Tag Archives: summer camp staff

The Tree That Bears the Name of a Former Summer Camp Counsellor

Posted on by

Many people who attend Camp at Kettleby Valley know where ‘Ace’s Tree’ can be found. Not as many know who Ace was and why there is a tree at camp that bears his name. And there are only a couple of people who know how the tree actually got to where it grows today.

Ace was a staff member at Kettleby Valley who passed away unexpectedly the night before staff training began in 2008. Of course, it was a challenging time for his family and friends. We wanted to do something at camp that would ensure people would remember Ace, his contributions, and all the connections had he made. It was agreed that planting a tree would be an appropriate symbol.

I didn’t want a seedling. I wanted a modest sized tree that would be noticeable and would stand out. I also wanted the tree down in the valley and access in those days was very limited.  I chose the tree from the local farm that seemed to fit the bill. It was a sizable maple, but not overwhelming. I made the arrangements for delivery for Thursday at 6:00 am. This would give me, and anyone I could rope into helping, plenty of time to get the tree into the valley and planted before the day campers arrived.

The tree was delivered strapped to a 40 foot transport trailer. It was bigger than I’d remembered. Chex was my designated helper and, when he saw the tree, the look on his face was a little more defeated than usual - I assumed it had to do with the hour of the day. He operated the camp tractor while I drove the ATV and trailer. We both watched tentatively as the massive mechanical spade on the delivery truck lowered the tree into the trailer. The leaf springs strained, but once everything settled the tires cleared the wheel wells by about 1/2 an inch. If I drove slow and missed the big bumps, we would be fine.

We had to drive through town to get to the valley and it never occurred to me until I was on my way that driving a two stroke engine while pulling a tree might gather some unwanted attention. I had to drive slow, so it gave people time to hear me coming, walk to their windows and still get a glimpse of me travelling past their homes with the 12 foot high maple in tow. With the occasional wave and nod of my head to the onlookers, I continued.

As I turned onto our back ‘road’ and down the hill, I remembered that the brakes on the ATV where tenuous, even when we weren’t pulling a trailer (and a tree). I quickly switched into first gear and let the transmission do some of the work. The engine whined even louder. It sounded like a small plane with engine trouble coming in for an emergency landing.

At the bottom of the hill was a foot bridge that I had navigated successfully about a thousand times in a row with the ATV and trailer. I knew the angle of the turn and the exact location that the tires needed to be. Inexplicably, I had chosen this time to miscalculate my turn, causing the right wheel of the trailer to fall off the bridge. The back end of the ATV began to lift slightly. After consulting with Chex, we decided to use the tractor to lift and nudge the trailer back onto the bridge while I drove forward. We were somehow successful and carried on to the pre-dug hole. This was taking far more time than I had anticipated.

We knew the tree was heavy – very heavy. We hooked a chain around the massive root ball and onto tractor bucket. The hydraulics strained as Chex brought the bucket up. Nothing happened. It was clear that the tractor was unable to lift the tree. However it was able to take some weight off the trailer. After another meeting, we decided that Chex would lift while I drove the trailer  away. Confident with our plan, I started up the ATV and as soon as I saw the chains tighten, I drove away, leaving the full weight of the tree on the tractor bucket. My confidence quickly turned to panic as the back tire of the tractor began to lift off the ground. I had a vision of flipped tractor in the hole that was meant for the tree. Chex managed to throw his hand in the direction of the leaver, lowering the bucket and the tree quickly, preventing catastrophe.

We managed to wiggle the tree into the hole and cover it with dirt without any further mishaps. The tree guys looked after the rest. Dirtied, unnerved and disheveled , I made it back up to the bus loop to greet the first bus of the day with 45 seconds to spare.

The tree is doing very well. It continues to grow and provides more shade each year. I remember the events of that day very clearly. I also remember Ace and every time I walk by that tree it makes me smile.

Camp Staff as Teachers: What Draws Them To Be Educators?

Posted on by

Last week, as I wrote a reference letter for one of our Section Directors looking to get into teachers college, it dawned on me how so many of our staff members, past and present have gone on to complete their post graduate degree in education. Summer camp is a great way to learn important teaching skills like building connections with kids, building and adapting lesson plans and addressing parents. However, the hope of finding employment as a teacher seems to become more remote each year. This begs the question, why are there so many people lining up to enter the education field?

To those who are not intimately familiar with the education field, the obvious answer is, ‘they get their summers off.’ Having known a teacher or two, I can attest that the summer off barely makes up for the planning, grading and other demands placed on a teacher’s time throughout the rest of the year. Being a teacher means that you’ll have homework – for the rest of your life. There is also the responsibility that a teacher has of continuing their education, which often carves into their summer.

Another obvious answer is that they have a great pension. Well, in order to get to the pension stage of a career, one needs to first find work. And although the teacher’s pension is considered one of the healthiest plans going, Jim Leech, the President of the Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan admitted the funding for the plan is broken, which makes you wonder about its long-term prosperity.

So it’s not an easy gig to get, the time off comes with some pretty big conditions and the pension isn’t as golden as it once was. What’s drawing the hoards to teacher’s college? I can’t speak to everyone trying to make education their profession, but I believe that our staff want to be teachers for the same reasons they want to work at camp – they find the development of children important and rewarding. And they’re good at it too.

If I were to open a school with all of the staff we’ve had who are now teachers, it would be a pretty great school. It’s too bad that most of them don’t have jobs teaching in the classroom.

Day and Overnight Summer Camp Kettleby Valley near Toronto Gets Site Ready

Posted on by

Recently, our summer camp for children has taken on many building projects. In the past five years, we’ve put in a second pool, constructed new pool change rooms, build a new lodge, and reconstructed several other buildings including structures at archery, canoeing and drama.

When most people think about summer camp, they tend to overlook all the work that happens in order to get the place ready each year. Chex and Midori have been working all year booking school groups and registering campers. Pickles has been creating the videos we post and Titus has taken the time to organize the projects for the spring.

This week, our spring maintenance crew began work. Huck and Taps have been varnishing floors, while Huck’s brother (who has yet to be nicknamed) has milled up all the pine trim we need to finish off projects. Crush and Titus have started installing all new windows in the cabins and Whirley and I put a new pine floor down in a cabin (sorry about your back Whirley). Star has started this week with grouping campers and other office duties.

This is just the start. Repairs to the steps going down to canoeing, wood chips brought down to the valley, new insulation for cabins, staining buildings, clearing deadfall, and dismantling an old bridge is a small sample of other jobs that need to be completed before summer. So, a big thanks to all our spring staff for all their hard work in getting the camp to look so good by the time the campers arrive.