A beloved Jameson Camp family
member is leaving the Hoosier State for the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Outdoor Education (OE) Director Brent Cummins
is moving to Minnesota with his wife, 2 children, and their dog, Rasta. Brent leaves behind 5 years of experience at
Jameson and many wonderful memories of staff and campers.
Jameson Camp has grown a lot since Brent started working in September 2011. It’s gotten busier each year, so much so that this year, from mid-April until August, there was a group of kids or campers at Jameson every single day. This reflects one of Brent’s proudest accomplishments as OE Director: growing the Outdoor Education program from serving less than 1,000 people a few years ago to over 8,000 people this year. Executive Director Dan Shepley had nothing but praise for Brent. “He did such a great job for the camp,” Dan said. “We were able to offer day camp because of his help in the summer. And new partnerships were formed by him that enabled us to meet the growing demand for the program while keeping our costs manageable.” There is no doubt that Brent did his part to ensure both youth and adults were able to achieve the Jameson Camp tagline: Get Outside, Grow Inside.
Of his many great qualities, perhaps the most recognizable is Brent’s calm demeanor. Talking with him for even just a few minutes, you feel like you’re on a La-Z-Boy at a San Diego beach. Development Director Yvonne Matlock agrees. “He’s always laid-back and easy-going,” she said. “I’ve never seen his feathers ruffled.” It’s the type of personality that helped him excel as the OE Director and more importantly, as a father. One of Yvonne’s first memories of Brent and his boys was when they were 2 and 4 years old. “I’d been working here only a few weeks when they sketched a giant ‘I love you, Dad’ in the snow outside the Retreat Center,” she said. “It’s refreshing to see what a great family he has and how he puts his family first always.”
His paternal instincts have played a vital role not only with his own family but with the Jameson Camp family as well. After Yvonne was diagnosed with a pretty serious heart condition, she thought she was going to need a pacemaker. One night after a fundraiser at camp, Brent showed up unexpectedly to help break down everything, giving her orders not to be doing certain things. “It was nice that he cared,” Yvonne said. “He’s someone I’d hope my son would be like in that regard.” Dan also appreciated Brent’s character, saying, “He always brought a great attitude, sense of humor and willingness to pitch in and help where it was needed. We will all miss him.”
But perhaps the most disappointed member of camp isn’t actually a person. Brad Higgins and his dog Chance have been Jameson Camp mainstays for years. Now Chance must say goodbye to his canine crush, Rasta. Often the 2 could be seen wagging their tails and gazing into each other’s eyes. Then one day Chance noticed his girlfriend carrying bags and a plane ticket, so he put two and two together. The overwhelming grief led him to Yvonne’s office and her endless supply of treats. However, his Facebook relationship status says ‘It’s Complicated’ so he clearly is still feeling some mixed emotions about Rasta.
The feeling of staff admiration is mutual with Brent. “It’s been great working with such honest, professional, and passionate people,” he said. “I have learned more than one thing from each person and will truly miss their smiles and determination to serve the youth of Indiana.”
On December 5th, Brent will officially start his new job with Camp Fire Minnesota. He will be in charge of all aspects of Camp Tanadoona and Camp Bluewater. He’ll also start an Outdoor Education program from scratch. He is excited for the future, but he will never forget his past with Jameson. “I will miss the kids, staff, and the property. This has been my family’s home for about 5 years and it will always have a special place in our hearts.”
Happy Thanksgiving!
Kevin Johnson
kevin@jamesoncamp.org
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