2024 SUMMER STAFF FAQs
Pretty much all the great stuff you’d need to know about the hiring process and a little bit about what working at SON-Life this summer might look like. We know it’s a lot of information, but we want you to feel confident that you know what this Summer could look like, and what the expectations are of all of our staff.
IMPORTANT DATES
Staff Bash — May 3-4
Staff Training — June 6-15
Junior Escape 1 & Day Camp 1 (First week with campers) — June 17-21
Outpost Expedition — June 24- June 28
Please Note:
1) Summerfest is a fundraiser for the camp. We invite the community, family, and friends to come to camp for a pig roast, auction, games, and use of the waterfront.
2) Outpost Expedition includes two nights at SON-Life and two nights camping in tents away from camp, typically up north near the Ludington area.
3) Generally, only 18+yo staff are hired for Outpost Expedition & Teen Extreme.
Week off - July 1-5
Junior Escape 2 & Day Camp 2 — July 8-12
Teen Extreme - July 15-19
Junior Escape 3 & Primary Experience — July 22-26
Junior Escape 4 & Day Camp 3 — July 29-August 2
Discovery Camp- August 5-7
End of Camp Celebration Day - August 3
Post-Camp (Support Staff Only) — Aug 7-9
A Day of Camp
Every day at camp is different but here is a general overview. Staft rotate between being assigned Day Camp or Overnight Camp. Everyone gets a chance to work both.
Examples of games and quests include: dodgeball, archery, mountain boarding, capture the flag, crafts, moleball, tag, tomahawks, frisbee golf, and board game, mudpit, soccer and more.
Day Camp
7:30 Breakfast (No kids)
8:00 Check-in
8:30 Morning Games
9:00 Craft
9:30 Worship and Message
10:15 Snack
10:45 Morning Activity
12:00 Lunch
12:45 Rest Time
1:30 Swim Time
4:00 Afternoon Fame
4:30 Check Out
5:00 Dinner
*Day Camp staff have an evening break, but also help set up activities for Overnight Camps as needed
Overnight Camp
8:00 Wake up
8:45 Breakfast
9:30 Worship and Message
10:10 In the Word
10:40 Morning Game
11:00 Quest (Activity Block) Some staff have a break here
12:00 Lunch
12:45 Rest time
1:30 Waterfront
4:00 Quest: Rest of staff have their break
5:00 Dinner
5:50 Staff Meeting
6:30 Evening Game
7:50 Worship and Message
8:35 Small Group
8:45 Cabin Activity Time
9:15 Snack
9:30 Campfire
10:30 Lights Out
GET TO KNOW US A LITTLE BETTER
SON-LIFE CAMP IN A NUTSHELL
SON-Life Camp is a non-denominational camp located in Wayland, Michigan – about halfway between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. We are set on 40 beautiful acres with plenty of room to have fun and enjoy God’s creation.
Our facilities include cabins, a retreat center (meeting space, bathrooms and showers, offices, game room), dining hall, recreation fields, a variety of outdoor activity areas (archery, tomahawks, gaga, moleball, volleyball, low initiatives, and more) and a waterfront area (beach, shallow and deep swim areas, blob, canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, paddleboats, & speed boat tubing) set on a beautiful lake. We can host up to 74 campers per week, and generally hire a summer staff of around 18 individuals.
With SON-Life Camp being smaller in size, we are able to give campers a more personal touch during their week of camp where no one has to worry about getting lost in the shuffle. Our summer ministry team becomes an intimate and cohesive group building friendships that last long beyond summer camp.
SON-Life Camp’s goal is to give campers a week of fun through memory-making activities while also challenging them to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Each year, almost every camper leaves SON-Life Camp saying they have grown spiritually — making a first-time commitment to Christ, renewing a relationship that has drifted, or coming to know Him in a deeper way. SON-Life Camp’s summer camp program offers a wide variety of experiences for children as young as 6 to teens as old as 17. We strive to creatively design our summer camp programs to be relevant and reach today’s young people where they are, and help take them to where God wants them to be!
WHAT WE EXPECT OF OUR STAFF
QUALITIES OF A SON-LIFE SUMMER STAFF MEMBER
Working at a camp is an incredibly rewarding experience, but it comes with its fair share of challenges. Think you’re up for it?
This is what we look for in team members: Team members should be energetic, enthusiastic followers of Jesus Christ, desiring to work with kids and make a difference in campers’ lives. They should be role models who strive to live out their faith in a way that shows integrity and maturity. Attributes of patience, responsibility, flexibility, cooperativeness, creativity, thoughtfulness, being fun-loving, selflessness, possessing energy, enthusiasm, and endurance are all needed by team members.
Because campers look up to and imitate team members, we expect our team members to be exemplary Christian role models.
WHAT WE WANT OUR SUMMER STAFF TO LOOK LIKE
Demonstrate a sincere, authentic faith walk
Maintain a Christ-like attitude
Possess a sincere desire to work with children
Be team players, seeking unity and understanding in working with groups
Seek ways to grow as an employee, in faith, and in character
WHAT’S EXPECTED OF ALL SUMMER STAFF
As a representative of SON-Life Camp and Retreat Center, do everything to the best of your ability to promote the growth and development of the Kingdom of God through this ministry.
Assist in maintaining the general security, cleanliness, and attractiveness of the camp at all times.
Follow the daily routine and guide the campers in that routine, including participation in all planned activities.
Make every effort to build a sense of community and understanding among all team members.
Be aware of the spiritual atmosphere of camp and work toward the camp’s goals.
Be able to lead a young person to Christ and seek opportunities to do so.
Attend all required team meetings
Be flexible when scheduling issues arise and work alongside staff to accommodate those unexpected changes.
Assist with camper check-in, be friendly and greet any guests or campers, and seek to answer any questions or give directions when needed.
Do everything possible to ensure the safety and well-being of all campers.
Assist in tidying up camp after each weekly camp session ends.
Fill out a mid-summer self-evaluation and a post-camp evaluation as directed by the camp directors.
Perform any other duties as assigned by supervisor. Note: we never ask our staff to do anything we wouldn’t do ourselves!
Combine all of the above with whatever specific role you desire below, and that’s what’s expected.
JOB DESCRIPTIONS
COMPENSATION SCALE
Assistant Cabin Leader -$115 per week
Assistant Cook - $250 per week
Photographer - $160 per week
Videographer - $160 per week
Cabin Leader - $300 per week
Health Officer - $325 per week
Waterfront Director - $325 week
Program Director - $325 week
Staff who also serve as a Lifeguard - additional $40 per week
APPLYING AS RETURNING STAFF? PLEASE NOTE:
1) Returning Staff may receive additional $25 per week from base rate for first returning year in the same role.
2) Returning staff may receive an additional $10 per week for their third and fourth years in the same role.
APPLY NOW
Fill out the ONLINE APPLICATION. We use a online site called CampBrain to accomplish this. You will need to create a log-in, and you can save your info at any time and return to it at a later time, if need be.
Whew! We know. That’s a lot of text!
And maybe still a tad difficult to envision exactly what the job actually really looks like.
If you have questions and want clarifications, lets connect!
If you have any questions at all please reach out. We want you to feel confident and prepared as you enter into this hiring season.