I have been volunteering at Summer Camp with the green team for three years now and it gets better and better every time!
Some of my favorite memories have been seeing the people that I have made friends with at past Summer Camps while volunteering and being able to share good music and good vibes with them whilst keepin’ it green
Last year I had the good fortune of working in the artist catering area, which was really nice but I was a bit disgruntled with one particular shift because I had to miss Gogol Bordello :/ About an hour before their set, a few guys from the band came in to eat and the lead singer, Eugene Hutz, thanked me for the work I was doing! Hearing genuine appreciation from an artist I respected made me feel really grateful to be exactly where I was and doing what I was doing, because of this I don’t regret missing their set at all
Although that particular instance was special for me, it feels great to hear “thank you” from the numerous festival goers that are appreciative of the work we do to “keep it green.” With all the gratitude I receive each year from artists and hippies alike, I can’t help but stand guard by the trash/recycling/compost bins or do the sorting shifts with a smile on my face Thank you Summer Camp!!

I love you guys, see you in May! (lineup already looks awesome!)

Aside from meeting some of the genuinely nice US populace outside the Northwest, I was taken by my chance. After a day of volunteering where I directed kids to proceed in the direction they were going. (I guess I was better than a sign. No hold ups or kids going off course). I lucked into the BrainDamagedEggman VIP staff volunteer space. Just awesome…., Thank you as I look forward to volunteering again this year and giving my won upgrade to friends of mine.

Do good.

I went into the festival last year knowing only one person and a couple bands… Throughout the weekend I made many friends that I still keep today, got covered in colored powder, sweated, danced my butt off, slept in a hammock from the trees, smelled terrible, and was exposed to countless (great) artists. At one point, my friend and I sat in a field at sunset with a band playing from behind us and I remember thinking that I was stinky, tired, itchy…and completely content. That memory is one of my favorites, and I never would have had it had I not stepped out on a limb and volunteered. Thanks Summer Camp :]
- Liann

Volunteering at Summer Camp last year was a wonderful opportunity to meet the goodness, face to face, in the community that this music festival brings together. I worked the Green Team, with two recycling/trash shifts, and much of my job was reminding folks what bin their waste needed to be disposed in. I was positively uplifted by how much gratitude people gave to me for doing this. At first I hesitated to bug people, but I saw quickly I needn’t be: many people were happy to learn what was compostable and what wasn’t, and I received so many thank you’s and smiles for my simple reminders. Many came up to me and asked what was trash and what was recycle-able. A few were happy to reach back into the trash for a compostable plate, even when I didn’t ask them to. Between shows, when I walked around the field to pick up, again people would thank me for my work, and some even helped pick up bottles. I could see they cared about the values of being “green”, caring about the land that gives so much to us, and caring about our impact on it. In short, my favorite memory is the people, and their good intention, energy and heart that shows we, our generation, our sub-culture, or at least us Campers, are ready to do things a little more kindly.

Here is my colorful team and I (I’m on the right) at the beginning of the fest, bright eyed and clean
I can’t wait to come back to the music, energy, and community of the year’s Summer Camp, VIP tickets or not. Looking forward to seeing you in a few months, Campers!!

Peace and Love

After my first shift as a general volunteer my wallet was lost and never turned in. With no money for food, or gas and my keys gone as well I was a bit anxious as to how I would get home. I didn’t want this to dampen my experience so I carried on planning as I could. The more people I met, the more joy and good vibes I felt! After letting a few people know my story, asking them to keep an eye out for a grandma sized wallet, I was offered gas money for a shoulder rub. One amazing person called AAA for me to get a new key! I ended up offering more back rubs, hand massages, shoulder massages and even leg massages out at the festival if I saw people hunched in pain. It felt good to give back to the community that was so gracious to me. If I had the time to sit and talk about my crazy mishap their generosity made my day, and usually my meal! The companionship and love going around the festival was contagious. The company I met made for an awesome 4 days, too many laughs and overwhelming feelings of community. This year I hope to find everyone that helped me and give them something back! Whether it be a back rub, a laugh or a friendly hug, I cannot wait to experience the feeling of good vibrations.

