PLEASE DON'T LET MR ROBERT SING

It has been 10 years, maybe 15 years or possibly more since I worked at my last summer camp. Years working at the YMCA often blend together as another season of summer camp came to a close this year. Summer camp is one of those legacy programs YMCAs run throughout the country and as a staff member you really love it or really love to hate it. Fortunately for me, summer camp was what I worked up for all year and couldn’t wait for the fun to begin.

I would stock up a few extras every month throughout the year and put aside for my camp. My after-school employees would often beg me to allow them first run of new game, new toy or new activity before summer camp began in middle of June. I never gave in to all the begging, pleading and sad eyes as these were truly special stuff exclusively reserved for my summer camp. From slip and slides in the heat of summer to outdoor sized board games and parachute games, it was a truly something to get excited for! My summer camps always ran everywhere but traditional YMCA facilities … from regional parks and city community centers to corporate headquarters for large companies and hospitals, I’ve managed to successfully operate in various environments and let the magic of summer camp happen.

Throughout my years, I always managed to hire people who helped bring this magical something to summer camp and elevate it to that next level. For this reason, I would hire this magician or “specialty expert” to provide those activities I was never able to do on my own. Whether it was someone who would do team sports of flag football and basketball or the one who was able to expose campers to the wonders of song and music. My staff new better than to allow Mr. Robert to ever lead a group in “I said a Boom-Chica Boom…” Though the campers appeared to just take joy of me singing with them, the staff were clearly embarrassed by me in making a fool of myself. Staff went as far as putting in to our staff manual, “Please – Please – Please don’t ever let Mr. Robert lead your group in song” – especially on a hot, Florida summer, school bus ride to anywhere!

Reflecting back in all the staff who worked with me, I always found ways to find focus on the magical strengths in my team and use it as building blocks to help fulfill their own aspirations and ultimately move on to bigger and better positions within the YMCA movement or help them find themselves in life. I tried to minimize much of their weaknesses and help build them up to become better rounded – however, for my own singing this didn’t help.

The memories of my time operating summer camp are not merely nostalgic but are reminisced with fondness of the magic each team member brought to share each and every day. It didn't take much more to be reminded of the importance of believing in the magic that occurs when the right performers are able to dance to the song despite how awful their lead vocalist is. It all comes down to serving with passion and performing your best with love in all that you do.

I close, in song, singing to you in the best possible tone-deaf voice I can and “I said a Boom-Chica Boom…”