Why not have the best summer of your life?

Just four hours from San Francisco, tucked into the breathtaking forest of the Sierras is Camp Mather, a summer camp that has created treasured memories for San Francisco families for nearly a century. I spent eleven consecutive summers at Camp Mather from 2005 until 2016 before joining the staff as a camp assistant in 2019. 

2019 was the best summer of my entire life. 

To rewind a bit, my childhood revolved around Camp Mather. My family went various weeks but eventually settled consistently on the week of fourth of July, along with about five other families who loved Mather as much as we did. To this day, three years after my summer on staff, I can confidently say I think about camp every single day. 

Mather was our place to just be. Some days we spent hours playing sports, horseback riding, or exploring Yosemite, and others were spent simply laying at Birch Lake from breakfast until dinner, stopping only for lunch and a daily General Store ice cream. Evenings at Mather were nothing short of magical, from campfires, to stargazing, to talent shows, and of course, the highly anticipated teen versus staff capture the flag. 

Being a camper at Mather is a week of rest for the soul, with no texts, no calls, no emails, and minimal commitment to just about anything. I could write an entire novel about my camp takeaways, but I will leave you with the two most important: 

First, I developed a deep passion for the outdoors that shaped my personality and perception of the world and people around me. Second, I knew I would be a counselor one day, filling the shoes of the hilarious, kind young adults who make Mather so special. 

Flash forward to 2019. I started work Memorial Day Weekend in a complete snowstorm and within the first twelve hours, I felt surrounded by people I had known forever. With about seventy staff members aged between 18 and 30, the counselors quickly become a close-knit family. My coworkers came from every single walk of life and background, and the only clear denominator between any of us was a love for adventure (and a great sense of humor). 

The Camp Mather General Store manager is recruiting candidates who'd like to serve as store clerks during the Summer 2023 camp season. Duties include customer service, cashiering, record keeping, inventory tasks from ordering to display, soda fountain tasks, cleaning including janitorial, store opening/closing, and other duties as assigned while maintaining a safe work environment.

Store Clerk positions are seasonal May 15 through mid- September, non-exempt full time (30-40 hrs. a week). The shifts may be up to 6 days a week, day, night, holidays, and weekends. Compensation is $17/hr with free room and board at Camp.

If you're interested, please email a note and resume to the General Manager at storemanager@campmather.org, with a CC to focm@campmather.org. We plan to conduct interviews with candidates in late March/early April, 2023.

The Camp Mather General Store is located on-site at Camp Mather at the intersection of Evergreen Road and Hetch Hetchy Road, a one-hour drive to Yosemite Valley. The store stocks a variety of food, drinks, and sundry items the guests and staff may need at camp, as well as serving tourists staying nearby or passing through on their way to Hetch Hetchy. The General Store has a large deck and an active soda fountain featuring ice cream cones, milkshakes, floats, and many other treats.

​Camp Mather General Store is operated by the Friends of Camp Mather, a 501(c)3 non-profit. Its mission is to support the programs and the environment of Camp Mather; all profits go back into camp. The Friends of Camp Mather is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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Friends of Camp Mather is seeking candidates for the role of Store Manager of the Camp Mather General Store for the Summer 2023 season, May 1–September 15, 2023.

We are looking for someone retail experience, an upbeat and professional attitude, and a love of the Camp experience. Duties as Store Manager will include hiring, scheduling, and managing staff, as well as essential responsibilities such as purchasing inventory, handling cash, bank deposits, and processing payroll. Final inventory will also be required at end of season.

The Store Manager will be supervised by the Board of Directors of the Friends of Camp Mather, and we will provide you with consulting assistance to get the store up and running for the season.

Benefits include salary, housing and meals, and the joy of being at Camp Mather for the summer.

The Camp Mather General Store is located on-site at Camp Mather at the intersection of Evergreen Road and Hetch Hetchy Road, a short drive to Yosemite Valley. The store stocks a variety of food, drinks, and sundry items the guests and staff may need at camp, as well as serving tourists staying nearby or passing through on their way to Hetch Hetchy. The General Store has a large deck and an active soda fountain featuring ice cream cones, milkshakes, floats, and many other treats.

For more information, please contact the Friends of Camp Mather at focm@campmather.org.

Camp Mather General Store is operated by the Friends of Camp Mather, a 501(c)3 non-profit. Its mission is to support the programs and the environment of Camp Mather; all profits go back into camp. The store is open seven days a week during the summer season at Camp.

The Friends of Camp Mather is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Camp Mather reopened for 2022 after two years of pandemic-related closures. And though Covid did cause some interruptions this year, it was wonderful that so many families were able to return to — or have a first visit at — Camp this year. In fact, we’re already looking ahead to next summer, and that begins by reflecting on this year’s successes and challenges.

That’s where you come in: Did you visit Camp in 2022? Please help us by taking our Friends of Camp Mather 2022 Camper Survey! We’re eager to hear from you and other campers about your experience, feedback, and ideas for Camp Mather. You can complete the survey via a quick Google Form at https://forms.gle/Q4nGgWKKbHw8kavG6 (and feel free to share the link with family or friends who visited Camp in 2022).
 
We hope to hear from you!