Zip-lining for Life, the Camp Counselor

Wanted: Legendarily Outdoorsy Camp Counselor!

Last Seen: Whittling branches to make canoe paddles for the camp lake. Hair propped up on her head in the perfect ponytail. Standing fearless in the sight of zip-lining down 200ft slopes to inspire her campers. Singing with abandon; “Goin’ on a Bear Hunt.”

Additional Information: Incredibly patient with whit and humor to cover every wrong-doing. Spiritually vibrant and resourceful. Empowering campers to develop their natural giftedness in the outdoors through forestry engagement. A deeply special person who can be radiantly present for those who miss their mommies and daddies before bedtime.

Reward: Being a Legend Counselor who is the kids’ favorite of all-time to be treasured in their thoughts and minds.

Who they Got: Lady who shops at Cabella’s for canoe paddles and doesn’t whittle. Near perfect ponytail, check. Has never been zip-lining and easily gets lost hiking. A person who is prone to being stressed out… Yikes!

Reality: So, a couple weeks ago, I was at Tall Timber Ranch with 13 kids from my church in a camp with 100 campers from age 7 to 12. I have not been to camp as a counselor for 15 years. Let me tell you, camp gets better with time. Just if I was the same counselor I was 15 years ago! It helps that these kids in my cabin are nice, friendly, and wonderfully kind. My multi-summer-experienced co-counselor said that our cabin was the best she has ever had. (I had the distinct impression doesn’t say that to everyone!)

At this camp the mountains are high, there is no Wi-Fi hot spot, cell towers don’t exist, and #ThegrassISgreener. Yet, I was not going to get off the hook that easily. Zip-lining day was coming up. I wanted to inspire but I had to get through this one.

I was pretty nervous. This is the biggest zip-line that I have ever seen. The campers in my cabin did awesome! They did a great job of getting down the line. I was head cheerleader for their success! Then it was my turn: The kids were cheering for me to be able to make it, which was fun. 

This is how it went:

I climbed the big tree.

I sat on a little deck in the tree. I tried to be brave. I clipped into the zip-line.

The camp leader told me to “go.” I didn’t want to, duh, but I did anyway. Wahoo!

My co-counselor sprayed me with water from the field and the kids cheered. They are best little rootin’ section around. “Maybe I can do this camp counselor thing,” I thought for a split second. But then I realized I was headed for THE TREE! Yes, at the end of the line was a tree and I was Lightning McQueenette herself headed straight at it. Turns out, adults go further than 4^th grade girls on zip-lines! To make things worse, there was a ladder up in front of it. Normally they use it to help get the little people down off the zip-line. The ladder was about to be my crash-landing “pad.” Fortunately, the person at the end quickly got the ladder off the tree and put up a mattress before I crashed into it!

The Real Life Camp Counselor: I am no legendary camp counselor, but so long city-living! I like life at kids’ camp. The staff plans cool activities all day long. They feed you and do the dishes - unbelievable. They entertain you with funny skits and silly songs (“If I weren’t a camp counselor, there’s nothing I’d rather be…”). This summer, it was nice to step out of the mold, and be a camp counselor for a group of really great kids - in the great outdoors.