A SUMMER OF SERVICE: Redwood Glen Summer Staff Volunteers
"Reflecting Christ through serving others" is the mission of Redwood Glen.  While ingrained in the paid year-round staff, it was clearly evident in the three young adults who volunteered at camp this summer - Joey Gaytan, Tashi Vedel, and Andrew Gonsalves.  (pictured below)



While Tashi and Andrew are very much "at home" at Redwood Glen, having grown up through our summer camps, Joey had little exposure to the camp before volunteering this summer.  A high school junior in Half Moon Bay, Joey decide to spend 9 weeks on staff through the encouragement of his uncle, Mike Orlicky, former Redwood Glen maintenance staff.

From maintenance to food service to housekeeping, Joey was exposed to each segment of camp life and given opportunity to give each a try.  Of all the departments, housekeeping was probably the best fit.  "I don't know why," Joey says, "but cleaning is so much fun and I can do it 24/7."

While serving on summer staff allowed Joey the chance to develop new skills, live on his own, and learn to take care of himself, it also provided him the opportunity to meet some great people.  "I would love to hang out with them more before I leave.  I'm going to miss them so much," he says. 

Like Joey, Andrew also appreciated the people with whom he served this summer. "Having fun, working with, and pulling pranks on the kitchen staff" are Andrew's highlights from his 6 weeks of volunteering. 

Yet before joining camp summer staff, Andrew served as a counselor at Discovery Camp and CMAD (Children's Music And Drama camp), and was a camper at YMAD (Youth Music And Drama camp).  Through his involvement with the youth group at Vallejo First Baptist Church, Andrew has not only spent many weeks at camp but weekends also in service projects through the years.

"I have always wanted to work here," Andrew says.  "I thought it would be a good opportunity to serve."

If serving as a camp counselor for two weeks and volunteering as summer staff for six weren't enough, Andrew also participated in a mission trip to Mexico after his time at Redwood Glen before returning to high school in Benicia where he lives.

Like Andrew, both Joey and Tashi also included a mission trip in their summer of service.  For Joey, it was a mission trip at a church in Fresno before he came to Redwood Glen.   For Tashi, it was partnering with a church in Costa Rica through her church, Alameda First Baptist, before volunteering on summer staff.

Tashi's three weeks living in the staff house were not, however, her first weeks of service at Redwood Glen this summer.  Before Costa Rica, she served as a counselor at CMAD, and though she wanted to participate at YMAD (because she loves to sing), she was a year too old to be a camper and a year too young to return as a counselor.

Instead, Tashi chose to take the next step this summer by volunteering on staff.  While busy working in the kitchen and with housekeeping, she appreciates the peaceful times she finds in nature, but also "being able to live here at camp for free!"

"Redwood Glen is like my second home," she says. "I love it here."  Though she would love to stay longer among the redwoods, she needed to return to her home town, Alameda, and begin her second year in college.  But when it comes to Redwood Glen, like Joey and Andrew also, she knows she'll be back.