My time at the Taylor Statten Camps started when I was 3 years old, when I began attending September Camp with my family. After a number of years at September Camp, I couldn’t wait to start as a camper and my time finally came in the summer on 1999. I was 7 years old and in the Bantam section. I continued as a camper from 1999-2006, moving through all the sections from Bantam camper to Kipawa camper in 2006. In the summer of 2007, I took a brief hiatus but triumphantly returned to camp as a CIT in 2008. My time as a CIT sparked the beginning of a long career as an Ahmek Staff member, which is still continuing to this day. The positions that I have filled during my time at the camps has been CIT, two years as a counsellor, a guide, Bisco counsellor, Outpost Staff until I replaced an injured staff member on 50 Day, 50 Day counsellor, and Head Guide. In addition, I was also a member of the Spring Work Crew since 2012 including going up to camp at the beginning of May twice and being the Head of the Work Crew in 2015. I was also the CIT Section Director during September Camp in both 2014 and 2015, as well as a member of the Fall Work Crew in 2014. Needless to say, Camp Ahmek and the Taylor Statten Camps has been an incredible and immense part of my life.
One of my most memorable moments during my 8 years as a staff member at Ahmek was leading a Kipawa as a CIT in 2008 and leading my own 50 Day canoe trip with a good friend of mine in 2014. Another one of my most memorable moments during my staff career was working during the Fall and being able to be in Algonquin Park during the time the leaves were changing colour. The reasons these were so memorable is because they were all big moments in my life that helped bring me to where I am today. Doing a Kipawa as a CIT taught me how to be a good staff member and the skills that would lead me to more Long Trips in the future. It’s a really cool feeling when most of the campers on that trip in 2008 are still working at camp currently and are in line for their very own long trips now or have taken one out already. Taking out a 50 Day trip was in a class of its own. It taught me so much about myself, the importance of appreciating nature and bringing oneself to a more natural way of life. It was an experience that I will hold dear for the rest of my life.
I have now started a full time position at the Taylor Statten Camps as the Canoe Tripping Coordinator, which has been a dream of mine since I first started at TSC as a CIT. My time as a summer staff member has taught me everything I needed to know for this position. It has taught me how the inner workings of a summer camp is run, how to effectively plan the best canoe trip possible in multiple regions of Ontario and Quebec, and taught me valuable life skills. Some advice that I would give new and returning staff members coming to the Taylor Statten Camps would be to fully embrace the job you are undertaking. These are some of the best years of your life and you will be spending them at one of the most amazing places in the world. The lessons and experiences that you will have during these summers will stick with you for the rest of your life and help you along the way.
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