Freddie Hawkins gave me my first job. Actually, that’s not
true. My first job was working in my parents’ restaurant. But they’re family so
they had to give me a job. Or maybe I had to work for them. Either way, one
night when I was 17, I was told to be home because we were hosting a night for
the camp my little brother attended. Apparently the owners of Vista Camps
traveled around in the off-season hosting camp video nights to attract new
campers and counselors. The camp I had gone to when I was younger had closed.
Maybe because they didn’t do these traveling camp video nights? Anyway, when my
mom introduced me to Freddie, his second sentence was about me coming to work
for them that summer. From what I learned about Freddie in the following years,
I now realize his giving me a job was probably some conspiracy between him and
my mom. Another thing I learned about Freddie is that he considered everyone
who walked into Vista Camps a family member. So really, my work with Vista
turned out to be not a job at all, but time spent with a whole new family.
My first summer, I was hired as the snack girl and was just
a year older than some of the campers. I also met my best friend, Dana. Seven
summers later I was the Program Director for Sierra Vista. But despite my
responsibilities, Freddie continued to call Dana and I into his office whenever
there was evidence of camp hijinks. I’ll admit now that we were usually guilty.
Through all the practical jokes and bending of camp rules,
in seven summers I met some of the most unique people (including a new side of
my own brother that he reserved for camp). Something about driving through the
gates of Vista allowed people to shed the insecurities…kids came out of their
shells, counselors were the model of silliness, it was a place to truly be your
comfortable self. That feeling was created by Freddie. Every summer there are
articles in prominent publications about the value of the summer camp experience.
It fosters independence, builds character, hones values while teaching new
skills. Yada yada yada. The truth is, you spend the summer singing at the top
of your lungs in the dining hall, competing in ruthless tribal games, having
shaving cream fights, wrestling a greased watermelon in the lake, enduring
strange initiation rituals, all in 100 degree Texas sun. The seriousness with
which Freddie created the fun was what made it perfect.
Amidst all the fun, when I got hit in the head with the
waterskiing rope handle and had to get a few stitches, it was Freddie who
washed the blood out of my hair and drove me to the doctor in town. When I
encountered challenges as the program director, it was Freddie who mentored me
through my first leadership role. He was the camp dad to so many and I am
blessed to be among them.
