For four weeks this summer, I was the Housekeeping Work Crew Boss at Saranac. Work crew is a month-long volunteer opportunity for high school students
to work at a Young Life camp. The work crew serves the camp in a
variety of ways like dining hall servers, grounds crew, and
housekeepers. Work crew students also have the chance to grow personally
and spiritually throughout the month. To be eligible, students need to
have completed one year of high school and complete your local area's
work crew training course.
Click this LINK for a brief video of what work crew looks like.
This was my first ever summer assignment. For the 14 previous to this, Ben had the assignment (work crew boss, program and then head leader) and I was staff spouse and eventually added parent to that role. I love my role as staff spouse/parent. I love being with the other women on assignment and being with women who get my life. More recently, I've loved making nachos and late night snacks for the rest of the team, and helping with younger moms, now that I've reached a different stage of parenting.
This year, Ben and I totally switched roles. For many reasons, it was difficult for both of us. We learned a lot about ourselves, how we work as a team, and what we're each built for. Until our kids are much older, we both agreed that I will gladly go back to my role as staff spouse/parent on assignment and Ben will have the assignment team role.
All that to say, I had the rock stars of work crew. Seriously, I had the best housekeeping team in the history of Saranac and maybe Young Life. Ever.
Manning, Dan, Jared, Landon, Jack & Mama Munn
Mary Grace & me
Hannah, Nikki, Aly & Cami
I walked 331 miles in 28 days. I usually hit 10,000 steps by 10:00 am everyday.
These guys cleaned bathrooms and folded laundry like champs. They worked so hard, never complained, loved each other and grew in their faith. I loved getting to know each of them and their own unique personalities and stories.
Work crew watching the action on the boat dock from the best dinner spot in all of Young Life.
Breakfast on the boat dock. A day 5 highlight.
Also a Day 5 highlight, snacks at the BFL. We lived in a little cottage and not in the regular assignment team housing (not enough room for everyone!). So I hosted the housekeepers for snacks on Day 5 since lunch was a little late.
Jumping in off the gas dock.
Ryan, me, Alex, Caroline & Scott
David Berg made us an encouraging sign to hang in the hub.
Day 1 Team Time
Waiting to unload buses
The Laundry Girls
Manning, Keley & Mary Grace
Welcoming the buses
These guys could fix a vacuum like no bodies business! Mama Munn was especially thankful for them.
These guys helped bus tables in the dining hall most days. They also helped clean the work crew and summer staff's bathrooms! They worked more than usual this month and it was good for them.
All in all, being a work crew boss was awesome. It was exhausting and it was incredibly rewarding. To see 40 high school kids come to serve for a month for FREE and work hard and invest in their faith is a beautiful thing. To have a small part in what God was doing in their lives is an incredible honor and blessing. To be part of serving over a thousand high school kids throughout the month is a privelge. To serve alongside an amazing assignment team is a joy.
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