Executive Director Search

A Note from Ray Light, Current Executive Director:

Dear Camp Ten Trees Community,

It is with bittersweet emotions that I announce I have stepped down as Executive Director of Camp Ten Trees. This was an immensely difficult decision to make, but one that ultimately was necessary for myself and my family's best interests.

I have worked closely with the Board of Directors and the staff to create a thorough transition plan that we believe will result in a smooth and quick transfer of leadership. I will be staying on in a minimally part-time capacity to make sure regular operations of the organization continue uninterrupted and to support the hiring and onboarding process for our next Executive Director. I am immensely grateful to the Board of Directors who have supported me through this time and who are well equipped to guide this next step for Camp Ten Trees. Leading this camp over the past few years has been the greatest honor of my career. And while it hasn’t always been easy, I am immensely proud of what we’ve built together and truly believe Camp Ten Trees is in the strongest position it has been in a long time.

When I first started at Camp Ten Trees, we were emerging from one of the most difficult times our organization has ever experienced. The Covid-19 pandemic had isolated us from each other for many years, put so many of our campers and volunteers in high-risk situations, and caused deep hits to our finances and regular operations. On top of that, Camp Ten Trees had lost some of our most cherished community members and we were grieving their absence. There was a time when we weren’t sure if Camp Ten Trees would continue, and if it did, who would we be after these immense losses?

I tell the story often of my first few months in the job, when no one knew how to access our phone line, or what the office Wifi password was, or even where the storage unit was. That first year back was difficult, but little by little and with the incredible support of this community, we rebuilt the program and welcomed over 140 campers to join us in the forest for a life-changing experience. That summer we had 64 fearless, selfless, and unbelievably hard working volunteers step up in a time of unknown to steward that experience for our youth. To the Summer 2024 volunteers: thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your time, efforts, and sacrifices that summer. Nothing that comes in the future of this camp would be possible without each and every one of you.

Since then, Camp Ten Trees has continued to grow and stabilize in incredible ways. In my time as Executive Director, we have eliminated our debt as an organization, started a benefits and 401k plan for all employees, established pre-Pandemic level assets in our accounts, increased the financial support provided to volunteers, and grown our full-time team to three directors. We have reinstated all of our summer camp programs as of this summer and have consistently maintained our promise to never turn a camper away because of an inability to pay. Our greatest accomplishment, however, has been the return and growth of our camper and volunteer communities. It is the people that make Camp Ten Trees so uniquely important, and to see more and more beautiful individuals join around the campfire every summer, and maintain those friendships throughout the year, is where our greatest impact lies.

I will forever cherish the time I’ve spent as Executive Director, and while I am stepping out of this role, I am certainly not stepping out of the Ten Trees community. I didn’t know it then, but applying to volunteer in 2019 was the start of a beautiful new journey for me, and I already can’t wait for my full-circle moment where I join the CTT volunteer crew once again. This place and these people will be a part of me forever, and I will continue to support this community in any way that I can, as I hope and know each of you will as well.

Thank you to every person who has joined me in growing and sustaining Camp Ten Trees these past few years. I have been so wonderfully impacted by each of you, as have the hundreds of campers that have had access to this transformative and life-changing camp experience because of you.

With love and so much gratitude forever,

Ray "Astro" Light

Executive Director