Employment
Join the HopeWood Outdoors team and help create a welcoming community where faith and nature intersect. Our transformative programs aim to cultivate growth, connection, and hope in a beautiful outdoor setting. Explore our job openings and apply. We’d love to have you join us on this unforgettable journey!
Summer Camp Counselor
Join us for an incredible summer experience at HopeWood Outdoors. As a camp counselor, you’ll have the opportunity to make a positive impact on campers’ lives, develop valuable skills for your future career, and deepen your faith in a fun and supportive community.
If you prefer working at camp in a capacity other than as a counselor, you’re in luck! We also hire young adults to work in a variety of positions that support summer programming through logistical support and leadership. Our support staff serve the camp in a variety of ways, from lifeguarding to serving as a maintenance assistant to assisting in the kitchen and offices. Our Program Coordinator supervises and coordinates summer camp programs in a manner that ensures a safe and enriching experience for all campers, counselors, and guests. Any role you take at camp will empower our campers to have a great summer experience and empower you to explore your next steps in life’s journey.
Our dynamic outdoor programs offer unique opportunities for personal and professional growth, including:
- Developing leadership and communication skills
- Gaining hands-on experience in outdoor activities such as kayaking, ropes courses, and more
- Having fun and forming lifelong friendships
- Strengthening your faith and experiencing spiritual renewal
- Making a meaningful difference in the lives of others
Summer Staff FAQs
The HopeWood Outdoors Camp Counselor shall be responsible for carrying out program assignments and supervisory responsibilities of children at youth programs and program leadership for families.
The HopeWood Outdoors Camp Counselor shall be responsible for leadership and mentoring of campers, providing a safe, enriching, joyful, and Christ-centered experience for campers, consistent with HopeWood Outdoors policies and procedures and the teachings of the ELCA.
- Access our staff application on Camp Brain Staff
- Log in to your existing account or create a new one
- Select the 2025 Summer Staff Application for Lutheran Memorial Camp at HopeWood Pines or Camp Luther at HopeWood Shores
- Complete the application and remember to submit it when finished.
- If you need help accessing your Camp Brain Staff account, or you’d like to learn more before applying, please don’t hesitate to contact info@hopewoodoutdoors.org
Starting pay for 2025 is $400 per week plus room and board. There is a $300 finder’s bonus if you recruit additional staff for the full summer. Each staff’s compensation package will be outlined in their contract.
Staff orientation begins after Memorial Day
Our regular summer programming begins the first week of June and ends the first week of August (8 weeks of camp sessions). For samples of daily schedules, please check the FAQ sections of our program pages for Pathfinders at HopeWood Pines, Family Camp at HopeWood Shores, and Connect Day Camps.
Staff at both sites will daily receive an hour off. Additionally, staff at HopeWood Pines are mainly off from Friday evening (following staff meeting) to 9:00 am Sunday morning, while staff at HopeWood Shores are off from Saturday afternoon to late Sunday morning with an additional evening off each week.
It’s your time to nap, do laundry, explore the area, or whatever it is you need to do to take care of yourself and get ready for the next week!
Not at all! However, we do ask that all staff members be willing to be a part of a community that affirms ELCA Lutheran values and teachings. At HopeWood Outdoors, we are rooted in the Lutheran theology of grace, which shapes everything we do — from how we relate to one another to how we care for God’s creation that surrounds us.
Welcome to HopeWood Outdoors, where faith and the great outdoors come together! Join a community that values diversity and growth and experience the wonders of creation as you connect with God and others.
Mission – faithfully inspiring people to embrace their calling in creation and community.
Vision – Connecting all people with nature and faith to bless a changing world.
Values
- Vibrant Faith
- Cherishing Creation
- Developing and Deepening Relationships
- Inspiring Leadership
- Abundant Stewardship
Welcome Statement
Striving for unity in Christ, your whole person is recognized, welcomed, and affirmed by HopeWood Outdoors. People of all abilities, friends within the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities, and neighbors of varying faith expressions represent the wideness of God’s creation. You are invited to fully experience nature and engage in programming that allows you to find comfort and confidence in the ways that you have been wonderfully made by our Creator. Your joy and pain, your highs and lows, your life and your life story are welcome here.
While we do prefer applicants who can commit to working the entire summer, we welcome all applicants to apply even if they are only available for part of the summer. Please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns about your availability.
Complete the same application following the above steps.
Please specify within your application what support staff roles you are interested in. Support Staff roles include cooks, dishwashers, property & maintenance, office & media support, and lifeguards & waterfront. We also hire Program Coordinators who supervise and coordinate summer camp programs in a manner that ensures a safe and enriching experience for all campers, counselors, and guests. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process.