Every summer staff has their own story.
Some years, Lakeview Ministries welcomes back a large group of returning staff members who already know the songs, the schedules, the traditions, and the rhythm of camp life. Other years look a little different.
This has been one of those years.
“Recruiting summer staff was tougher this year,” said Ellie “Frisbee” Lutz, Senior Program Director. “In many ways, that is part of the natural cycle of camp ministry. Some seasons bring more returning applicants. Other seasons require more searching, more prayer, and more trust that God will provide the right people at the right time.”
And He has.
“One of the cool things about this summer is that Lakeview has welcomed a larger number of staff members who had never been to Lakeview before,” Frisbee said. “In another year, many of these roles may have been filled by returning staff. But this year, God opened the door for new people to serve — people who may not have had a spot otherwise, but who have already become a blessing to campers, families, and fellow staff.”
It has been a joy to watch them in action.
Here are three new Lakeview staff members serving for the first time this summer.
Ethan “Stats” Tellock, Camp Lakeview Junior Staff Coordinator: Discovering a Deeper Call to Camp Ministry
Ethan “Stats” Tellock may be new to Lakeview Ministries, but he is not new to outdoor ministry.
“My name is Ethan, a.k.a. Stats, and this is my first summer serving at Lakeview Ministries,” he shared. “This is my fourth summer on an outdoor ministry staff, however, as I originally served with Camp Luther in Wisconsin the previous three summers.”
For Ethan, camp ministry started as something he thought he would try once. In 2023, his campus pastor encouraged him to serve on a camp staff for the summer.
“I was confident it would be a one-summer deal,” he said.
But God had other plans.
“As you can tell, the Holy Spirit was working in my heart, and I felt called to come back summer after summer,” Ethan said. “Now, camp ministry is the career that I really hope to pursue in the future.”
That growing sense of calling is part of what brought him to Lakeview. After three summers at Camp Luther, Ethan wanted to broaden his experience and learn how another outdoor ministry shares the Gospel with campers.
“This summer has been such a blessing to me,” he said. “I’ve met so many amazing new people who have the same drive for Christ as I do, and everyone’s bonded together so great.”
He has also enjoyed jumping into Lakeview traditions and activities for the first time.
“All the new experiences and methods of camp have been so fun to live out,” Ethan said. “New activities like Mudpit, Creek Stomping, and cake raids have been a blast to get to be a part of. And, most of all, the Christ-centered environment has been a joy for me thus far in the summer.”
For Ethan, serving at Lakeview has confirmed the joy and purpose he continues to find in camp ministry.
“It’s so tough to explain what I love so much about camp ministry to someone who hasn’t experienced it,” he said. “But if you’ve ever worked on summer staff, you totally understand.”
Kim “Jaz” Lundgren, Lakeview Villages Counselor:
Following God Eight Hours from Home
Kim “Jaz” Lundgren began looking at camps because she knew she wanted to serve as a counselor.
“I had been considering it for a couple years, as I’ve always loved working with kids and went to camp when I was younger,” she said. “It worked out perfectly for me to pursue it this summer.”
Kim grew up in Auburndale, Wisconsin, a small town where she has lived her whole life. She attends Concordia University Wisconsin, where she is preparing to enter her senior year in the music therapy program. She is also involved in youth ministry at school and hopes to one day work with youth in a mental health setting.
This summer, however, God led her somewhere new.
“I’m from Wisconsin, born and raised, but I really felt called to work at someplace new,” Kim said. “I looked through the NLOMA site for weeks at all the different camp options. I decided on this one, even though it is about eight hours away from home.”
That step of faith brought her to Lakeview Villages, where she was offered a position as a counselor. “I was blessed with the offer to be a counselor, something that I have absolutely loved so far,” she said. “It is definitely something that God called me to look into, and it has been a wonderful blessing.”
Kim has especially appreciated the relationships she has formed with both campers and fellow staff members.
“One of my most favorite things about serving on staff has been all the wonderful people, both campers and fellow staff members,” she said. “It is truly a wonderful place, and I am surrounded by some of the most supportive and kind-hearted people I’ve met.”
She has also been encouraged by the faith of the campers she serves each week. “All the campers have been wonderful, and it is inspiring to see their faith each and every week,” Kim said. “I’ve loved the time I’ve spent here so far.”
For Kim, this summer has been a reminder that God can use a new place, new people, and even an eight-hour trip from home to create a meaningful season of service.
Annie “Frizzle” Hughes, Lakeview Villages Crafts Specialist:
Teaching, Creating, and Talking About Jesus
Annie “Frizzle” Hughes did not expect to spend this summer serving at camp.
“This summer I was not expecting to work at camp at all,” she said. “In fact, I thought that I was going to return to the job I worked last summer.”
But through encouragement from friends, prayer, and God’s guidance, Annie began to sense that camp was where she was supposed to be. “Thanks be to God, He had other plans,” she said. “My friends encouraged me to work at camp, so I applied. Though I went back and forth a lot with prayer, I knew that ultimately this is where God was calling me.”
Now serving as the Crafts Specialist at Lakeview Villages, Annie has found joy in helping campers learn, create, and grow.
One of her favorite parts of the summer has been the opportunity to talk openly and often about Jesus. “A highlight of mine, thanks be to God, is how much I get to talk about Jesus and nerd out about theology,” Annie said. “I love deep diving into God’s Word and getting to help campers learn new things about what God’s Word says, especially from a historical aspect.”
Annie also loves watching campers discover new skills and take pride in what they create.
“Just getting to teach campers new ways of doing things like crafts and getting to see them understand what they’re learning,” she said. “All praise to God!”
Annie’s story is another reminder that God often works through unexpected invitations, trusted friends, and prayerful uncertainty. What began as a summer she did not expect has become a summer of meaningful ministry.
A Summer Full of New Stories
Ethan, Kim, and Annie are just three of the new staff members serving at Lakeview this summer. Their stories are different, but they share a common thread: God drew them here.
Some came from other camps. Some came from other states. Some came after months of searching. Some came after friends encouraged them to apply. Some were not planning on camp at all.
But now they are here — leading activities, building relationships, teaching campers, sharing God’s Word, and helping create the kind of Christ-centered community that makes camp such a meaningful place.
This summer may have started with a tougher recruiting season, but God has used it to bring new people into the Lakeview story. And as campers see these staff members in action, they are seeing more than counselors, coordinators, and specialists. They are seeing faithful servants who answered God’s call.
