Staff Profile: Melanie “Wafells” Langemeier

Melanie “In the Mornin’ I’m Making Wafells” Langemeier is currently the Women’s Director at the Ridge. She got her start with Pine Cove as a summer staffer at the Ranch for four summers, went through the Forge, and has served full time at camp ever since. She worked at the Shores, was one of the first site directors with Camp in the City, then moved down to Central Texas to be the Outback women’s director and then helped open the Ridge where she is today. Melanie grew up in Denton and graduated from Dallas Baptist University. (Go Patriots!) 

How did you end up at Pine Cove?
The summer after my freshman year of college, I was a youth intern at a church in Denton, and we took our students to a weekend at the Ranch. I came back to the Ranch again with my church in the fall, and I just fell in love with the ministry Pine Cove was doing. I applied and got hired to work at the Ranch the following summer!

How did you meet your husband?
Austin and I both started working in Central Texas, hung out for two weeks before we started dating in 2016, got married the next year, and had our cute son Knox last August! 

What is your camp name and how did you get it?
It’s “In the Mornin’ I’m Making Wafells” from the movie Shrek! I told a story about a time I was rollerblading at DBU and totally wiped out, which is where the “fell” comes in. Also I really love breakfast food, especially waffles!

What is your most embarrassing moment at camp?
One time while I was a Camp in the City site director (now called Pine Cove City), I was hanging out with a group of first grade boys during some down time. To get in with them I was making fart noises with my mouth. (They were loving it.) My director at the time happened to show up at the same moment to tell me she was going to be giving a tour for someone. I was mortified, but luckily she thought it was funny!

What are some of your favorites?
I’m a BIG fan of Diet Coke, breakfast food, playing with Knox, our dog Nala (she’ll be two years old in September!), and obviously Austin. I love being out in the sun, going to the movies, and cooking! 

When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I went through a lot of phases, but I mostly wanted to be a teacher. My sister and I would play school growing up all the time. There was also a season when I wanted to be a doctor because I find science and the human body very fascinating, but that’s a lot of school! I ended up getting my degree from DBU in elementary education and getting my certification for teaching, but I’ve never taught a class! 

If you were stranded on an island with two other Pine Cove staffers, who would you bring and why?
I feel obligated to say Austin, because I’d definitely want him there, and because he’s super resourceful! He’s a great hunter and could likely build us something to get us off the island. I would also want Chelsea Connor because she’s a great friend and we could talk for hours. We would entertain ourselves chatting and soaking up the sun while Austin worked to get us back home!

What’s your funniest camp story?
There are so many! In 2011 there was a camper at Camp in the City in Louisiana who tickled everyone. One morning I was greeting him as he got out of the car, and while I was reaching out for a high five, he immediately started tickling my arm pit. His mom yelled out from the front seat, “You can’t tickle adults!” It made me laugh so hard!

What has it been like to work at the Ridge from the beginning?
I have loved getting to see the Ridge start from the ground up! I’m so thankful for the team that was out here every day putting it together. KDW did an awesome job and were so great to partner with. It was also fun to buy and pick out all the dodgeballs, wakeboards, office supplies, and furniture. I’m so thankful to the staff from summer 2018 who spent weeks shoveling and prepping the dirt for grass while they baked in the sun with smiles on their faces! The finished product is a testimony to the Lord’s faithfulness and this place is used for His glory! 

What Pine Cove staffer has impacted you the most and why?
I would have to say Jenny “Whistletoe” Sowers. She and I worked together on summer staff at the Ranch in 2007, and we were on work crew the same week. In that week we got to know a lot about each other. We served together at the Ranch the next few summers, then both worked full time at Pine Cove and became roommates. She has a way of seeing the good in people while also pushing them to be even more like Christ. She saw things in me and loved me enough to point those out to change for good. I’ve always thanked her for that and encourage Austin to do so as well! 

How has Pine Cove changed you?
The Lord has used Pine Cove to completely alter who I am. I learned tons of lessons while on summer staff, but I especially grew while in the Forge. That year the Lord revealed some foundational identity problems I had. Through this discipleship program, I was able to create a foundation that’s based on truth and not on lies from the world. I know my identity is found in Christ alone. This has been life-changing!