Thursday, March 9, 2017

Familiar face returns to camp as director

Amber Peretin
If you've camped at Conshatawba within the last few years, you've probably met Amber Peretin. She's been living the camp life at Consh every summer since she was a Daisy Girl Scout.

Most Girl Scouts today know her as a fabulous counselor who goes by her camp name, A2P2. We're so proud to announce that Amber, a.k.a. A2P2, is taking the lead as director of Camp Conshatawba! 

Excited? Us, too! We can't wait for all the adventures that A2P2 has in store for Girl Scouts this summer at Conshatawba!

Q&A with A2P2

How long have you been with GSWPA and/or your particular camp?
Seasonal staff 4 years but I've been a camper and a volunteer at Conshatawba since I was a Daisy.

Were you a Girl Scout growing up? Did you go to GS camp? Yes, I was a Girl Scout growing up! I started as a Daisy and stayed with a troop until Cadettes. But regardless of whether or not I was with a troop, I always came back to camp at least once a year.

Tell us about yourself (family, hobbies, etc.) I am a native of the Johnstown area so I grew up about 10 minutes from Conshatawba. I'm also a big history buff and a backpacker.

What's your favorite camp activity and why? My favorite camp activity is the climbing wall. I think it is one of the best camp activities because it's challenging both physically and emotionally. It is a place where you can really push yourself to do the thing you never thought you could, whether that is a more physically challenging climb or if you have to work up the courage to take even one step. Either way it's about that moment when the climber has to decide and I've seen some pretty amazing moments of courage and personal growth, regardless of the outcome.

What do you like best about working at camp? There are so many things that make working at camp amazing and it all has to do with the environment. Camp is all about unplugging, learning new skills, making new friends, growing as a person, and keeping things fun! We strive to do this with every camper that comes through the gate and because those are our goals very often our staff grow in similar ways. I know I did!

What makes the camp you work at so awesome? Conshatawba is such a great camp because it feels like home. It's a safe space for campers, staff and volunteers to grow and learn. The land is beautiful and we have great units that give us all the space and atmosphere that we need to create memories that last.

Do you have a favorite GS camp memory? My favorite Girl Scout camp memory would have to be from when I was a new counselor. We had a small group of campers that got really excited about stargazing and decided that they wanted to sleep under the stars that night. Before long they had most of the unit convinced that we should move for the night. So we grabbed our sleeping bags and moved out to the open space by our unit for a night of stargazing.

Learn more or register for exciting summer camp sessions at gswpa.org/camp.