Hello!!! Last year was my first time attending the infamous Summer Camp Music Festival as a general volunteer. IT WAS AWESOME!! I met some of the coolest people, listened to some great music, and had quite a blast. Some people don’t like the idea of being a volunteer because you miss some of the shows while you’re working. I was fortunate enough to have a job by the Moe stage where I got to listen and dance and see the day shows while also doing my job that consisted of, not letting people walk where the golf carts drive (not too shabby?!). I got to meet this sweet little boy who was running around squirting people with his squirt gun because it was so hot. If his mom weren’t around I probably would have adopted him. Our campsite was perfect as well. Great people, great food, in the woods, I really couldn’t have asked for a better set up. My favorite memory from working was guarding the doors of the late night barn and running into Stasik from Umphrey’s, which was UNREAL. I posted a few pictures that sums up how magically perfect my experience was. Can’t wait until 2013! Not too much longer now!

I volunteered with the Kids Camp 2012, and it was an amazing experience. Being a very hot and dusty year, I felt it was a really prominent year for Kid’s Camp. We not only were providing a sheltered, cool place, complete with water balloon launcher, but also had a creative energy and nurturing atmosphere. For children, a festival can be an overwhelming place, but through volunteering at the Kid’s Camp, I felt that I was elevating the experience and making it a positive, enriching memory. With the amazing people I was working with, Alyssa, Leah, and Ellie, just to name a few of the tremendous people, we were able to provide artistic projects, developmental appropriate activities, and a safe environment. I had a great experience at Summer Camp Kid’s Camp 2012, and I cannot wait to come back as a volunteer 2013!

Hey Summer Campers!

So my best volunteer memory is from 2010 my first year at camp. For my first shift my friend and I were assigned to hang out by the red barn and check people’s passes as they came into the barn. I sat there for an hour or so and then I see some familiar faces rolling up on golf carts. It was Umphrey’s McGee!!! I was in awe because they are my favorite band and I could hardly speak to them. I told them how much their music meant to me and how much I appreciate them. I didn’t have my camera but I will never forget meeting them.

I love Summer Camp and all the positivity that engulfs the campgrounds. I have been the past 3 years and will not miss camp for anything. My best memory from 2011 was dancing on stage behind Girl Talk it was sooo much fun. Last year I won a freaking golden ticket and I won tickets to see Brain Damaged Eggmen in the red barn from technaflora. Summer Camp has been so good to me and it feels great to volunteer and give a little back to the festival that just keeps giving to me.

Happy camping freaky people! Stop and say hi this summer! Can’t wait to see all your beautiful faces soon UMPHLOVE

My name is Shazia and I volunteered at Scamp this last year. It was my first time ever experiencing a music festie and let me tell you, IT WAS AWESOME! I hadn’t volunteered since I was a sophomore in high school so I was a little weary about doing it again. I won’t lie; I was super lazy and never thought to do it. My friend Caitlin got an email about volunteering at the festie and we thought, why not? I have to admit that I learned a lot! Before I volunteered I never really cared about trash on the ground, I did try to recycle but never made a huge effort with it. After seeing all the trash and waste that people had thrown on the ground, I was VERY disappointed. I realized that this is the earth I live on, and these people are using it as a wastebasket. It takes more time than anyone thinks to actually pick up everything on the ground after a show. Not only that, but sorting it all out isn’t the most pleasant thing to do. I couldn’t believe how many people threw their cigarette butts on the ground! I felt as if I was picking up thousands of them! Me being a smoker I came to my senses. I have yet to throw a butt on the ground since I volunteered at scamp. If I can’t find a trashcan, I stuff them away (no matter how BAD it smells by the end of the day). Not only do I take care of my butts, I also try to take the butts of my friends (hehe) as well and express how bad it really is to litter. I also purchased an ash cup for my car on the way back to Colorado. I make a HUGE effort to recycle now and sort through my trash now. I am a teacher at a childcare center in Fort Collins…you can only imagine the amount of paper we throw away. Since I get recycling at my house, I have now started to collect the paper scraps and cans/bottles from work. After the bags are filled, I throw them in my little car and drive home for the bags to be recycled. I may not get everything I can, and some of the other teachers may not care but I think I am still helping a little bit.

Regardless of whoever wins this contest, I would REALLY like to thank Brad for arranging Scamp to have a street team. It was an awesome time and I really hope other people get to experience what I did. I also really appreciate my Scamp water bottle, it kicks ass! I was sad to loose my volunteer bracelet, I was able to get the latch thing off and tie it around my wrist. I wore it for about four months until it finally fell off while I was out and about. That was my only disappointment. You guys are all awesome, I made a few new friends while volunteering, I plan to continue to volunteer at least twice a year at festies, keep up the great work!

Thanks,
Shazia