7 Reasons Why Pine Cove Summer Staffers are One of a Kind

Editor’s Note: The following post was written by Erin Harris, a long-time camper mom whose son just served on summer staff at Pine Cove for the first time! Check out a few of the things she’s noticed about Pine Cove’s college staffers.

For the past ten years, our family has been blessed by the ministry of Pine Cove. All three of our kids have had the privilege of going through the Pine Cove gates as campers. Over the past decade, we have watched and admired the Pine Cove summer staff as they jump, serve, and lead campers into a deeper walk with Christ.

Because we happen to live about five minutes from the East Texas camps, we’ve been able to host many Pine Cove summer staffers in our home for various things. From having them over for coffee, hosting dinners for Forge students, providing beds and meals for Pine Cove City staff, to providing a washer and dryer or just a soft place to land, we’ve enjoyed countless conversations and listened to hundreds of camp stories. This past summer we got to see the summer staff through an even more magnified lens, as our oldest son stepped into the role of Pine Cove counselor at the Shores. What a joy it has been to have a front row seat to this ministry, and more recently, a backstage pass!

So here’s just a few of the behind-the-scenes things we’ve learned about Pine Cove’s summer staff that might make you love them even more.   

1. Lots Of Laundry 

You know that pile of smelly pile of laundry your campers come home with after their week of camp? Well each Pine Cove staff member has one of those at the end of their week too. Every. Week. Pine Cove City staff can usually do laundry in their host homes, but summer staff will spend a few of their weekend hours at the laundromat, or in the homes of gracious Pine Cove families taking care of that chore.   

2. Serious Growth

If you think your camper comes home from camp a different person after one week, you wouldn’t believe the exponential growth that happens in the life of a summer staffer after eight or 12 weeks. We have heard countless college students tell us the lessons they’ve learned while at camp—things we wish we had known at their age! Throughout our son’s summer as a staffer, we were amazed each weekend as we saw growth and maturity developing right before our eyes. God shaped his heart into one of humility and service. He learned to lean on the Lord to provide for him like never before. His speech towards and about others was more gracious as he was learning to love as Christ does. Even his relationship with his siblings grew—what a joy that was for us as parents to watch! He even emptied the dishwasher without complaining—a miracle of epic proportions!

3. There’s No Tired Like Camp Tired

These kids really do give 110% and go above and beyond to serve campers’ socks off. Pine Cove counselors have a ton of fun, but they have hard days too. They are young and energetic, but they are indeed human. They are not immune from sickness or frustration. Sometimes they might get cranky, roll their ankle, or get into poison ivy. It is camp, after all! During their time at camp, they definitely develop a deeper appreciation for Emergen-c, bandages, sunscreen, good tennis shoes, proper hydration, protein, accountability, and prayer. All that to say, they really do appreciate mail more than you know (especially if the mail happens to include snacks!). 

4. Saying Yes To Camp Means Saying No To Something Else

In addition to giving their time and energy to work as summer staffers, many of these college kids are making even deeper sacrifices to be at camp. Summer staff job offers start being made as early as the fall semester before camp. Many of these young adults are having to make tough decisions regarding their degree plans and even careers to be at camp. If they say yes to camp, they are usually saying no to something else. It could just be their own personal comfort, but they could also be saying no to taking a few more college hours, meaning they may be delaying graduation. Or some may even be saying no to important internships and job opportunities that could further their careers. So no doubt about it, these decisions are not made lightly. If they are at camp, they want to be there and feel called to be there.  

5. They Don’t Do It For The Money

Their time is not the only thing they’re sacrificing. Most of these kids could choose other jobs in the summer with much higher pay. Don’t get me wrong—each summer staffer is extremely thankful for getting paid to have a blast, but they definitely earn it. And did you know that many summer staffers donate to the scholarship fund straight out of their paychecks? Every summer there are a few that donate half, or even ALL of their paycheck to bless campers who cannot otherwise afford to come to camp. 

6. Serious Joy

Pine Cove counselors are seriously fun to be around.  They LOVE to tell camp stories, from skits to camp names to camp shenanigans. But the best stories are the ones they tell about campers who come to know Jesus. That’s when their eyes light up and you know that truly, “The joy of the Lord is their strength.”

7. Never Stop Jumping

We’re always amazed at how the staffers jump nonstop to greet campers on opening day. But did you know that the jumping and cheering starts long before the campers arrive and continues long after they leave? Most summer staffers show up to camp two weeks early for training and to get camp ready. During that time they are learning all the cheers and chants (this includes plenty of jumping and dancing). On opening days, hours before campers arrive, the summer staff have what we would consider “mini pep rallies” to get their minds and hearts ready to serve a new set of campers. And then after campers leave at the end of the week, the jumping continues! Each camp has its own style, but man do they celebrate the work God has done, with even more jumping!  

Long after closing day each week of the summer, that same joy can be found throughout many college campuses as the summer staffers go their separate ways. Each staffer takes their heart of servant leadership back to their schools and communities to continue the work of the Gospel there. They are small group bible study leaders, athletes, musicians, church volunteers, roommates and friends. Each one taking the love of Christ into the world.

We are so proud and thankful to be a part of the ministry of Pine Cove as they work to develop campers and so many young adults to become Christ-centered, others-focused, seriously fun followers of Jesus.