**We are now looking for 2023 Summer Interns!**

Camp Daniel Summer Internship

What is the Summer Internship Program? Each summer, Camp Daniel invites a group of hardworking young adults to join the summer staff team as summer interns. Interns are the heart and soul of camp and play a vital role in leadership in all aspects of camp. They lead, care for, and support the counselors in their cabin; help foster relationships with campers, counselors, and volunteers; plan and run recreational activities, and are the overall hype people of camp!

As a Summer Intern at Camp Daniel, you will become part of the magic that is camp, gain experience working in a front-line role at a nonprofit summer camp, dive deeper into the world of disability ministry, learn the hands-on application of servant leadership, and have the opportunity to participate in learning experiences and activities created just for Camp Daniel Summer Interns.

As a summer intern, we invite you to dive deeper into what God has planned for your life. There is so much to learn about being in relationship, stepping into leadership, and trusting God through it all. Camp Daniel would love to go through this learning journey with you. Wherever you are in life right now or what you have planned for the future, you’ll learn so much about yourself and others through this experience.

Location: Camp Daniel – Athelstane, Wisconsin

Dates: June 17th – August 6th, 2023 (Must be present for the entire duration)

Ages: We encourage anyone 15 to 28 years of age to apply. We prefer that individuals under the age of 18 have some prior experience with Camp Daniel before applying, but this is not a requirement.

Requirement: Must be available for the entire duration of the program.

We’re looking for people who are:

Hardworking | Willing to step outside their comfort zone | Willing to form relationships and lead groups | Flexible | Have a Heart for Jesus | Camp lover | Age 15-28

Summer Internship Mission Everything we do at camp, we do to show God’s love to people with disabilities. Through each week of camp, we work toward imparting the belief that each camper, volunteer, intern, and staff member has value and has been given gifts to offer others. Our programming is designed to reinforce the concept of our need for each other and the value of our differences. As an intern, you will be leading weekly volunteers in this mission.

Camp Daniel’s summer internship program specifically focuses on servant-based leadership. Where we intentionally build genuine relationships with the people we are leading. This allows us as leaders to engage in an authentic way to effectively encourage, show empathy, share purpose, and ultimately build community with those we serve. We don’t have the perfect formula, but by stepping into this leadership style, you will end the summer with a full understanding of servant-based leadership and cross-cultural ministry.

Program Description In the days before camp, all interns take part in training sessions to prepare for camp. You’ll learn how each activity area runs, how to support your cabins, and get tools to deal with all the ups and downs of camp. Interns will also work alongside staff in the last-minute preparations of camp. The pre-camp days are also a time to build relationships to create a strong, unified team.

Once summer camp starts, the real fun begins. Interns get the chance to lead through relationship building; this means loving, helping, and having fun with the campers and counselors placed in your cabin each week. Interns also play a fundamental role in leading many areas of camp. You’ll facilitate training volunteers, setting up and running activities, participating in theme meal shows and entertainment, supporting counselors in the cabins, and more. Ultimately Interns lead by encouraging, supporting, and engaging volunteers and campers in the cabins and at each activity at camp.

Missions Investment The missions investment of this program is $800. As an intern, not only do you play a vital role by serving our campers and volunteers; you also help sustain our ministry by covering the cost of your meals, lodging, background check, and apparel. We will help interns develop a fundraising strategy for this short-term missions trip through a letter-writing and social media campaign. Don’t let a lack of money or contacts for fundraising keep you from applying; we will assist through this process.

WHERE A PASSION FOR PEOPLE, A ZEST FOR CAMP MAGIC & PERSONAL GROWTH COLLIDE

What Works.

You’re self motivated Camp is action-packed. To provide the best experience for our campers, every person needs to do their part to serve our campers. Many things are going on at once during camp, which means that you have to be able to step up and step in wherever needed without anyone asking you to or watching over you constantly. There are people there to support you, but being a self-starter is expected.

You know how to recharge your physical & emotional batteries There is not a lot of downtime during summer camp. That means when there is, interns need to be able to use that time wisely to refuel. We believe that rest is individual to each intern, so you will be responsible for noticing what helps you recharge and fitting that into your day when you get the chance! It is tempting, especially for our extroverted interns, to fill your free time with more socialization. We expect our interns to have the fortitude to notice when they are being drained and take time before they burn out to recharge. Intern directors will do their best to provide breaks, but inevitably this responsibility will fall on you.

You love people You must value community and fostering relationships to be a Summer Intern. You don’t need to be an extrovert, but you need to love people, be willing to lead, and be okay with having limited free time away from people.

You don’t have much experience with people with disabilities That’s okay! You must believe that all people have inherent value and all people have gifts and talents to offer the world. You must be willing to embrace this truth with everyone you work with at camp, and we’ll train you on the rest!

College Internships Each summer we have interns who not only take part in the internship for personal growth but also to fulfill their college program’s internship requirements. We are happy to talk with you about what that could look like with us if an internship is a requirement of your major. The Summer Internship Directors, Ruth, and Annissa both have experience being point people for college internships and they would be happy to help figure out the process with you. As it stands, the summer internship is a complex program that covers a multitude of interpersonal, management, and leadership skills that apply to a variety of professional fields, but we’d be happy to discuss with you ways to add experiences to the summer internship program to fulfill your college requirements. We’ve had interns studying recreation management, communications, occupational therapy, and going into different fields of disability work at camp before and we’d love to grow that list even more. Let us know if this is something we could help you with!

