A Summer Adventure That Became Something More
When Charlotte Schmechtig applied through Camp America, she expected a summer filled with fun, friendships, and new experiences far from her home in Germany. In 2024, she was hired as a summer counselor at Camp Pecometh, and adventure seemed just around the corner.
What Charlotte didn’t expect was that camp would offer something even deeper: a chance to grow closer to a member of her own family—more than 4,000 miles from home.
Sharing Camp With Family
As Charlotte prepared for her first summer on staff, she knew her role would be focused on creating meaningful experiences for campers. What she didn’t yet realize was how much she would want to share those experiences with someone she loved.
She invited her cousin, Magnus, to join her for a week at Pecometh. After exploring the Pecometh website, Magnus was intrigued by the activities and excited by the opportunity to practice his English. He registered for Late Night with Jesus, one of Pecometh’s most popular high school programs.
That week exceeded every expectation. Magnus quickly made new American friends, embraced camp life, and discovered a favorite activity on Pecometh’s Giant Swing. It became a week he would never forget.
When Camp Calls You Back
After Late Night with Jesus ended, Magnus returned to Germany. A few weeks later, Charlotte’s summer on staff wrapped up, and she returned to Europe as well. They assumed their shared Pecometh experience had come to a close.
But camp has a way of calling people back.
Charlotte hadn’t planned to return to Pecometh in 2025. As a student, her life was busy, but she had loved her time at camp and wanted to experience something new. She applied to serve as a Pecometh Day Camp counselor, secured her visa, and prepared to return for another summer.
And of course, that meant Magnus was coming back too. He registered once again for Late Night with Jesus, reuniting with friends and continuing the journey he had begun the year before.
Discovering the Value of Family at Camp
For both Charlotte and Magnus, their time at Pecometh revealed something unexpected: the profound value of sharing camp with family.
For Charlotte, having someone she knew outside of the staff community mattered deeply.
“It’s nice to have someone I know,” she shared. “He brings me home a little bit.”
For Magnus, having a family member nearby created comfort and connection in a new environment.
“It’s great,” he said. “It’s great to have a person you can speak with in your language. I enjoy my time with her.”
Camp became a place where they could grow individually while staying rooted in their shared history.
A Place That Feels Like Home
After two summers at Pecometh, Charlotte and Magnus both know they have found more than just a camp—they’ve found a home. Pecometh strengthened their family bond, and in turn, that bond deepened their connection to camp.
Charlotte hopes to return to Pecometh’s summer staff in 2027. Magnus is even considering applying to be a counselor himself someday.
When asked what he would tell others about Pecometh, Magnus didn’t hesitate:
“You’ll have nice memories for the rest of your life. When you’re older, you’ll be able to look back on your time at camp.”
Many people look back fondly on their time at Pecometh. Few can say their camp experience strengthened family ties across continents.