4th Quarter

Hey everyone! It's week four for session one and I'm really just enjoying my time with the people who've been here the past month. I'm learning a lot about other people and myself and enjoying the beautiful Minnesota weather. It's so beautiful here, the trees are all really tall and green and living on the beautiful lakefront that looks like a dream at night makes it hard to believe I'm really here. I just don't want it all to pass me by too fast. The first session is ending and the new waterfront summer staff is coming on thursday night. Then it's only 7 weeks left and it seems like 7 days. Right now I'm sitting in the coffeeshop just looking out at the water and the sun is setting, it's really beautiful. Everythings kind of peaceful right now because all the campers are at club so I get a short break before the chaos starts again. I'm at a point now where I know my job well and I'm feeling very comferable here. Maybe I'll stay here for a few more months haha just kidding mom. Miss everyone and hope all is well.

Start of Week 5

Hey! So new campers have come rolling in to castaway today. It's a beautiful day outside and life couldn't be better. My summer staff is fantastic and the community we're building here is great. My job has gotten easier because I've trained my summer staff so well they don't need me to guide them as much as the first few weeks. My tan has gotten pretty good as well. I've got a sweet sunglasses (or racoon) tan going on but don't worry mom I'm still wearing sunscreen. I'm also reading a book right now called "The Ragamuffin Gospel" by Brennan Manning, it has so much in it but it's a fantastic read and I love sharing quotes in it with my summer staff to focus us for the day. There is a quote or rather a prayer in it that the author wrote that I love sharing with other people so I'll write it on here. "Dear Lord, grant me the grace of wonder. Surprise me, amaze me, awe me in every crevice of the universe. Delight me to see how your Christ plays in ten thousand places, lovely in limbs and lovely in eyes not his, to the Father through the features of men's faces. Each day enrapture me with your marvelous things without number. I do not ask to see the reason for it all; I ask only to share the wonder of it all". Well I'm off to go run the night obstacle course for the new group of campers. Later!

Today was an absolutely beautiful day on the waterfront. The morning started with a harsh fog but then the sun broke through and I got to start my day with the sun rising over the lake. I get to start all my days that way actually while my boat drivers pull kids on skiis and wakeboards. Then we have a morning event for the campers and the afternoon involves me running back and forth between the parasail boat, sail beach, swim area, hot tubs, to the boat docks making sure everything is running smoothly. I'm having a great time and getting to know my summer staff better each day. The high schooler's are probably my favorite cause they have so much energy and are so goofy. I think everyone's starting to hit the floor though with all the work we've been putting in. I'm still getting in time to run though which is good. Send me letters if you want! My address is Jessica Bergren 51709 County Highway 31 Detroit Lakes MN 56501. Miss you all!

Phone Lost

Hey Friends and Family! Currently my phone has gone M.I.A. but I think I know where it is, just have to get it so sorry if I've missed calls or texts! Yesterday I had my day off and some of the interns and I went over to our boss Greg's house to watch the World Cup and cook dinner. We had a lot of fun hanging out together and getting away from work. Then I went with my boss Joe, BJ, and James to see the Karate Kid which was a pretty awesome movie, I recommend it! I had a pretty relaxing day and today we get new campers. This week will be high school kids and a 7 day week instead of 5 so it's a whole new ballpark. I'm really enjoying what I'm doing and probably won't be able to talk much because I work from 6 in the morning until 7 or 9 most nights. Hope everyone is having a great summer!

Day 1 of Camp

Campers are here! The wyldlife group has arrived and it was a beautiful night for them. Yesterday we trained all the boat drivers and waterfront, and we had our first of many beach set-ups. So far the summer staff (all 19 of them) I lead is fantastic and really eager to learn and serve. I had a successful first couple of days with my summer staff and the campers and I'm very excited for what the rest of the week with this group of campers will bring. It's a huge learning experience right now. The weather is beautiful here, a bunch of rainbows, sunshine, good temperature and just enjoying my time with the interns. I'm super busy and working from about 6 in the morning until 11 at night most days but I'm keeping up my strength. Later!

Day Off

Hey all. I've been working hard getting the camp ready for the wyldlife group to come on tuesday and haven't had any time to chat. I've been parasailing training, helping with housekeeping, landscaping, and anywhere they need me. Yesterday I took a ride out with BJ to launch a group of girls and it was hard because the wind was so strong but a lot of fun. Then I was mulching for a bit and helping the program team with their video. I also got to see my young life leaders Beth and Dan who I haven't seen in over a year. Dan's doing program down here and Beth gets to have a vacation for the month with the kids while Dan does that (lucky her!). For the past week we've been going to the property staffs house to eat dinner and hang out. We've gone paintballing which was sooo much fun because we were in the woods and I've never done that before. There's also been a piano at everyone's house so two of the guys will play the piano and we all sing together and make up songs, last one we made up was about how much we hate cats, a song about LuAnn and a song about Greg, it was so funny. I also got to ride an old fashioned bike that has the huge wheel in the front and the little wheel in the back, that was difficult but so much fun. We played football and had a huge softball game with all the interns and staff, guest services won (which I'm apart of) so we'll be braggin about that for awhile. I've done so much and have become very close with a lot of the interns already within two weeks. It's fantastic and I'm enjoying my summer so much. Now I'm going to go play Catan with some of the interns that have stayed at camp for the day, it gets intense! Bye friends.