Meet Mark and Stephanie!
Meet Mark and Stephanie!
By: Mark Gutman and Stephanie Wezelman
Mark, Assistant Director:
It has been an incredible two months since moving to Milwaukee and joining the team at Camp Interlaken. Now that we have a full team, we have hit the ground running and haven’t looked back. Over the past few weeks I have had the opportunity to start meeting the camp staff; this has by far been my favorite part of the job. Every staff member is unique, but the conversations all lead to their love for camp and how they can’t wait to create an amazing experience for their campers this summer.
Getting to know the staff has made me so much more excited for the summer. As a team, we took a trip to Eagle River to visit camp and it was magical! There was more than a foot of snow and below zero temperatures, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me from exploring my new summer home. We toured the buildings, walked on a frozen Lake Finley, and even played tushball. The entire time, I could not stop smiling as I pictured camp in full swing over the summer and I started counting down the days until we move up there.
If you can’t tell, I am pretty excited for the summer. Until then, I have been spending my time exploring Milwaukee, finding other Colorado sports fans, looking for the best hiking trails, and sampling all the cheese and local Wisconsin foods I can!
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Stephanie, Program Director:
Hi everyone! For those of you I haven’t met yet, my name is Stephanie and I’m the Program Director for Camp Interlaken. This isn’t my first time living in Wisconsin, as I went to school at UW-Madison a few years back (Go Badgers!), but I recently moved to Milwaukee from Chicago, Illinois. My camp experience includes many years at Friendly Pines Camp in Prescott, AZ and most recently, years at Camp Manitou Canada. Being in this role as the Program Director and back in the camping world is truly a dream come true, and I am ecstatic for the summer and to work with such an amazing team!
Since December, I’ve been hitting the ground running with all things camp. I’ve been traveling all over the country for camper recruitment, and I am happy to say that we have so many awesome new campers for Summer 2017 who can’t wait for Lake Finley and the Wisconsin northwoods. It’s been interesting to learn where all of our campers come from, and how most states in the USA are represented somehow through our campers and staff! In the coming months, you may catch me on the road at various camp fairs, Parlor Meetings, and camper gatherings.
Another part of my job has been all of the marketing and social media for camp. We recently made a #Snapchat account (@campinterlaken, follow us!) and plan to post summer updates frequently for those who aren’t at camp. We also are doing fun campaigns on Facebook and Instagram, so follow along if you don’t already. Additionally, I’ve started planning for programming, and getting the schedule together for an unforgettable summer.
The team went up to camp a few weeks ago, and we were greeted by 16 inches of snow. Being from Arizona, I had to borrow snow pants! We walked through camp and explored (and even got to stand on a frozen Lake Finley!). Although it was winter, it was easy to imagine all of the greenery and memories being made in this place. It made me smile thinking about the fact that I can’t wait to be back.
There have been so many moments since I started where I just get this incredible feeling inside knowing that my summer will consist of camp again, and specifically Interlaken. In a place that is rooted so deeply in tradition, I will be learning from each and every one of you… I am thrilled to make Camp Interlaken my home. It’s a countdown until camp, cannot wait to meet all of you! Please feel free to reach out and introduce yourself in the meantime, and no matter when you attended camp, send me your favorite summer programs.
