Gifts for Recreational Counselors

Picking a gift for a recreational counselor

Recreational counselors are the people who keep summer camps, rec centers and community programs running, often on very little sleep and a lot of whistle-blowing. They plan the games, referee the arguments over the four square court, and somehow remember every kid's name by the second day. A gift for them should acknowledge that energy. A bright tee for the program they work in, a hoodie for the chilly early mornings before the campers arrive, or a mug for the staff room where they finally sit down for ten minutes. Put the job title on the front and add the site or program name, their own name, or the summer they worked there on the second line, and the shirt becomes theirs instead of a generic staff tee. If you're buying for a whole staff team, one design with each counselor's name on their own shirt makes a strong end-of-summer gift. Many of these counselors are seasonal, so a keepsake with the year printed on it can become the thing they wear for years afterward.