Hello dear readers…

I am writing this, sitting on my porch here at Camp on Sunday evening… a cool breeze blows… mosquitoes ignore the citronella candle burning by my side and pester my legs and neck and arms and… I think a real “go getter” just got me right through my shirt…

The last of the Conference groups who stay overnight have checked out… two more day groups to go… and our Ad Staff training beginning tomorrow… and I am excited. Excited for what the Summer will bring. Hot and long days in the Kitchens for myself and my crew, doing what we do best… feeding hungry people. Satisfaction guaranteed both for the children and staff that we feed AND for us in the Kitchen. Satisfaction for us is a job well done… the smile or high-five from a Camper… the thanks from a parent of a child who may have some challenging eating habits or allergies… the appreciation of the Staff for all that we do.

Being a Chef or working in a Kitchen is not as glorious as you might see on T.V. on your favorite cooking show or Chef competition. It’s even more demanding physically and mentally than you can imagine. More fast paced than the Indy 500.

Most days are good days… and everything goes to plan. Other days the power goes out… or a delivery of 300 pieces of foodstuffs arrive in the middle of feeding 300 Day Campers. Rain. Heat… and more oppressive, humidity. But we knuckle down and make the magic happen. Guaranteed.

This will be my 17th summer in the Food Service department here at YMCA Camp Ockanickon, Inc. and it is gearing up to be the biggest and, in my view, the best one yet. I have an outstanding Staff… a mixture of seasoned veterans and first time Staff who are learning quicker than I imagined and on the ball every day.

I seem to say that every year but every year I mean it wholeheartedly. With another year of experience under my belt and under the belts of some of my seasoned staff we’ll be sure to turn every curve ball into a home run. I won’t settle for anything less. With 3 Camp Directors with a decade of true, honest and strong leadership under their belts as well… and a strong core of Staff whom we’ve “homegrown” ourselves… quite frankly… we can’t wait until the first cars pull in with Campers, new and old, to give them memories that will last a life time, confidence to expand their boundaries and character that they can carry on for the rest of their lives.

For the next two weeks we will be getting our Staff prepared and trained and then… let the fun begin!!

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Thanks for reading… and be good…

Chef Jason