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Current News

News relating to Camp Mather throughout the year.

We Want You! Seeking a Treasurer to Join Friends of Camp Mather

9/6/2023

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​After 20 years of service, Friends of Camp Mather’s Treasurer is retiring from Treasurer duties. She leaves big shoes to fill—are you the person to fill them?

Friends of Camp Mather are seeking a volunteer Treasurer with experience in finance or accounting to join our Board of Directors. This person will be responsible for managing accounts receivable, accounts payable, coordinating insurance, tax filings, payroll, and other needs for our organization and the Camp Mather General Store.

If you love Mather and the General Store, this is a great opportunity to show your support and build connections in the community. If interested, please email focm@campmather.org with a bit of information about your background, and we will be in touch.

Please note that this is a volunteer position. Our board members do not accept compensation, as we want to ensure that all money we raise is put towards supporting and enhancing Camp Mather and the experience of the camper community.
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A Former Camper and Camp Assistant Remembers the Best Summer of Her Life at Camp Mather

4/23/2023

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Ed. note: In this guest post, former Camp Mather family camper and Camp Assistant Nacy Woods shares her memories of her experience up at Camp. Nacy’s personal essay is a treat—enjoy! (And be sure to check out the amazing photo slideshow she shared below as well.)
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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). 

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All counselors are housed together in the Shangs, dorm-style buildings with two or three roommates per room. Some of the best memories I have of my summer are the nights we crowded into one room, stayed up for hours laughing, dancing, crying, and learning about each other. 

I quickly learned the day-to-day responsibilities of camp assistants, which mainly involve kitchen work and cabin cleaning. I won’t sugar coat anything: the work is hard, the days are long, and the mountain sun gets hot, especially when you’re unloading truckloads of food or serving the approximately 400 guests each week. However, camp assistants’ days are broken up into breakfast, lunch, and dinner shifts, allowing for much needed dips in the lake or time to participate in any of the activities. And as an added bonus, I left camp that summer in the best shape of my life. (Thank you, manual labor!)

All counselors participate in the staff talent show, a highlight for the kids and adults alike. Camp assistants are off mid-day on Saturday and one other full day of the week, giving plenty of time for Yosemite day trips, overnight camping, trips to the nearby town of Groveland, or time to just catch up on sleep, preferably on the lake lawn. 

If you’ve read this far, you’ve probably realized I am trying to convince you or someone you know to take the leap of faith and apply for the job. I am a better, stronger, and more confident person because of my experience at Mather. I discovered the person I wanted to be at camp and have held onto her ever since. 

Take the job, the real world can wait. Allow yourself the opportunity to be completely and utterly alive for twelve weeks. I guarantee you will leave camp in tears but as the best version of yourself yet. 

Oh and by the way, you make great money.

Why not have the best summer of your life?


P.S. from the editor: Thank you, Nacy, for sharing your wonderful memories and photos with us!

​If Nacy’s story inspires you to experience a summer working at Camp Mather, please consider applying for a job up at Camp! See the links below.
​
  • The San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department is hiring for a variety of summer staff roles at Camp, including lifeguards, camp assistants, and recreation leaders. Learn more and apply on the SFRPD web site.
  • Friends of Camp Mather is recruiting candidates who'd like to serve as Camp Mather General Store store clerks during the Summer 2023 camp season. It’s a great summer job with free room and board at Camp. Learn more.
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Now Hiring Staff for the Camp Mather General Store for Summer 2023

2/20/2023

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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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​We Want You for the Camp Mather General Store!

1/11/2023

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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.
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​Friends of Camp Mather | FoCM@campmather.org | 415-570-8593
PO Box 320542 San Francisco, CA 94132-0542
Camp Mather Reservation Desk | SF Recreation + Parks
Camp: 35250 Mather Road, Groveland, California 95321-9717
FoCM is a 501(C)3 Non-Profit Organization | Privacy Policy
  • Home
  • Gala and Fundraiser
  • Camp News
  • Camp Details
    • General Camp Information
    • Contact Camp Mather | SFR+P
    • Directions to Camp
    • Camp Rules
    • Trails + Hikes
    • What to Pack
    • Camp History >
      • Camp History
      • Historical Photos
      • Camp Mather 1949 Plan
  • Meet FoCM
    • What FoCM Has Done for Camp >
      • FoCM Donations to Camp
      • FoCM Volunteer Leaders
      • Past Volunteers
    • About FoCM
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      • Miwok Acorn Cooking
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    • Contact FoCM
    • FoCM Board of Directors
  • General Store
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