove, or you’re curious about the way staffers act outside of camp (do they always do the counting cheer?).

First, we suggest you ask them. Something like, “Hey, have you worked at Pine Cove?” usually does the trick. We understand that there are some instances (but only a couple) in which this may not be the best approach, but in general it’s a pretty safe bet! Here are a few other suggestions for identifying Pine Cove staffers.

Address them as an object or a catchy phrase. “Hey, Biscuit,” “Hey, Fish,” “Excuse me, Taco Tuesday!”—really any bit of nonsense will do. If the person in question does not seem fazed by this, it’s likely they’ve worked at Pine Cove before.

Do they have a watch and Chaco bracelet tan? We value timeliness at Pine Cove, which is why we require our staffers to keep a watch. Because of this, many of our staffers have vivid tan lines on their wrists. We don’t require them to wear Chaco bracelets—they do that on their own.

Ask them if they’ve “bumped the lamp” lately. We strive to pursue excellence in all things at Pine Cove whether that’s picking up trash to keep camp looking clean, refilling your water glass, serving campers above and beyond, or anything else that the average person might not even notice. “Bumping the lamp” is a phrase we use often that encompases our desire to glorify God in all that we do. If they respond to this phrase with a vacant expression or confusion, they’re likely not a Pine Cove staffer.

Yell, “Go, Cones!” If they respond with an odd-looking fist bump and a responding, “Go, Cones!” Then they are definitely a staffer (or very familiar with Pine Cove cheers).

All in all, Pine Cove staffers generally stand out as followers of Christ who are others-focused, Christ-centered, and seriously fun–even when they aren’t at camp.