Interested? What’s next?

If this sounds like something you’d like to try, send us an email sharing your interest. One of our Intern Directors will reach out to you with the next step. There is an application process in order to join the Summer Internship with a deadline of April 1st. Please reach out before this date. Either click the button below or email ruth@campdaniel.org.

Email Us Today!

About Our Summer Camps

The Culture of Disability A mission trip to Camp Daniel is an immersive experience into the culture of disability. 1 in 5 Americans have a disability, yet people with disabilities are the most unreached people group in the US. Historically, this group has been excluded based on what they can’t do, rather than included based on what they can do. This exclusion has formed a sub-culture with its own social norms. At Camp Daniel, worlds collide as people with and without disabilities get to experience life together while learning about being in relationship with God and participating in adapted, competitive recreation activities.

Camp Daniel offers campers with disabilities a fun and loving experience that goes beyond a typical camping program. Campers lives are transformed as they encounter the love of God through fun, dedicated and caring individuals who volunteer to serve as counselors. The week long program is designed to bring constant opportunities for social, spiritual, and personal growth through competitive recreation, chapel, small groups, themed meals, talent shows, dances and more. By week’s end each camper understands that God made them, loves them and has a plan for their lives.

Each year over 200 people with disabilities from all around the mid-west spend a week Camp Daniel, having an experience that many describe as the best week of their year. We invite YOU this summer to participate in the excitement of (competitive) recreation, engaging entertainment and building lifelong friends in a inclusive environment.

Theme Meals

At Camp Daniel, we take pride in offering fun activities that everyone can participate in. That includes themed meals at almost every meal! Each unique theme is celebrated with music, costumes, contests, sing alongs, and characters.

Breakfasts: Breakfast on the Farm

Lunches: Carnival, Pirate, German, & Fiesta

Dinners: Wester, 50’s, Christmas, Italian Wedding, & French (Formal)

Check out Camp Daniel’s Pinterest boards costume ideas!

Camp Daniel's Boards

Entertainment

During the evenings, everyone gathers outside around a campfire and participates in different events like; movie night, dance party, award show and talent shows.

Chapel & Small Groups

Twice daily everyone meets as a group to learn about God. Chapel service; where campers participate in worship and a listen to a message. Small group; where campers meet with their cabin and discuss what they have been learning and how to apply it to their lives. By week’s end, each camper understands that God made them, loves them and has a plan for their lives.

Women's Activities

We have specific events geared towards women. High Tea is a fun and relaxing environment for women to gather together to sip tea, eat cookies and enjoy quality time with fellow campers and counselors. Camp also offer a spa day that includes: facials, hand massages, and getting your nails, hair and makeup done for the formalwear dinner.

Competitive Recreation

Every person at camp is put on the red or blue team. Your team spends the week competing in group rec and free time activities and winning points for their team. At the end of the week, the winning team takes home a medal. For many campers, the competition is their favorite aspect of camp.

Group Rec Activities: Relay Races, Kickball & Messy Games.

Free Time Activities: Swimming, Paddle Boating, Fishing, Archery, Bingo, Bowling, Game Room, Nature Center, Crafts, Corn Hole, Bocce ball, Carpet ball.

A Day At Camp

Want to get a better idea of what a day at camp is like? Below is a sample of typical days at Camp Daniel. The schedule features all of the fun theme meals, all-camp rec activities, chapel services, talent shows, free time with several activity choices, and evening dances.

Tuesday

8:15-9:00                       Lumberjack Breakfast
9:15-10:15 The Able Hour with Pastor Tim
10:30-12:00 Lumberjack Competition
12:00-1:00                     Lunch
1:00-2:15 CARNIVAL & horse petting
2:00-4:30                       Snack Shop & gift shop open
2:30-4:30                       FREETIME
2:30-4:00 Crafts
2:30-3:30 Red vs. Blue Basketball
2:30-4:00 Archery
2:30-4:30 Swimming open
2:30-4:30 Fishing
3:30-4:30 Bowling
3:30-5:00 Bingo
5:15-6:00 Dinner – Red & Blue Pep Rally
6:15-7:30 Chapel
7:30 Talent
8:00 Bonfire and Red/Blue Rally
9:15 Camper Lights out

Thursday

8:15-9:00 Breakfast
9:15-10:15                     The Able Hour with Pastor Tim (in the chapel)
10:15-10:45                   CSPN (in the chapel)
10:45-12:00 CSPN Team Sports- 18^th Annual Kickball Game
12:00-1:00                     Lunch – Giovanni’s Italian Ristorante
1:30-3:30                       Snack shop & gift shop open
1:00-3:45                       Freetime
1:00-3:30 Swimming open
1:15-2:00 Volleyball
1:30-3:00 Bowling
2:00-3:45 Fishing
3:00-3:45 High Tea
3:00-3:45 Bocce Ball
4:00-5:00 Talent show auditions & auction
5:15-6:00                       Dinner –Al’s 50’s Diner
6:15-7:45                       Chapel
8:00-9:00 The Curmudgeon Polka Show & talent auditions,
9:15 Lights out