SHARON – Silver Lake Conference Center is excited to welcome Ruth Choate to the year-round staff as Administrator.
Say hi to Ruth Choate, the new Administrator at Silver Lake, when you call or come to camp.
If you were at camp in summer 2019, you might recognize Ruth. She served on the 2019 Summer Staff as Resource Coordinator - Administration. Prior to coming to Silver Lake, Ruth worked for seven summers on the staff of Pilgrim Lodge, a UCC camp in Maine, where she served as the Bridge Director, Assistant Director, and Waterfront Director. Most recently, she worked at the Lewiston Public Library in Lewiston, ME.
“We are really excited for Ruth to join the Silver Lake team,” said Rev. Ryan Gackenheimer, Executive Director. “She brings a wealth of experience in the UCC Outdoor Ministry world. She has a passion for this ministry and for changing the lives of young people. She will help make Silver Lake even more welcoming and wonderful.”
Ruth arrived from Maine this week on the heels of a snow storm. She is getting settled in and is excited to be a part of the Christmas at the Lake weekend.
“I’m really interested to see how camp operates in the different seasons,” she said. “I’ve really only ever seen it in the summer.”
In addition to acting as the face of Silver Lake – she will be the first person you see when you arrive at the office, and is likely to answer the phone when you call – Ruth will serve as the summer camp registrar. She will help families with the registration process, health forms, and getting to know camp. She will also do a lot of behind-the-scenes work with databases, fundraising, and communications.
Ruth said her favorite parts of camp are swimming and high ropes. She is a certified lifeguard and lifeguard instructor. She has not been trained on facilitating high ropes, but said she is always happy to climb.
When she’s not at camp, Ruth enjoys traveling. She has set a goal of visiting all 50 states before she turns 30, and has only 8 to go, including Alaska and Hawaii.
“I’m looking forward to working with Silver Lake families this spring and to seeing them all when they arrive for check-in this summer,” Ruth said.
