Asher Benter

Hey again everyone! Asher here. I’m so excited for the summer to start, campers to arrive, shenanigans to ensue, oatmeal-fight battle-lines to be drawn, and the destiny that is the summer of 2019 to unwind, unfold, and slowly metamorphose from future to present.

This will be my second summer at Camp Augusta, and seventh summer working in the camp world. Last summer I was a wilderness trip leader, taking campers on multi-day backpacking, horse packing, and climbing adventures. This next summer I will hold the role of Village Brain, and I hope to provide logistical program support while placing a focus on Story Experiences and off-site overnight trips.

So what have I been doing since last summer? Well, I never left! Hiring, registration, and program work have been my games, and I’ve now seen Camp in the rainy seasons, the snowy seasons, the muddy seasons, and the quiet seasons. Seriously, the world is eerily quiet here. For now.

The gnomes have decided that they want to redevelop their village, and want to make a community of tiny homes. So, like, tiny tiny homes. Why? I have no idea, except that gnomes are no less susceptible to current trends. The requisite paperwork is a nightmare, gnome contractors are a troublesome lot, and I just hope the nearby pixies don’t start submitting public nuisance reports about all the construction noise that is going to happen. Mediating between the gnomes and the pixies has often been tenuous, and throwing tort law into the mix will likely just give me a headache.

You probably want to know a lot more about me.

I am fascinated by the natural world and I am very very curious. I graduated from the U of A in Tucson with a BS in Environmental Hydrology. Since then I have worked for the Forest Service in California and a geotechnical firm in Oregon.

I enjoy working with kids in the outdoors because it presents novel and unique experiences for all involved. Every day is a new personal quest for both the camper and counselor, and the amount of personal growth potential at camp is unparalleled. I treasure being a part of a cooperative community of wonderful people, and I intend to do whatever I can to make this summer one of significance.

Also, books. Gotta love ’em. I particularly love science fiction novels and short stories (I grew up on Asimov, Scott-Card, and Herbert) and philosophy (JS Mill has a lot of neat stuff to say) .

Here’re some life goals:

• Live in outer space
• Read all the good books
• Meet a lot of people
• Learn how to play more instruments
• Keep up with those people I met before
• Learn and understand mostly everything

You might be thinking “Now, Asher, it’s nice that you have such ambitious goals. But there just isn’t enough time to do all that.”

To which I respond: “Pffft. I plan to live a very very long time. You just see.“

Hm, what else. I laugh and smile freely and easily- a lot of the pictures I have of myself seem like I am on the verge of cracking up.  I’ll become 26 years of age soon. I am from Colorado.  I have lived in three different treehouses in my life, so far. I hope that I can impart to campers a fraughtless love of fun.

I am greatly looking forward to the summer, and I am so excited to meet everyone. See you out there!