Frequently Asked Questions

This can vary widely, but in general those who have an excellent experience at camp and come back for multiple summers can look like this:

• VERY flexible: able to change direction on a moment’s notice and carry on

• VERY energetic: able to sing songs, lead games, and act positive all the time (even when they don’t feel like it!)

• A VERY effective communicator: does not spread rumors or bad feelings. Talks out problems with the person involved and doesn’t search for conflict or attempt to turn others to negative thoughts or actions.

• Positivity and creativity help a lot too!

Staff work Sunday through Friday and are off on Saturdays (except for July 2nd). On full days of work (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday), staff receive 3 consecutive hours off. On one of those days, instead of 3 hours off, staff receive a night off from 6 PM - 12 PM (6 hours off).

Staff must report for duty on Sundays by 11 AM and are finished on Fridays by 6 PM. On Sundays and Fridays, staff receive 1 hour off.

Staff are welcome to leave camp property on their time off, but must sign in and out of the camp office when they leave and return. Staff who are repeatedly late coming back from time off may have this privilege revoked. Staff need to be back with the unit, not just back on camp when their time off ends.

It is not always possible to grant additional time off, but all attempts will be made to accommodate the needs of the staff. Additional time off requests will be deducted from your pay.

Some positions are open to staff who want to commute. Commuter staff can expect to work 40 hours per week (schedule TBD). See Positions at Camp for more information.

Most of our staff identify as female, but we have staff of other genders who work at camp as well. In a typical year, we are comprised of about 30% international staff and 70% American staff, but with COVID-19 restrictions it's difficult to guess what those percentages will be in 2022. Many staff have previous Girl Scouting or Girl Guiding experience. We expect to have mostly new staff in 2022.

Camp Winona last ran in summer 2019. In summer 2021, our sister camps Potomac Woods and May Flather ran camp safely without any COVID-19 cases by:

• Requiring staff and campers to wear masks when around others who were not in their cohort or indoors

• Requiring vaccinations or weekly testing for staff and campers

• Screening campers and staff for COVID-19 symptoms every day when camp was in session

• Holding most activities outside

• Developing and implementing a communicable disease plan

It's likely that many of these requirements will still be in place for summer 2022, but this section will be updated when we get closer to the summer.

What are the campers like? Campers come in every possible make and model! We serve Girl Scouts primarily between the ages of 5 and 17. These campers come from all sorts of backgrounds and experiences. They have many reasons for being at camp (lifelong dream, been here every year, parents forcing them to come, etc.). Some will be sweet and helpful, others will test you constantly, others will be sad, depressed, or clingy, some will be better at our jobs than we are, and some will go through multiple attitudes and behaviors in the short space of a session. Campers are the reason we are here, and they MUST be your primary reason for coming to camp. Some talk incessantly, some are silent, some will love you unconditionally, and others have never had a reason to trust anyone. Try not to form any ideas about what the campers will be like, as they change every day. Though we call them a “unit”, they are really a collection of amazing, unique individuals who each deserve our very best every day!

Our campers spend a week at camp, then they go home and new ones arrive. One week you might be working with 5-year-olds, the next week you might have 13-year-olds. Sometimes you’ll have a very similar age group all summer, sometimes it will change every week. You never know! But, you get to have a choice in what you are going to do. Before each week of camp, or every other week, you will rank your choices for units (camp programs) you’d like to be assigned to the next week and you will usually be assigned one of your top three.

Meals are served "family-style" in the dining hall and staff are responsible for sitting at a table with campers. When staff are on duty, we expect that they eat the provided meal at a table in the dining hall with campers and model healthy eating habits. You may bring snack items for your time off.

Additional food you bring to camp (other than for medical/cultural reasons) can be stored in the staff house fridge labeled with your name, can only be consumed on your time off, and cannot be consumed in front of campers. Do not bring any food containing nuts - we are a nut-free camp and have many campers and staff with nut allergies.

Camp food is kid-friendly and includes quesadillas, grilled cheese, mac & cheese, waffles, pancakes, stir-fry, chicken sandwiches, etc. There’s always a salad option at lunch and dinner and usually a fruit bar at breakfast. We have a 2-week meal schedule, so meals are repeated every 2 weeks.

We cannot accommodate food preferences but we can accommodate vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan diets. Everything we serve at camp is nut-free. If you have a dietary restriction and have further questions, you can discuss this with the camp director during the interview process.

On Wednesday afternoons, we do cookouts in our units and the campers cook their own food over the campfire, like meat & veggies in a foil packet, english muffin pizzas, or tacos in a bag. On Thursday morning, campers sleep in and eat a cold breakfast usually including bagels, yogurt, and cereal.

During training, you'll be getting to know camp and attend sessions on camper care, emergency procedures, personnel policies, time off policies, health and safety, and training specific to your position (first aid/cpr, health training, program training, or lifeguard training). You may be required to complete brief online orientation activities before you arrive at camp.

Start dates vary by positions between May 28 - June 12. If you need to start later, we can work with you to get you caught up on pre-camp training. The summer season wraps up on August 14, but if you need to leave earlier, we can work with you.

You may bring electronics to camp to use during your time off such as cell phones, laptops, tablets, etc. However, the campers are not allowed to bring these items to camp; therefore, staff are not to use these items in front of campers. Electronic smartwatches may be worn to tell time but none of the apps or electronic functions of the watch should be used in front of campers. Keep in mind that camp is not responsible for any damage to or loss of electronics and bringing these items to camp is at your own risk.