Rancho Santa Fe Community Center Summer Camp Counselors focus on fun

The summer camp counselors at the Rancho Santa Fe Community Center take their jobs seriously but that doesn’t mean they don’t have fun. In fact, fun is at the heart of the center’s summer camp programs. Program Director Michelle Shah says, “We all remember what a blast summers were as a kid, and our counselors give that feeling of spontaneity and adventure to our campers. Even though they’re learning, they have lots of opportunities to relax and just play.”

Linda Durket, executive director of the Community Center, says, “Our counselors do a wonderful job taking campers all over San Diego and giving them a sense of adventure and respect for the places they visit. Whether it’s exploring nature, culture or recreation, our counselors make sure everyone is having a good time. The first thing parents ask their children when they pick them up at the end of the day is, ‘Did you have fun?’ Our goal is to have every camper say, ‘Yes!’”

The center has a 1:5 counselor-to-camper ratio allowing counselors to get to know each child and tailor activities to their interests. “Our campers become like family,” Durket says. “They really enjoy the support of being with friends and staff who care so much about them.”

The center can accept only 20 Camp Rancho kids per day. “We’re hoping to replace our eight-seat vans with 12-seaters to accommodate demand, so we’re reaching out to local car dealers. As a nonprofit, we rely on donations. Our camps have waiting lists, and we’d love to be able to accept more children.”

In addition to day trips, the center also offers weeklong classes for children looking to learn specific skills such as robotics, healthy cooking, 3D art and basketball.

For a complete listing of classes and camps visit rsfcc.org or call 858-756-2461. The RSF Community Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that has provided summer and after school programs for local youth for more than 40 years.