After Oswegatchie

A few times every year, I talk to a past camper and they will say "Hey Bill, I don't think I will be at camp this summer". Of course my heart skips a beat for a second and then I ask what they plan on doing with their summer. Its commonly 4 different responses which include, summer jobs, summer school, sports camps, or graduating from high school. Oddly enough, I don't hear family vacations.

So in my most wise and thoughtful voice, I have at least 4 responses:

1. If its a summer job or summer school, I say "Do not forget, you are only young once. Make sure you do the things that are only available to you now. You don't have to work all summer long. We also have 5 different weeks to choose from. You do not have to attend when the rest of your school is here." This response is to still give them the opportunity to join us at camp if they want. Sometimes kids do not realize there are creative ways to still get to camp.  I am trying to drop hints to help them think it out.
   
   
2. If its sports camp or a different skill building endeavor, I say "Wow, that sounds great. Do not forget that Oswegatchie isn't something you do for the rest of your life. Its here to help you learn to work with other people and become a better leader in the future. Its cool that you move on to other things, just don't forget about your Oswegatchie experience."
   
   
3. If its for summer vacation or an international trip, I often say: "Can I go with you?" I do this because I want to reinforce that its an awesome thing to go do a trip, especially with your family. Family trips are Gold! International trips are equally as incredible. 
   
   
4. If its because you are graduating, I often say: "You could apply to work here..." Which is totally true. The most important part of getting any job is the actual applying. Oswegatchie may or may not hire you, but we will give you a good experience going through an interview process, including the call back regarding being hired or not. Since we are an educational facility working with youth, I feel its a teachable moment to share with a young person. 

Lastly, Oswegatchie is a Life Long Experience! Since this is a year round facility, its highly conceivable that you could return to Oswegatchie as a staff member, an FFA Advisor, a teacher, a parent, a grand parent, or a guest. We have past campers that have been back to Oswegatchie every year of their life since 1962.

For more info, check out our main website at www.oswegatchie.org . If you were once a camper, there is still time for you to still be a part of the Oswegatchie experience. If you are a camper now, we look forward to having you back. We also look forward to finding out what you do next!

Excelsior,
Bill Waite
Summer Camp Director