Quarter of the way there!

Hi!

Thank you for supporting me this summer on my journey to the mountain.

We are a fourth of the way through. Isn't that crazy? Time flies when you are having fun I guess!

Thus far this summer I have had one week of training, two weeks of pre-camp, and one camp week with 70 amazing campers.

In training I met all 38 of my fellow staff members and began to work to plan the best summer in Mountain T.O.P. history. Our training sessions revolved around conducting a camp and facilitating projects as well as just getting to know one another. At the end of the week I had a new family, a new support system. Some of my fellow staff members I have had as staff when I was a camper, others I had been a camper with, so overall it was exciting to see everything come back full circle. There are actually six of us on staff from Cannon UMC. Brooke is a director for the adult program while Cody, Austin, Alex, Hank, and I are all ministry coordinators for the youth camp. As a ministry coordinator, we help plan nightly worships and lead our major groups (our division of approximately 20 campers) and YRGs (groups of 6-8 campers) through daily daybreaks on the job site as well as their projects (painting, construction, or yard work). We also visit families for projects and businesses for donations. We are always on the go!

(The six Cannonites at a staff dinner. L to R: me, Cody, Austin, Brooke, Alex, and Hank)

Our training week ended with our staff reveal. My staff consists of Melissa (director), Mylie (program manager), Charlie (field manager), Tim, Jon, Andrea, and Austin (ministry coordinators). This is cool because Melissa was my program manager last summer, Charlie was an MC for me two summers ago and Austin is also from Cannon. I love my staff so much. We work together to keep each other smiling and centered on why we are there. I couldn't pick a better staff to spend my summer with. We are all weird but oddly our weirdness compliments each other.

(My staff at a staff outing L to R: Austin, me, Tim, Melissa (mom), Andrea, Charlie, Mylie, and Jon) 

(Greeter Falls)

We also have gone on mini-adventures for R&R on Saturday nights. Our first adventure was to Greeter Falls to go hiking and swimming. Of course we soon had to get back to work but it is always nice to take a break and relax with one another rather than getting burned out.

Our week of training ended with commissioning where we worshipped as 39 before we broke off into our five respective staffs at our two camps for the summer. It was bittersweet because we wanted to stay together especially after we just became friends but it is great to know that they will be touching lives this summer too.

(Andrea is on my staff)

(Dan is also at pines but on the other staff)

(We also went to Relay for Life.)

We then entered a time of pre-camp for the next two weeks. It was during this time that we found and confirmed projects and planned all of the worships. I also made deliveries of wood to houses in MY PICKUP TRUCK. Yes world, you should be afraid, very afraid. I, Lauren Taylor have learned to drive a pick up truck and throw wood. Needless to say my biceps and farmer's tan have grown from non-existent to being barely noticeable since then.

(Alli and I on my first real day of deliveries)

Finally we were prepared and had our first camp week. I absolutely loved my campers. They were hilarious, fun, and made my job feel easier. I only had one YRG this week due to numbers and the fact that it was  a safe-sanctuary week (two 22+ year olds were required to be in each group). It was a blessing to get to know them and learn about their faith journeys. Over the week they painted a porch, koolsealed a trailer roof, built a 6x6 shed, and finished another 6x6 shed. I couldn't have been more proud of them. It was sad to see them go but  I have a new bunch of campers coming in in less than a week!

(The shed they built)

(A prank they pulled on us including putting ladder art around camp. We applauded their effort.)

I am now on break once more with Melissa and Andrea in Monteagle (a nearby town) at a family's home from the community. A lot of families in the community open up their homes to summer staffers on breaks and provide us with food, beds, and laundry. I don't know what we would do without them. Last break I went to my roommate Emma's home in Nashville. It was nice to catch up and spend time with the Reidy family!

(The view from the back porch of my current break location. It is so beautiful!)

(Emma and I decided to straighten our hair)

Thank you for your continual support of my mission and my dream of working on staff at Mountain T.O.P. The past couple of weeks have been a dream come true and not a moment goes by where I don't think of how much I love my job and how blessed I am to have people like you cheering me on.

I hope you are doing wonderfully!

Best,
Lauren