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Please disregard the email from earlier today which somehow resent you our 2016 newsletter! Even we can't figure out how we did that. Here's the one we meant to send...the stuff that's actually relevant in 2017!!! Good thing we love our Starfish Tools...the Tool of the Day today is now officially "We try our best...we don't have to be the best!" Now on to the fun stuff...the amazing goings-on at your favorite camp!
Happy Spring! We hope this edition of the Starfish Spotlight (the real one, not the one that somehow went out earlier implying that bit was still 2016!) finds you well and enjoying the warmer weather. Even though the last of the snow is still melting here (thanks, April Fools' Day storm!), we know summer is right around the corner! And here at Starfish we're gearing up for an incredible summer. :)
Enclosed in this newsletter is a brief update about happenings at Starfish! We're hiring this summer's staff team (do you know someone looking for a job?), enrolling campers (camp info is here), welcoming volunteers, and so much more! Now's a great time to get involved with Starfish, and we hope you will! Please reach out to us online or by phone (978-637-2617)...we'd love to say "hi!"
Smiles from the Campfire,
Emily, Doug, Deana, Jamie & the whole Starfish team
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You're Invited! 2017 Open House & Pancake Breakfast
Saturday, June 10, 2017 we will be hosting a FREE pancake breakfast from 9-10 AM at camp in Rindge, followed by tours of our new year-round building and the surrounding Crescent Beach area at camp!
Come meet staff, visit with friends, get to know Starfish, enjoy some homemade flapjacks, and enjoy a lakeside morning!
Everyone is welcome! We look forward to seeing you.
For more information and to RSVP:
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W
elcome, Joe!
We're excited to welcome Joe McAshee back to camp! Joe has spent many summers at camp with us and has been a counselor, administrator, operations manager and most recently, when his full-time work kept him in the UK over the summer, a short-term visitor! Joe is joining our Year-Round Team until October 2018 on the 18-month visa program as a management trainee. While he's here he'll be helping us manage our new Crescent Beach programs, retreats and rentals, as well as year-round programs like Weekenders Respite. We're thrilled to have him on the team! You can reach Joe starting April 20th at
joe@campstarfish.org.
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L-R: Jamie, Deana, Emily, Doug
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New Roles for Year Round Staff
As we continue to grow and expand our services to campers and families, Starfish is pleased to announce that Jamie Ingram has moved from her role as Assistant Director to become a Camp Director! In this new role, she will be responsible for camper and family services, as well as our year-round and pre-camp staff training programs. She joins Camp Director Doug Sutherland, whose role will focus on staff recruitment/hiring, the summer staff experience, and logistics such as health, food service and safety. In these newly delineated roles, Jamie and Doug will both still be on site this summer and working very closely with all of our campers and staff, while also being able to focus on the growing needs of our many clients and team members! Deana Stephens, our veteran Relationship Manager, has agreed to take on the role of Director of Operations, which encompasses the incredible breadth of services she oversees for our organization, including agency liaison, fundraising and development specialist, accounts manager, enrollment oversight and much more!
You can reach any member of our Year-Round team at 978-637-2617 or by firstname@campstarfish.org (emily@, deana@, etc.) We always love to hear from you and are here to help in whatever way we can!
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Starfish Welcomes AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC)
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An NCCC team at their work site.
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We are excited to be the recipients of a team of hard working young adults from AmeriCorps who will be staying on site in Rindge this May and helping with some major projects! They will be assisting with the completion of our new year-round building, sprucing up the property and securing our camp entrances with new gates and signs, creating "Fort Starfish," our n
ew outdoor imagination playground, helping build new staff quarters, and much more!
They'll also be creating a video of their experience to show our campers, highlighting what can get done when people work together, interact appropriately and work towards their goals.
It's a great honor to have been selected to host a team from the competitive process which encompasses the entire Atlantic region of the US! We can't wait to see all that they will accomplish! If you are interested in joining in the fun and helping get camp ready for the summer, including scheduling a company work day, please email emily@campstarfish.org to get started! We love volunteers!
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Refer the Next Summer Staff Team Supersta
r
Staff hiring is in full swing for this summer! If you are interested in joining the
team for 2017 (or you know someone who is!),
contact Doug
or
click here
to learn more! We know that often the strongest new staf
f that we get are those who have been referred by friends of the organization like you.
And, check out our new staff guide to Summer@Starfish, which outlines the internships, fellowships, staff team jobs, and other opportunities that abound at Starfish. It explains why staff might choose to work at a camp, and more than that, all the essential skills they gain by doing so! Did you know we offer school credit? Staff who work a summer at Starfish are more prepared to enter a full-time career and be responsible citizens. WOW!
So What are we looking for in summer staff? Nothing less than
outstanding people who have the ability and desire to work with children safely, actively, and with enthusiasm! Time and again, we hear from counselors that they "...have never worked as hard at any other job...nor gained so much compensation for effort." What does that mean? It means if you have that special mix of
trustworthy, responsible, dependable, talented, and unique and are ready to bring something special to the camp community, we want you to please
contact us!
You can also check out this
great Huffington Post article,
"Why I Chose Summer Camp" which was written by Caroline Catlin, a member of the 2013 & 2015 Starfish summer teams.
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Camp Enrollment is Happening Now!
Don't miss out on Summer 2017 at Starfish! Enrollment for all camper and teen programs is underway, with sessions starting to fill. There's something for everyone - Day camp, Overnight Camp...even Beachcombers, an amazing 14-day adventure-based hiking, camping and wilderness tripping program. We have lots of new fun programs, too! If you know a child with emotional, behavioral, social or learning challenges who could benefit from structured, safe, nurturing program with an unique 1:1 staff-to-camper ratio, encourage them to learn more about opportunities for a life-changing summer! (CampStarfish.org)
NEW: Sibling Camp!
 As the brother or sister of a Starfish camper, siblings might sometimes feel left out or different themselves. Making friends who can relate to that helps siblings to feel less "alone" or different from their peers. It's comforting for them to see firsthand that they aren't the only kid who has to have playdates outside their own home or who participates in family therapy sessions to help their brother or sister. Our new Sibling Camp presents the perfect opportunity for children to make connections and friendships with others who "just get it." This program has a 1:4 (1 counselor to 4 children) ratio or better and is
available for children ages 6-14 who live with or are close relations of current or former Starfish campers.
We're Booking Retreats for Fall & Winter 2017 & Spring 2018!
Did you know that Camp Starfish is not only an amazing safe haven for children during the summer but also a versatile and unique location to hold group events?
Youth groups, college associations, family retreats, nonprofits, religious groups, and more all love the rustic, peaceful environment that our Conference and Retreat Center offers, while also appreciating the professional event planning and support services that we provide.
Our new Year-Round building will be opening in June which opens up whole new vistas of opportunity for you and your group!
Find out why Fitchburg State University, MCPHS, Applewild School, Miss Porter School, BU, and so many more guests think Starfish is the place for them! Interested in conducting your next staff retreat, leadership event or celebration at Camp Starfish? Contact us today or check out options online!
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