Pauline & Steve - Humans of Camp America

By Camp America on 10/12/2015

We have worked for Ebner Camps since 1989, where I first worked as the sailing instructor at Camp Chinqueka and Steve as the Waterskiing counselor at Camp Awosting...

We have worked for Ebner Camps since 1989, where I first worked as the sailing instructor at Camp Chinqueka and Steve as the Waterskiing counselor at Camp Awosting. We came through Camp America, getting hired at the Directors fair in Manchester, England, at the old Sashas Hotel on Oldham Street. I was 19, Steve was 21. After what was the “best summer of our lives” we went on to do other things; traveling, marriage and eventually kids. 

“Real life” took over, but those memories of the summer in Connecticut never faded. We returned to camp in the mid-nineties with our two young sons, Ben and Sam - Steve as the waterskiing counselor and I in the office. We got hooked all over again, and started to return each summer through Camp America. Steve eventually went on to be the Waterfront Director for 10 years, while I worked as part of the administration at both Awosting and Chinqueka, including being Assistant Director at Chinqueka for several summers...

We were lucky enough, after 5 years of waiting, to eventually emigrate over from Manchester, in 2007. We became Directors of Camp Awosting in 2009; hard to believe we started as counselors looking for a summer experience, and now we are the directors. We live on campus all summer, but maintain a year round residence about 15 miles away from camp. During the winter months, I work in the office, talking to parents, campers and staff, while Steve runs the operations for all four of Ebner Camps: Awosting, Chinqueka, Boulder Ridge and Eagle Rock.

We love what we do. We hire staff in Manchester, Edinburgh and London each year, and the thrill we get from meeting new applicants is fantastic. We once were those eager young staff just hoping to meet the right camp. We tell our story to our new recruits, and explain that we were once sat where you are sat right now. How exciting to give the gift of summer to these staff each year. We love our Job.

Pauline and Steve - Camps Awosting and Chinqueka (1989-2016+)