Hello to all I’ve known and will meet at Camp Augusta. My name is Corey Elliott Bristow. I am the guy you may have seen spinning devil sticks on fire. Or maybe we when zip lining though the trees together. Maybe you don’t remember me, but how could you forget this guy. Semi!
I first came to camp Augusta in 2005. I was a counselor for Cedar 1 and again in 2008 I was a pine four(tress) counselor. Some of the kids I had in my cabins are now amazing counselors themselves. In fact, two of them are MFGs this year; That’s “Masters of Fun and Games”. Last year in 2017 I returned as a counselor for Cedar as well as a ‘hero’ for the rest of the summer. So I’ve known camp a long time now. I have seen camp grow and stay humble over the years. To me camp Augusta is a very large family. A place I have met some of the most inspiring people and have found ways to grow and inspire others myself. I guess that is why I keep coming back. And because I can’t think of a more fun job than getting to play and inspire others to play.
This will be my 6th pre-season with Camp Augusta and my fourth summer. This year I will be a counselor in Pine Village. I will have Semi, my trusty companion with me. He looks like a dog but I’m most certain he is a extraterrestrial being. I found him four and a half years ago in a corn field. He was only two months old at the time. So if I end up being your counselor be ready for having a furry dog in our cabin…
Some things I’ve learned over the years of my 39 circles around the yellow dwarf star have been…
Music, My father was a drummer, his father was a drummer, and my uncle played Guitar… so of course I had to learn how to play everything from trumpet, tuba, French horn, bass guitar/ upright bass, good old Guitar, piano and oh, I sing. I kind of just pick things up and figure them out. The songs I write my self are “for the heart”. I rarely play them in public, and have been more recently. Art can feel so personal, and sometimes its hard to play in front of others. So sometimes I just play camp songs… it’s pretty funny trying to get the local open mic to sing along to the cat came back. So I will have some musical instruments around the cabin and maybe we can all jam out during rest hours.
Another accomplishment of mine was owning my own coffee shop for 6 years. The coffee shop was called café Mekka. I learned a lot about coffee and latte art. Also a lot about owning a business. Ultimately this dream of mine came to an end, and I found a way to fail forwards by creating a mobile coffee cart. Maybe I made you hot chocolate at a family camp or gold rush weekend in previous years. My coffee cart Is currently becoming a enclosed food trailer type thing…and I look forwards to making coffee again this winter after camp.
The best part of not owning a coffee shop was the freedom to find my way back to Camp Augusta in 2017. After last summer, I found myself bragging about how much fun I had had at camp to all of my friends and family. I realized that this job at camp was more than just a job to me, it is a passion. I’m very exited to be at camp this summer and can’t wait to meet all my campers.
In my future I see myself playing music a lot more than I have been. Hopefully that will lead to traveling more. I will get the Mekka cart life to be successful. One goal I think I’m feeling really strong about is to get my level 2 climbing certificate.
Having owned my own business and working other jobs to maintain some sort of financial growth. I realize now that the most rewarding work I’ve found is the type that also offers me personal growth and also feeds me great joy and self-worth after a summer at camp Augusta. I love meeting people in the real world who ask me what I do for a living. I can tell them about camp Augusta and all the fun things we do all day long. It never seems to get old to me.
I will be a counselor for Pine Village this summer and I can’t wait to meet the amazing people who I will share a cabin with. I hope we can create an amazing experience at camp this summer. See you soon!
