40 Years of “Camp Magic”

It’s almost like the old chicken or the egg debate. Are people with certain personality traits drawn to working at camp; outgoing, self–confident, compassionate, funny, responsible, or does the camp experience help create people with these traits? Perhaps it is a combination of the two. Camp fosters a positive attitude and encourages young people to do their best and be their best. It becomes the norm to push yourself past what you thought was your comfort zone and be there for your peers as they push past theirs.

HOC staff alumni are doctors, paramedics, nurses, social workers, lawyers, recreation administrators, Olympic and professional athletes, coaches, child advocates, teachers, vice principals and principals. The list of successful individuals both personally and professionally could go on and on. Many former camp staff continue to work with children as teachers and coaches. They return with their classes, or with their teams, eager to have another generation experience “camp magic”.

This “camp magic” builds qualities in individuals that are essential for life success. When a person works at camp, they become part of a tightly knit community in which making a contribution is expected and in which an individual learns to take responsibility not only for him/herself, but also for others. Every summer at HOC staff members make a difference for the children they are working with at that moment, but they are also people who will make a difference in the future.

After 40 years, HOC is still a place where personal growth, friendship, compassion, commitment and the achievement of personal goals are valued. Every decade has examples of whole families of siblings working at camp, staff starting out as campers, finishing as coordinators and returning as the parents of new campers.

Approximately 3,400 staff members and 65,000 campers since 1966. Impressive numbers aren’t they! But even more impressive is the impact those people have in their communities. Imagine how many lives have been affected by each experience at HOC. We are looking forward to another 40 years of experiences that last a lifetime.

Cathie Gutjahr, Staff Alumni