This summer, we’re launching our Staff Spotlight series to introduce you to a few of our incredible summer staff members. Stay tuned to learn more about who they are, what motivates them to serve, and what they are most looking forward to this season.
“Today is a very special day at Camp Arcadia,” declared the program announcer back in 2004. That day, Audrey Fleetwood celebrated her first birthday on her very first day at Camp, sparking a new family tradition of attending Family Weeks each summer. A few years later, her younger sister, Anna, was born and joined the family on their annual trips to Arcadia. Now, 22 years after that first birthday, both Fleetwood sisters are serving on staff, fulfilling their childhood dreams of spending an entire summer at the Camp they love best.
Hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, the Fleetwood sisters credit their hometown church community with introducing their parents to Camp Arcadia. Now, after a lifetime of looking forward to Family Weeks, Audrey and Anna are overjoyed to be sharing their staff experience and creating Camp memories from a whole new perspective.
Meet Audrey Fleetwood
In the fall, Audrey Fleetwood will enter her senior year at Florida State University, where she is majoring in Media and Communications with a minor in International Affairs to prepare for a career in public relations. This summer, she is bringing those skills to Camp by serving in both the Media and Program departments.
Audrey’s passion for international travel began right after high school when she took a gap year to backpack solo through Europe and Brazil. While she fell in love with Brazil’s relaxed culture, she highly recommends Greece and Budapest as must-see destinations. Navigating the world on her own taught Audrey invaluable lessons about herself, confirming her deep love for exploring new places, trying different foods, and meeting people from diverse backgrounds.
Amidst all her global travels, Audrey is grateful that Camp Arcadia has remained a constant in her life. Growing up, she loved participating in the Square Dance and Patio Carnival each year.
But her favorite activity as a child was shooting at the archery range with her dad. Inspired by their time on the range, her family even purchased their own archery equipment to practice at home.
Because of these great memories as a guest, Audrey was determined to join the staff. She gained her first bit of experience working for two weeks at the end of the 2021 season, an experience so fun it confirmed her desire to return for a full summer. This year, since her sister Anna was finally old enough to apply, Audrey knew it was the right time to join the team.
“The staff culture here feels like a big family,” Audrey says. “It’s so cool to be experiencing that with my sister. On staff, I have made 40 new friends.”
In addition to enjoying the staff community, Audrey is completing a media internship focused on creating Instagram Reels that highlight the Camp experience—from Teen and Family Weeks to the staff perspective. Another of her projects includes hosting short-style interviews at the Patio Carnival, an open invitation for guests of all ages to answer a few quick questions and earn tokens. Through her work on the media team, she is also improving her photography skills and building a professional portfolio for her future career.
As a member of the Program staff, she is also excited to connect directly with guests. While she was primarily focused on spending time with her family as a camper, being on staff allows her to shift her focus toward serving others.
Following her adventurous spirit, Audrey plans to explore Northern Michigan on her days off, including a trip to Mackinac Island and a potential skydiving adventure.
“Camp Arcadia is the most special place in the world to me and my family,” Audrey says. “Every single year, we count down the days until we are here, and it has been such a big part of my childhood, who I am now, and who I am going to be in the future.”
Meet Anna Fleetwood
Anna Fleetwood will be returning to the University of Missouri as a sophomore studying English with a minor in Astronomy. Next year at college, she has an internship as a writer for a cancer research project. Her dream job would be to combine her love of writing with science and work for NASA as a technical writer. This summer, she is serving in the Kitchen and Program departments.
In addition to writing, Anna loves the arts. She participated in her school’s theater program all through middle and high school and loves to draw, having designed custom tattoos for a few friends. To prepare for her summer on staff, she even learned how to play the guitar so she could help lead morning singing and worship services.
As a lifelong camper, Anna’s earliest memories are rooted in Camp traditions, like earning enough Patio Carnival tokens to sit at the Program table and dancing on the tennis courts at the Square Dance. She is such a big fan of the music that she has created a Spotify playlist, with “Donna the Prima Donna” being her favorite. Over the years, Camp has also been a place to have fun with her sister. They both fondly remember taking the stage together at the Camper Talent Shows to perform their own self-choreographed routines.
After dreaming about working on staff for years, Anna encouraged Audrey to join her, knowing this would likely be the only summer they could share the experience. Fortunately, staff life has lived up to her high expectations.
“It is the most high-energy, loving environment,” Anna says. “Each day, I’m so grateful that I get to work at this place and serve alongside my sister and all the other incredible staff members.”
As part of the Program staff, Anna is most looking forward to creating new characters for the Critter Race and Boat Regatta, eager to pass down the unforgettable moments she loved as a child to a new generation of kids.
To Anna, Camp Arcadia is the closest thing to heaven on earth. “It’s my happy place where I am surrounded by a joy and calmness that I don’t experience anywhere else,” she reflects. “Here, I can focus on my faith and enjoy connecting with others.”
Serving Together
More than anything, the Fleetwood sisters are grateful to be able share this experience with each other. Because the staff experience is so unique and profound, it can be hard to fully explain to those back home. For Audrey and Anna, the true gift is that they don’t have to try—they just get to live it out together.
2 Responses
AN EXCELLENT PROTRAIT OF HOW YOUNG CHILDREN YEARN TO WANT TO BE ACTIVE IN THE RKD EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY BECOME ELIGIBLE. WONDERFUL.
Thanks for sharing this with everyone .Great to hear more about the Camp Arcadia staff!