By: Chris “Topher” Aderhold
Fond memories remain from the 2007-2008 school year! L to R: Rachel, Timmy, Mo-T, Jules, Pat, Sara, & Topher!
It’s right there on the back of the box. A hot and delicious Hamburger Helper meal can be yours in a mere three steps.
Step 1: Brown ground beef
Step 2: Stir milk (and other ingredients) into the browned ground beef
Step 3: Reduce heat, cover, and simmer
It was an autumn evening back in 2007. I was living in the Health Center at Camp Gray with Tim Chaptman and Pat Andera.
Pat was selflessly making dinner for Tim and me, and at the conclusion of step one – browning ground beef – he moved to step two, only to discover that we had no milk. More than likely, several gallons of milk were across Main Camp in Camp’s kitchen. However, a more exciting dish was concocted. While there wasn’t milk in our refrigerator, there was a gallon of chocolate milk.
Just like that, a delicious new spin on a classic meal was born. (Seriously, it was delicious! Give it a try!)
For nine months, during the 2007-2008 school year, Pat, Tim, and I lived in the Health Center at Camp because we were serving as a part of Camp’s year-round Servant Leadership Team. We, along with fellow team members Jules Launi, Rachel Maxwell, Sara Spiess, and Mo-T Wilks, made up Camp’s 8th Servant Leadership Team.
Throughout the school year, we led countless retreats and events for more than 3,000 youth at Camp Gray. To be a SaLT Missionary for 9 months, playing a role in the lives of so many youth, was abundantly gratifying.
The memories of those many retreats remain vivid. I could tell countless stories of monster hikes and princess skits, of scrubbing pans and cleaning toilets, of the jump rope challenge and Zoom.
Maybe even more vivid are the memories of when our team spent time together, growing and bonding. To live in community with those that you work with can, at times, be challenging. It can also be wonderfully beautiful, goofy, and fun. The community that lives at Camp quickly becomes like a family. The love that we attempted to spread to our many retreatants could only be as strong as the love that we had for each other.
If memory serves me correctly, we only enjoyed chocolate milk Hamburger Helper the one time (regrettably). However, it’s these types of memories that stand out from my time on the SaLT, and it’s these types of goofy moments that I believe enhanced our work with the many young people that joined us during the 2007-2008 school year.
This past August, the 15th Servant Leadership Team began training for their year of service at Camp Gray. Already, no doubt, they themselves have countless stories of monster hikes and princess skits, of scrubbing pans and cleaning toilets, of the jump rope challenge and Zoom.
Undoubtedly, this fantastic group already has many goofy memories of time spent together. I can attest – team 15 is as good as they come. They’re hard working, fun, dedicated, caring, and inspiring. Young people that join us this school year are in for quite a treat.
Beginning yesterday and continuing through Friday, it’s SaLT Week here at Camp Gray. In addition to recognizing the fantastic members of this year’s Servant Leadership Team, we’ll also be highlighting several former SaLT Missionaries.
Furthermore, we’ll be promoting Camp’s school year program. Applications for the 2015-2016 Servant Leadership Team go LIVE tomorrow! Typically, but not exclusively, we seek to hire recent college graduates to serve on the SaLT. If you have any questions about the program, please email Shane, or call him at: 608-356-8200.
Applications for our 2015 Summer Camp Staff go LIVE tomorrow, too! Check it out at www.campgray.com. If you know of any college-aged young adults that might be interested in being a part of the SaLT, or our Summer Camp Staff, please get them in touch with us!
Thanks for your support of Camp Gray!
Lastly, learn more about Camp Gray’s future dreams by clicking here.
Peace!
