CAMP REGISTRAR
Mandee grew up in a family of six in California. During the first two years of her life, she lived at YMCA's Camp Bluff Lake, where her parents fully embraced and embodied Camp Life. Although this chapter of her life was brief, cherished photos, videos, and memories of their time at camp left a lasting impression on her. The decision to leave the small town of Big Bear Lake led Mandee's family from the San Bernardino Mountain Range to the sandy shores of Pismo Beach, ultimately settling in the charming city of San Luis Obispo, California. Here, Mandee enjoyed a vibrant childhood filled with a wide range of sports and activities, including water polo, surfing, softball, volleyball, hiking, and more. Throughout these years, she also stayed connected to camp life, spending memorable times at Hume Lake, Camp Good News, and Fall Forward.
After high school, Mandee chose to continue her education as a student-athlete at Anderson University in South Carolina. While she loved California, her curiosity about the world motivated her to explore new places and meet new people. Mandee enjoyed playing softball in South Carolina, but she deeply missed being in the water. This longing led her to apply to Grove City College, where she could pursue her preferred sport while benefiting from a more comprehensive communications program. Mandee graduated from Grove City College in 2013, having spent four years playing water polo and embracing numerous opportunities to create video projects. One highlight was a documentary capturing her final season of water polo—an accomplishment she cherished, though sadly, it was lost forever when the computer containing all her hard work was accidentally formatted.
After college, Mandee moved between jobs, never viewing them as long-term careers, instead dreaming of far-off places and planning adventures. Despite this, she always found time to nurture her passions as hobbies. One of those passions was surfing, which serendipitously brought her and a boy named Marc together through their shared love of sand, waves, and sunshine. The connection quickly blossomed, and the two were married in January 2017, celebrating while dancing in the rain aboard a boat in the picturesque harbor of Morro Bay, California.
Since their wedding day, Marc has faithfully followed Mandee on her journey from California to Southern Illinois and eventually to Wisconsin. Their longest stay was in Marion, IL, where Mandee discovered a new passion while running the Young Adult department at the public library. This role gave her a sense of purpose she had never experienced before, solidifying her desire to continue impacting the lives of teens, whether in a library setting or beyond.
A brief stint working in the hospitality industry in Wisconsin reaffirmed Mandee’s desire to reconnect with teens and rediscover a deeper sense of purpose. During many emotional conversations with her parents, they reminisced about the transformative experiences and lasting memories created at camp. Inspired by these reflections, Mandee began applying for camp positions, eventually landing a role at Camp Henry in Newaygo, MI. Grateful for the opportunity, she and her husband decided to take a leap of faith, leaving behind more lucrative careers to embrace a life of meaning and fulfillment. Now living in Muskegon, MI, with their three cats—Crowley, Castiel, and Spooky—they are glad they returned to the enriching world of Camp Life.
Contact Mandee at 616-717-5566 | [email protected]