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5 Questions & Answer - Camp Counselor

Gretchen Dron of Butler Township is an Alameda Park camp counselor. The park offers a variety of day camps, and this is her second year as the head counselor.

Butler County is filled with a variety of people doing interesting things. This weekly feature offers snapshots of some of them by asking them five questions. The latest installment appears below.

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Summer is in full swing, and youths from around the county are looking for something to do. At Alameda Park in Butler Township, a variety of day camps provide some options.

In her second year as head counselor at the camps, Gretchen Dron has firsthand knowledge of how to achieve the goal. Here, the 22-year-old Butler Township resident describes her view from the playground:

QUESTION: What camps do you offer for what ages?ANSWER: We have 12 theme weeks: We've already been through Skits and Sounds, Sports Week, Fitness and Stars and Stripes. This week is Hobby Hoopla. ... Ages are 4 to 15. We have a few (teenage) kids who are CITS: counselors in training.

QUESTION: How would you describe an ordinary day on the job?ANSWER: Very busy! We are always running after these kids, between the different games and activities they are doing. Every day we always have a craft. We're always trying to do something to keep every kid happy. While one counselor may be with a small group doing something inside the shelter such as a craft or a puzzle or a game, the other counselors will be with the large group on a more intense game (like) dodge ball.

QUESTION: What are your tips for keeping kids happy on long summer days?ANSWER: Keeping them busy and keeping them cool. If we have them busy that's one things; if they're well fed and hydrated, that's another thing.

QUESTION: Any advice to parents looking for a camp?ANSWER: They need to know what their child or children are capable of doing: Some camps are more structured in that they give more one-on-one attention to the child ... others are a group atmosphere.

QUESTION: What is the best part about your job?ANSWER: I love personally getting to know each child on an individual basis, not just as a group. You can learn a lot from these kids. ... It's really nice to get to know them over the entire summer. And they come back year after year as well. We get to see them grow up and become young adults.

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