Summer Staff at Forest Springs

It's More Than a Job... It's Ministry

If you are looking for a significant way to serve God this summer, prayerfully consider working at Forest Springs. Serving is hard work but has many rewards. The interaction with guests and fellow staff encourages spiritual growth and lasting friendships.

Summer Staff Positions Available

For College-Aged Applicants

We have several options available to individuals who are college-age or older!

Youth Camp Counselors

Memorial Day - Mid-July

Being a camp counselor means you have the opportunity to changes lives at camp! We are looking for fun, faith-filled, college-aged applicants who are ready to serve God as counselors.

No experience is necessary because being a counselor means being a part of our Counselor Training Institute (CTI), which includes two weeks of training prior to five weeks of counseling. Each counselor is responsible for a cabin group of six to eight campers.

The seven-week counseling Institute qualifies for many college internship requirements, and provides a salary, housing, and meals. In addition, some students earn up to eight additional hours of college credit. Additional employment opportunities are available starting in late July through the month of August.

Support Staff Positions

June - August

Non-counseling summer staff members earn between $2,000 and $3,000 during June, July, and August. Room and board and meals are included as staff benefits.

Program Instructors

  • Handcraft
  • Shooting Sports
    • Air Rifles
    • Archery
  • High Ropes Course
  • Paintball
  • Climbing Wall
  • Waterfront
    • Director (lifeguard experience and certification*)
    • Lifeguards (lifeguard certification*)
  • Mini-Farm
  • Program Assistant

Wilderness Trip Leaders

Opportunities include canoe trips, backpack trips, whitewater kayaking, and top-rope rock climbing trips. Staff are typically chosen from former staff who have counseled for Forest Springs’ resident youth camps. We generally expect adventure trip staff to be 21 years old or older. The qualifications that are needed are received during the three weeks of training. These include Red Cross First Responder training, river swimming, swift-water rescue, facilitation of group dynamics, evangelism and Bible instruction, and much more. Adventure trip staff are not expected to facilitate rock climbing or whitewater kayaking.

Adventure trip staff are usually hired in December and January for the upcoming trip season which runs from late May through mid-August. Contact Dan Jacobson with any questions.

Health & Safety Staff

Two full-time healthcare providers (advanced CPR/First Aid, First Responder, RN preferred, able to dispense medicine) are needed. Responsibilities include dispensing medications, assessing and treating illness or injuries, and keeping a log of accidents and treatments.

Food Service

Our kitchen serves hundreds of people every day and requires multiple kitchen staff, including cooks (large group cooking experience preferred), cook's helpers, and a baker.

Camp Store Staff

Store clerks are needed for the Lodge Cafe, the Gift Shop, and the Coffee Shop.

For High School-Aged Applicants

If you are in High School and would like to do something exciting with your summer, consider joining us at Forest Springs! We have several service options available to you:

Support Staff Crews

During the summer three separate crews rotate through the following areas.

Housekeeping / Janitorial

(Paid and volunteer positions)

Dishroom

(Paid and volunteer positions)

Program Area Assistants

(Paid and Volunteer positions)

  • Handcraft
  • Shooting Sports
    • Air Rifles
    • Archery
  • Waterfront
  • Mini-Farm
  • Camp Stores

Please Note: The minimum age to work at camp is 15 years old. Only volunteer positions are available. Paid positions are available, but not guaranteed, for 16 years and older.

Questions?

If you have any questions regarding summer ministry at Forest Springs or would like to know what service options are currently available, please contact Larry Hoffert, Resident Program Director, at 715.436.7378 or [email protected].

Qualifications We Look for in a Staff Member

  • A sincere love for the Lord and a desire to see guests come to know and grow in Him
  • An eagerness to learn, loves guests, and gives evidence of a consistent walk with God
  • A willingness to forego personal rights for the common good of the ministry and guests
  • Flexibility and an ability to work with guests and other staff

Summer Overview

Summer Camps are divided into three parts:

Part 1 - CTI & Resident Youth Camps

Counselor Training Institute — An extensive two-week training program is designed to prepare counselors for their responsibilities. It is a balanced training/work experience with an emphasis on spiritual growth and development.

Resident Youth Camps — The four and 1/2 weeks of youth camps (for age 8 through 12th grade consecutively) will each start on a Sunday and end on the following Saturday. Each week will include about 200 campers.

Part 2 - Resident Family Camps

There are six different family camp events. The pace is different from youth camps, but the opportunity to serve is the same.

Part 3 - Wilderness Trips

Forest Springs also operates week-long canoe and kayak trips on Wisconsin's Flambeau and Brule rivers; rock climbing trips to Devil's Lake State Park or Interstate Park; and backpack trips in Upper Michigan's Porcupine Mountains and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Fund Raising For Salaried Positions

Each paid staff member, upon being hired, will be asked to submit 20 names of friends, family members, and churches who might be interested in supporting them financially. The support that the ministry receives for each staff will be put into an account to help pay for all of the salaried summer staff positions. Your help and involvement in this process are a significant blessing to the overall ministry of Forest Springs.

How will it work?

Simply go online to enter 20 names and addresses of the individuals that you would like to ask and we will do the rest. We will take care of sending a letter inviting people to partner with you and Forest Springs for the summer. If you have any questions concerning this process, please contact Larry Hoffert.