#beber camp is...

I never had the opportunity to be a camper at Beber, however I was incredibly fortunate to spend five influential summers as a staff member. During these five years, Beber played a role in shaping my community, life-long friendships and passion for residential camping.

I will never forget the feeling of getting off the bus at Beber for the very first time. That moment changed the trajectory of my life. For the first time, I knew what it meant to be part of something bigger, to be part of creating meaningful camp experiences for campers. I was empowered to lead cabin activities, plan evening programs and manage the physical and emotional well-being of a cabin of thirteen year old girls twenty-four hours a day. The bonds I established with my campers that first summer and the trust shown by camp’s senior leadership has carried with me through today. Each summer I reflect on my first counselor experience as a model of what I hope my staff take home with them at the end of the season - positive personal growth, an ability to have fun with campers all day and sense of belonging to community.

At camp, I met my closest friends. Friends that I have traveled the world with and traveled the world to see. Everyone who has been to camp knows that there is something very unique about camp friendships. A connection and instant comfort that doesn’t come  easily in day-to-day life. Growing and learning from each other in the camp environment creates life-long friendships.  These have become the friends that today are the extension of my family.

I never wanted to leave camp at the end of the summer and daydreamed about how to spend my year at camp. It embodied what I loved and who I wanted to be.  Someone that inspired children and young adults to be themselves and dream big. It was Beber where I discovered a passion for camp and the opportunities to teach others lifelong skills.

Because of Beber, I pursued graduate studies at Brandeis University and completes a dual masters in Jewish Studies and Jewish Professional Leadership with a focus on Jewish residential camping. I was lucky to find a great job right out of my program.  I get to build a fantastic staff each year as the Associate Director of Camp Tawonga ensuring that each of our campers have a life-changing camp experience, just like I got to have as a staff member at Beber.

For me, Beber is where I found my passion.

As a camper, Beber was my safe place, a place where I could be exactly who I was without judgement. At home, during the school year, (especially during those tough middle school days) I was bullied significantly. I dreaded going to school and fought my mom every single day, hoping she would let me stay home. The only thing that got me through those horrible days was the countdown until I was back in Mukwonago.

My first couple years at camp were difficult. As Trudy Sirkis (and anyone else who remembers me at that time) will tell you, I was one of the most homesick campers in 3BC history. Nevertheless, those temper tantrums and angry letters home (sorry Mom!) were not enough to keep me away. Somehow I knew that this place and the experiences I was going to have, would have such a vast impact on me.

Spending my summers at Beber enabled me to develop the confidence to go through my everyday life and the strength to persevere during even the most difficult of days. Beber helped foster my independence and my leadership abilities as well as helping me realize my potential as a role model.

As I got older, the role that camp played in my life changed a bit. My experiences went from helping me become comfortable in my own skin to preparing me and giving me ample opportunities to give back and be that support system for others. It was during my time on staff that I realized I had a passion for psychology and helping kids. Figuring out new and creative ways to help my campers overcome obstacles was incredible to me. I have since started down this path professionally. While my actual job is sign language interpreting, I work in a school for deaf children, many of my students require additional support and behavior management. I spend a lot of time coming up with strategies to help them get through their daily struggles. Eventually I would like to get my Masters in Child Psychology and that is absolutely something I can accredit to my experiences at camp.