By Christine Ziemer ’04 and Allison Dietsche ’04
Reprinted from the Boynton Society Newsletter, a publication for supporters of Björklunden vid Sjön.
Imagine living in a little wood-heated cabin right on the shores of Lake Michigan.
Imagine waking up in the morning to watch the sun rise over the lake, casting
red and pink beams across the calm water, or sitting out on the grass on a
sunny afternoon watching the waves gently rolling in to the shore. Imagine
having over 400 acres full of trails to wander anytime you like. Imagine having
a walk-in refrigerator full of the most delicious left-overs to eat anytime.
Imagine bonfires by the lake under a sky full of so many stars you can hardly
pick out constellations. Imagine sharing this experience for an entire summer
with friends — and being paid for it.
Working at Björklunden for the summer is a truly unforgettable experience.
The land, the people, the guests, the atmosphere — everything is just
incredible. This is a place where you can relax, notice nature, feel healthy,
and enjoy life.
We came here for our first night of work just hours after our graduation ceremony
at Lawrence. Although we knew some of our fellow staff members fairly well,
others were merely acquaintances. We didn’t even really know each other,
regardless of the fact that we were in the same graduating class. However,
the staff bonded quickly — there’s no way around it when you’re
working every day with the same eight people. As a staff, we’d engage
in fun excursions outside of Björklunden, such as mini-golfing at the
Red Putter, drive-in movies, and ice cream at Wilson’s. We also had a
lot of fun on the property: going for runs together on the many trails, playing
lawn Olympics (which consisted
this summer of bocce ball, horseshoes, and wiffle ball), and watching movies
or playing games in the cabin.
Of course, working at Björklunden isn’t all fun and games. We served
meals, cooked, cleaned rooms, chopped wood, gave chapel tours, cleaned some
more, mowed the lawn, and washed dishes. And, of course, there were the weekly
staff talent shows. It was fun, as staff members, to get together with different
people and come up with new, creative acts to perform for our guests. We did
everything: skits, musical instrument performances, singing, juggling, telling
bad jokes. We even put together a kitchen drum band that not only made a few
talent show appearances but also became an attraction in the Fourth of July
parade in Baileys Harbor.
Although the experience of working at Björklunden is an incredibly enriching
one, among the most fulfilling things we took away from the summer were the
relationships we formed with the people we met there. Guests at the Björklunden
seminars and Elderhostels, Lawrence alumni, and Door County residents were
all extremely friendly and interesting to talk to. We all have countless memories
of Björklunden guests and the impact they had on our summer. Furthermore,
the friendships that began in the summer, both among the staff and between
staff members and others through the Björklunden connection,
are sure to last far beyond our time together in Door County.
Imagine that.
The 2004 Björklunden summer staff (left to right): Jordan Webster ’03, Kathryn Kraemer ’05, Bradley Behrmann ’04, Kelly Scheer ’05, Christine Ziemer ’04, Reid Stratton ’06, Allison Dietsche ’04, Megan Hamm ’06, Angela Frocillo ’04, Douglas Detrick ’06
