Amy “Mimi” Gronemyer joined us last year as a Wrangler counselor and will be working this summer as our Vashon Day Camp Unit Leader!

Where are you from?

Arlington, WA (just recently moved from Everett)

What’s your job at Camp Sealth this summer? One’s you’ve held in the past?

Last Summer I was a Wrangler Counselor and this summer I am excited to be the Day Camp Unit Leader!

Are you looking forward to anything about it particular?

I am very excited to have a job where I can really work on my leadership skills as well as be creative in planning fun and engaging activities and trips for the kids of Day Camp.

What do you do when you’re not at camp?

When I am not at camp I am a substitute teacher in the Everett School District for the elementary and middle school grades! I also enjoy singing, playing the piano, drawing and painting, watching movies, and spending time with my family and friends.

If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I would say any kind of Mexican food! It’s my favorite!

What is your absolute favorite activity you’ve done at camp?

My favorite activity at camp is the camp outs! I love camping, building a fire, making food, and telling stories! I also really just love playing games with kids, my favorites at camp being prison ball and gaga ball!

Tell us a camp story, or one of your fondest (CA) camp memories:

One of my most treasured camp memories was working with a child who was deathly afraid of jelly fish. She really wanted to do the swim check just like all her friends but was too overcome with fear. I was happy to help by being in the water right in front of her when she jumped in and showing her that I, along with her friends, was there for her no matter what. As a group we used careful encouragement to help her brave the water. Though it was cold and she still struggled with her fear she made it through the swim check. By the end of the week she had faced her fears so greatly that she was able to freely swim and play on the beach and even held a jelly fish in her hands! I love looking back and thinking how proud I was of her!

What does camp mean to you?

Camp to me, as I’m sure it is to others, is like a second family! You really get to know the people you work with and become great friends with many of them. I would like to think that camp can be like that for the kids too even though they are only at the camp for a short period of time. It is a great place to meet new people and form bonds. It is a place to have fun, explore, learn, make new friends, and go outside of your comfort zone. Camp is a place where you don’t have to be afraid to truly be yourself!