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. 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 2023 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 is $325 per week plus room and board. You can earn a $500 bonus if you work the entire summer. 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 (May 30, 2023)
Our regular summer programming begins June 11 and ends August 5 (8 weeks of camp sessions).
Staff at HopeWood Pines are off from Friday evening (following staff meeting) to 9:00 am Sunday morning. Staff at HopeWood Shores are off from Saturday afternoon to late Sunday morning. Staff have 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 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.
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.