I’m More Than Just The Outdoor Adventure Guy!

Hello all! My name is Rob, but almost all of my campers and their families know me as ‘Sexy Rob’ (long story!).  I’m 25 years old and from a small country across the pond called England. During the winter months when I’m not at camp, I work for a local restaurant in my city, and I also like to travel abroad whenever I can. Going to camp every summer lets me visit my favorite city in the world, New York City! I love the lights, music, theatre, and of course the New York Yankees!

I do have a passion for big and hectic cities, but I also have a thing for nature and the countryside as well – which is why I love Tyler Hill! I remember my first time leaving New York on a bus going to Honesdale, PA to go to camp. I did not know what to expect, but what I encountered took my breath away. It’s a place surrounded by trees, fields, big lakes and stunning views. Waking up to see the sun rise over Laurel Lake and watching the sun set at night by the Camp-I-Theater are views worth dying for.

I have been going to Tyler Hill for the past five summers and am counting the days until I can finally return for my sixth. I remember attending a job fair at my local college in 2009.  I applied for a position at Tyler Hill thinking nothing would ever come of it. However, the day came where I had my interview with Andy and he offered me a job in Outdoor Adventure.  I had always planned on working at Tyler Hill for just one summer and then focusing on my career and education back home, however there is something so special about camp – somehow it draws you back summer after summer.

One of the best parts of camp is watching my campers compete in the many sporting events we have – whether it’s on the football fields for the Lazarus Bowl, in the Tyler Dome practicing for the Gordon Cup, or even just a game off GAGA when there’s free time.

There’s also nothing better than watching your campers coming back as Junior Counselors after their CIT year. Being able to work with, give advice to, and to make them better people as camp counselors, while being a role model for younger campers is truly a thrilling opportunity.

Besides being a counselor, I also run the Outdoor Adventure program. Normally, you’ll see me and my staff working high up on the rock wall, sending you shooting down the zip-line or harnessing you into the swing for a quick journey over the lake.

Going camping over-night is also an amazing experience. The best memories many of us have are hanging-out under the stars at night listening to the sounds of the camp-fire crackling, making s’mores with our friends, singing camp songs, and on some occasions if we were lucky enough, Wendy will come down and play her guitar for us all around the fire.

Tyler Hill is a place that can change your life in an instant, personally and professionally. Tyler Hill really does live up to its’ motto ‘Our camp’s mission is to teach children the skills of making and keeping friends, while building their self-esteem, self confidence and resilience’.  If someone said to me ten years ago that I would be going to a camp like Tyler Hill year after year working with some of the best people, mentoring and coaching campers, and of course waking up to that sunrise, I would say ‘yea right’.  And yet here I am, loving that I can return to the place that I love – summer after summer.