Today we’d like to introduce you to Georgia Del Favero.
Hi Georgia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Our dream of owning a summer camp together began when we first met as wilderness instructors for Voyageur Outward Bound School in Ely, Minnesota. We loved working with youth, and we loved working outdoors, but we especially loved facilitating meaningful, challenging, formative experiences for youth in the outdoors. For whatever reason, we bought into the idea (at that time) that we needed to move on from wilderness instructing and get “real jobs.” Ever the overachievers, Samuel pursued a psychiatric track that included a lot of time as a behavioral treatment counselor for children on the autism spectrum, ultimately hoping to go to Nurse Practitioner School to work with children in an acute psychiatric setting. I attended law school and pursued a career first as a child protection prosecutor for a sovereign tribal nation, then as a family law litigator in Silicon Valley, California. After more than five years in the Bay Area, COVID struck and we were suddenly faced with an opportunity (like a lot of people) to re-evaluate what we were doing, and why. Though we found a lot of fulfillment in our careers, nothing compared to that original sense of working with youth in the wilderness. One thing led to another, and I found myself coincidentally on the phone with the owner of the summer camp that had changed MY life as a teenager – Camp Birchwood. As we were catching up, he mentioned that twice they had tried to sell Camp, but that neither couple interested in buying it had ever attended Camp Birchwood themselves, and that as a result the buyers “just didn’t ‘get’ Camp, so they vowed to only ever sell to an alum. When I hung up the phone, mildly dumbstruck, I told Samuel what I had just learned. A few months later, a deal was solidified and our lives changed forever.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
That’s a tough question because what is challenging or difficult can be so subjective! In the grand scheme of things were things smooth? Yes and no. I hate to sound cliche, but I really do get the sense that all of our various skills, interests, hard-learned lessons, and personal challenges have come together so that we would be prepared to do this, and to do it well. We wouldn’t feel capable of taking this on if not for the wisdom we have gained thus far along the way (with ever more wisdom waiting in the future of course!).
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Camp Birchwood?
Camp Birchwood is a residential summer camp for girls ages 7 – 17 located on a pristine lake in Northern Minnesota. We have sessions lasting two, four, and eight weeks, with our four week option being the most popular. Campers determine their own activity schedule daily, choosing from over 25 options including everything from sailing, horseback riding (English and Western), arts and crafts, archery, riflery, and windsurfing to theater, dance, pottery, tennis, flower farming, wilderness trips, and more. Alums will tell you that Camp is where they could be their truest selves, make friends for life, and discover what they were capable of. We are a screen-free (no cell phones!) safe haven away from the seemingly never-ending pressures being placed on girls and young women today. Our campers come from all over the country (and the world!) and are led by college-aged women who are chosen for their ability to be role models. The vast majority of our staff were campers themselves. We are incredibly proud of the culture here at camp, and of our community of alumnae (some of which are now sending third and fourth generation campers to camp!).
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Finding mentors is all about having the courage to ask. During law school, I was instructed to cold call attorneys in my chosen practice to ask for informational interviews (to network and potentially find a mentor that I clicked with). Cold calling someone you know to be very busy and in high demand is nerve-wracking, but every time that I did it, I was met with warmth and enthusiasm. As long as you are prepared to be gracious and respectful in the event of a “no” – give it a shot. You’d be surprised how excited people are to be offered the chance!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.campbirchwood.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/campbirchwood4girls
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/campbirchwood
