Old Bill's 2020: Our New Summer Counselors are the Greatest!
This summer, we hired 9 new counselors to staff Coombs Summer Camp, a series of week-long camps for kids K-9. This new model enabled us to run programs in compliance with CDC guidelines and appropriate safety measures, as well as serving more kids than we ever have in the summer. Thanks to our amazing program staff, over 100 kids will spend over 8000 collective hours hiking, paddling, rock climbing, camping, and rafting in the Tetons.
Hannah Branch
As a native Spanish speaker, Hannah was inspired to move to Jackson this summer to work with Coombs participants and make the outdoors more accessible for the local community in Jackson.
“I can’t imagine what kind of stresses these kids are going through these days, and having an opportunity to interact with new people, especially outside, is really valuable right now,” she says.
Hannah has been amazed at how much more independent the elementary schoolers become throughout a week of summer programs. “On the first day, Maite (6) was too nervous to play on the bouldering wall or get in the water without holding someone’s hand. By the end of the week she was climbing all the way to the top of the wall and running around all by herself!”
“I can’t imagine what kind of stresses these kids are going through these days, and having an opportunity to interact with new people, especially outside, is really valuable right now”
Charlotte Cadow
“I’ve had a fantastic experience working with the kids from our local community,” says Charlotte, who has been living and working in Jackson for the past year. She has been constantly amazed at the group’s active interest in exploration, while paddling around R Park or hiking on trails around Snow King.
Charlotte remembers one day where the group discovered leeches while swimming at R Park. She was a little perturbed by the creatures, but she recalls “one participant admirably and nonchalantly pulled one of these wriggly freshwater worms off of their leg!” Their intrinsic curiosity and admiration for nature has been inspiring for her throughout the summer as she watches them become more comfortable outside and excited to explore.
An Old Bill's gift to Coombs Outdoors gives local kids the opportunity to participate in year-round outdoor activities they would otherwise not have access to.