Over the next few months, we’ll be introducing you to our summer staff for 2016. Meet Joe, a former Bar 717 Ranch camper, who will be joining us as a first-year counselor this summer!
What is your name?
Joe Simon
Where are you from?
I’m from Los Angeles, California, but I currently go to Vassar College in upstate New York.
What program(s) will you be leading at camp, and how did you get your experience in that area?
I’ll be leading extended backpacking trips and baking in Gates Gables kitchen! Food and the outdoors are probably my longest lived passions. I’ve been backpacking and enjoying food, often at the same time, for years. My dad started teaching me how to cook and bake when I was five. I love to make treats with my friends. I first started backpacking as a camper at 717 when I was 13. Since then, I’ve tried to make at least one trip a year either solo or with a few friends.
What drew you to the Bar 717 Ranch?
As a camper, I always knew I’d want to return as a counselor. The ranch has been like a second home to me for close to ten years, and now feels like the right time to come back and facilitate a new generation of great experiences.
What are you most looking forward to about camp?