From camper to counselor: "I wanted to come back every year"

Many of our YMCA Camp staffers were once campers themselves. Here's Horsethief counselor Althea's story of that journey:

I first came to camp on a recommendation from a friend. She'd been going since she was 7 years old and had always wanted me to come and see the magic.

The first summer I came to camp, I was 11. I was so amazed at how the counselors and staff treated me like an adult, not a little kid. We got to pick the activities we would do all week and there was free time that was actually free. This was so different from camps I had attended in the past. I wanted to come back every year.

I later attended Teen Camp, where I met the most amazing people. My cabin was full of the kindest, most loving girls, and the boys that week were full of fun. We made life-long friendships that week.

At Teen Camp, I started my journey to becoming staff as an L.I.T. Being an L.I.T. was such an amazing experience. I learned all about becoming an effective leader and I got my first real taste of being able to positively change someone's life. It was the best feeling in the world.

I'm finally staff this year at a new location. I am part of an amazing team of people that will make history, and I couldn't be more excited. It's my turn to make magic for my campers, and if I can give them even half the amount of fun I have had at camp, I'll consider my job well done.