Contracts are in the mail......

Dear staff,

Time is just zipping by and it will not be long before we are all excitedly standing on the shores of Arbutus Lake getting ready for the summer fun!

Your staff contract is in the mail! Once you have received it please look over it and sign the single page on camp letterhead and return it to me. The contract stapled together is your copy to keep. Camp mailing address is 1380 East Arbutus Lake Road, Traverse City, MI 49686. Please note on the back of the enclosed letter in with your contract is a check list of required forms. These forms can be found on the camp web site http://www.hayowentha.orgunder the drop down menu “summer camp” in the job postings and forms for 2010 summer staff folder. If you have any questions or corrections that need to be made please do so on both copies and send an email of explanation if need be.

For International Staff – Lifeguard training starts Friday, June 4th at dinner for orientation and will continue at the pool on Saturday and Sunday. On Monday we will start the CPR certification. Your pay begins the 4th June or the day you start. (This is a busy time of the year so if you arrive at camp prior to the 4th and would like to start work we will definitely have a job for you!) Staff working the spring season will receive via email a contract for the contracted time prior to June 4th.

For American staff - HWH Camps provides, at no change, the complete Red Cross Lifeguard certification course and therefore will not be days you will be paid. This course starts Friday, June 4th at dinner for orientation and will continue at the pool on Saturday and Sunday. On Monday we will start the CPR certification and that day will be a paid day. If you do not need to participate in the lifeguarding course and do not plan to arrive until June 9th CPR will be offered again during the ten days of staff training.

Also this year we are in need of staff with Wilderness First Responder certification to go on some of our bigger trips. (Explorers and Isle Royale particularly) If you already have this certification you will receive an additional $200 and you should update your contract and include a copy of this certification for your file. I am still researching for course offerings in Michigan in May. Let me know if you are interested in participating in a course if one is found.

Please mark your calendars – Our annual work weekend is May 15th and 16th and we would love your help. It is a fun weekend were we have 30 – 50 staff and volunteers assist maintenance staff to clean up, complete projects and open up camp after the winter months. It will be a great weekend to get back at camp and meet some of the new early staff arrivals. Let me know if we are expecting you! The more the merrier!

For all staff - I have had a few developments with staff openings. Recently the Sailing Director and the Web site/social media person cancelled. Due to lower than expected camper enrollment numbers and extremely tight budget restrictions at this time of the year I am unable to hire any replacements at this time. I am also a little over staffed in the counselor area – again due to lower than expected numbers, so I want to see if anyone has either skills required for these positions and an interest to fill either position at least for one session. Please let me know if you have any questions or need any more information.

As I mentioned camper enrollment is a little lower than projected and also slightly down compared to this time last year. So be sure you continue to recruit all camper age friends, neighbors and family members. Have them refer to the web site www.hayowentha.org for more information and program descriptions.

Please let me know if you have any questions and I will be seeing you really soon.