After snapping a photo of Luke Gardner, better known around camp as “Muffin Man,” being named Counselor of the Week, the site directors at the Claire Chapin Epps Family YMCA couldn’t shake the feeling they’d seen that picture before.
A quick trip through old camp photos confirmed it.
Five years earlier, Luke had stood in almost the exact same spot, smiling proudly while holding another YMCA award.
This one read, “Camper of the Week.”
“It was really cool that it came full circle,” Brianna said. “When we gave him Counselor of the Week, we went back through old photos and realized he had been Camper of the Week too. It was fun comparing the two versions of him—one as a camper and now one as a counselor.”
When Luke looked at the photo, he laughed.
“It makes me really happy,” he said. “And kind of embarrassed.”
He quickly pointed out the details only a teenager would notice.
“I don’t know what was going on with my socks.”
The picture may make him laugh now, but it also represents nearly a decade spent growing up at the YMCA.
Luke started coming to summer camp when he was seven years old. Aside from one summer spent visiting family in Ohio, he’s returned every year since.
Asked why, his answer came easily.
“I just like the environment,” he said. “The people.”
Somewhere between elementary school and high school, camp became more than just a place to spend the summer. It became a place where he learned how to connect with people and became more confident in himself.
“It helped me become more social.”
Today, Luke experiences camp from the other side.
Instead of waiting for counselors to lead activities, he’s leading them. Instead of looking up to older staff members, younger campers now look up to him.
A few weeks ago, those efforts earned him Counselor of the Week.
For Brianna, the recognition was about much more than showing up each day with a positive attitude.
She’s watched Luke grow from a camper into someone who now helps create the same experience for others.
“Since he’s been in our programs for so long, he’s grown so much,” she said. “Now he’s giving kids a belonging place at the Y.”
That idea of belonging is something Luke thinks about often.
When asked what he hopes one of his campers remembers years from now, he didn’t mention field trips or hours spent playing sports and doing crafts.
“I hope they remember to respect everybody,” he said. “That’s one of the main things I try to teach them.”
For many children, the YMCA becomes one of the places they remember most when they look back on growing up.
Every once in a while, those children come back.
They become the counselors leading songs on the bus, encouraging nervous campers to try something new, reminding kids to treat one another with respect, and helping shape those same memories for the next generation.
Sometimes all it takes is one old photograph to realize just how far they’ve come.
This story is shared in recognition of Century 21 Boling, whose generous support of the Claire Chapin Epps Family YMCA Hope & Possibility Fund helps make financial assistance and life-changing YMCA programs possible for children and families across our community.
