Tag Archives: Wolbach Farm

Meet a Camp Counselor: Camy Olia

Name: Camy Olia

Age: 25

Entering 7th year as a Drumlin Farm Camp Counselor 

 

How did your relationship with Drumlin Farm start and how did you become a camp counselor?

I began coming to Drumlin Farm when I was around eleven years old. My grandparents had introduced me to bird watching so they brought me to Drumlin Farm. I loved watching the bluebirds fly over Boyce Field and the Drumlin. Their wings shimmered a spectacular shade from the reflection of the sun.

I became a camp counselor at Drumlin Farm because I had grown to love nature and remembered the few times that I visited when I was younger. Prior to Drumlin Farm, I was a visitor education volunteer at the New England Aquarium and had worked nearby at The Food Project.

We wouldn’t have Summer Camps without Drumlin Farm Campers! What’s your favorite part of working with the campers? 

My favorite part of working with middle school campers is that they understand that they can make a difference in their community and environment. A lot of campers end up educating their parents about sustainable farming practices and how eating local can reduce their carbon footprint. I also love building a sense of community among the campers. We do a lot of team building activities for the first few days of camp so that campers feel a connection to each other at both the individual and communal level.

Last summer, I created a lesson about the hidden animal parts that can be found in common foods, such as gelatin in candy. I bought some groceries and had campers try to figure out which ingredients were derived from animals. Campers were both fascinated and shocked by the lesson.

Another memorable experience happened while teaching a first grader how to figure out the amount of woven rectangular spaces there were between two fence posts. We walked along the fence together and I showed him how we can use multiplication to find the answer. I knew that I had made a lasting impression because he joined me and followed my schedule for the rest of the day.

Camy with campers walking in a funky chicken parade

Have you had any notable wildlife or nature interactions from your time at camp?

One of my favorite memories was watching a cicada killer paralyze a cicada near the Drumlin. It was interesting to see such a huge bug become incapacitated by an enormous wasp.

I also love looking at the stars during the overnight camps. Once I was scared by a deer in the middle of the night; all my campers were asleep and a shadow slowly moved towards me. As soon as the deer saw me, she made a sneeze like sound and bolted away. It was both starling and fascinating, seeing the deer in it’s natural habitat in the evening was breathtaking.

What are you looking forward to most for summer 2018?

I am looking forward to harvesting vegetables for the family night farm stand. I always love watching the campers experience the whole process–from harvesting, to washing, to sign making, and finally selling the vegetables. Field to farm stand to table!

Three cheers for garlic!

What don’t a lot of people know about being a camp counselor?

Drumlin farm is more than just a wildlife sanctuary for animals: it’s also a sanctuary for people to express themselves openly in an experiential learning environment!

 

Summer camp 2018 is starting soon but there’s still time to sign up! If you’ve like to meet Camy and the rest of our amazing camp staff, learn about and register for a variety of camp programs here.