Help us welcome our new Camp Assistants, Ashley Kelliher and Brandon Benfield! As Camp Assistants, this duo will help coordinate all things Camp Promise: staff recruitment, cabin and counselor placement, summer and virtual programming, conduct week-long magic, keep smiles on all faces, and much more.
Brandon enters this position with years of counselor experience through the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Jett Foundation’s Camp Promise. Last year, Brandon was a counselor and friend to our campers at Camp Promise Rockies and East locations.
“As a Camp Promise Assistant, I plan to enrich both camper and counselor experiences by bringing new and exciting activities to each camp,” says Brandon. “I am excited to support Jett Foundation’s mission by giving each camper the best experience possible – these camps have been the most rewarding times of my life.”
Brandon enjoys when he can “bust a move” and “get groovy” at each Camp Promise Dance, which takes place on the last night of camp. He says, “There is something special about seeing the once-shy campers open up and truly enjoy each other’s company. Kangaroo court is a close second on my list of favorite activities, despite my history of being unfairly convicted of committing camp crimes, such as being too cool.”
Fun facts about Brandon:
- He is an Engineer Officer in the US Army Reserves,
- played baseball for 12 years and wrestled for six,
- and is a House Volunteer for the Ronald McDonald Charity House.
Ashley also served as a counselor at Rockies and East camps in 2022, but has been a member of the Camp Promise family since 2019 and has participated in many of Jett Foundation’s Team Jett events and awareness days.
“As a Camp Promise Assistant, I plan to create an unforgettable week for all campers,” says Ashley. “I hope to bring campers closer together and help them forget about their day-to-day challenges and anxieties.”
Ashley is eager to work with Jett staff on a more professional level and to learn about all of the work necessary to create magical experiences at Camp Promise.
Ashley shares, “So far, my favorite camp activity is Kangaroo Court, which is a fun and often messy court hearing among campers and counselors (lots of condiments and water balloons). As for my favorite memory, I loved taking a hot air balloon ride with my camper, Wyatt.”
Last summer, Ashley shared many laughs with her cabin on a daily basis. “When campers fish at our Rockies location, they have a competition to see who can catch more. To my memory, one camper caught close to 50 fish and others weren’t too far behind. Friendly competitions are so fun and contain lots of banter.”
Fun facts about Ashley:
- She played soccer for 12 years,
- receives happiness from her dog, the color blue, music, and movies,
- and is ambidextrous!
Jett Foundation is very excited and proud to have Ashley and Brandon assist in Camp Promise operations and planning and continue to serve our community on a daily basis. There is no question to whether you will be met with a smile or a joke when meeting this duo at one of our five camp locations or virtual activities. We can’t wait to see the magic they help create.
To connect with our new Camp Assistants, you can email them at [email protected] or [email protected].
