A Legacy in Action: Honoring Andy Voit’s 20 Years of Service to PEAK

PEAK and Lake Valley Camp celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, which we owe in part to a particular employee- Andy Voit. Andy, Lake Valley Camp’s Property Manager, has spent the last 20 years with Lake Valley Camp. He was recognized at LVC through a beloved tradition where he was gifted a camp necklace with 20 beads- one for each year he’s been out at camp. Additionally, Andy received a 20 year milestone award to memorialize his two decades of work. However, these rewards don’t capture his impact. We look to celebrate not just his time with LVC, but his patience, thoughtfulness, and dedication that he has given to make our camp what it is.

Andy grew up in Menomonee Falls and used to work in manufacturing. While he was comfortable, with a good job, his family, and his house, he knew manufacturing wasn’t what he wanted to stick with for the rest of his life. In a stroke of luck, he was introduced to Bill Kellogg, Lake Valley Camp Founder, and Jim Flint, our first Camp Director, in 2003 through a mutual friend. Andy remembered the conversation with Bill and recalled it being a laid-back and grounded conversation. It was clear that this camp would be around for a long time and that Bill wanted to hire someone who could grow with LVC. For Andy, it was his familiarity with Boscobel and its scenery that sold him. Andy described the value in security and growth in a position, even though frequently switching jobs or careers has become more acceptable. "People are pretty surprised when I tell them that I've only had two jobs in 44 years… but that's the kind of guy I am, I give it my all." said Andy.

 Andy was already a skilled handyman in his own ways, but he had no direct experience with grounds management or summer camps before starting. “I went into it with the thought of just soaking in information and using a lot of common sense and just learning as I go, and giving it 120% as much as I could as I went along,” Andy explained. That’s exactly what he did, as he developed new skills, built relationships with contractors, and got to know more of the local Boscobel community. He also grew his relationships with the campers, becoming an iconic camp figure over the years. Lucero Serna, our current Assistant Director of Camp Programs and alumni who joined LVC in the 2000s, remembers Andy well. "It was almost like seeing a mythical hero, [the campers] would get so excited... it always looked like he had something important to do. So there was like a reverence to see him around as a camper,” she recalled. Andy’s title was Property Manager, but to the campers, he was the caretaker of their special place- their second home. Many campers and LTs would look up to Andy and appreciate any and all feedback they got from him. "His work ethic was something to be greatly admired. Andy was just everywhere at once,” Jiselle Rivera, alumni and Camper Support Coordinator, remembered. "Andy always got the biggest round of applause... he didn't really interact with any of us one on one, but we loved him,” she continued, smiling fondly.

It isn’t just the campers that Andy has built relationships with, it’s also the Lake Valley Camp staff. Eve Smallwood, Director of Lake Valley Camp, started in the winter of 2021 and remembered being blown away by Andy’s generosity. "Andy is like no property manager that I've ever worked with, and I mean that in the best possible way,” Eve stated,  “he's incredibly kind, he's thoughtful, he goes out of his way to get nice things for us to make our lives easier... he worked really hard to make sure I felt welcomed there." Hailey Woods, Assistant Director of Camp Operations, shared the sentiment. Despite his long history of camp, Andy’s biggest priority is supporting the team. "He'll drop everything and do whatever it takes to get it done. I really appreciate his balance of perspective and wisdom, but also willingness to have faith in his team and try stuff out,” Haley said. The Lake Valley Camp team has many stories demonstrating Haley's point. Whether it was putting up new curtains, trimming branches, or getting up extra early to clear trees, Andy is always ready to put in the work to make his coworkers’ jobs easier, no matter the task.

Andy has made a lasting impact on the culture, staff, and PEAK campers. As Jiselle says, "You can't work as hard as he does, year after year, in a place and not care, and not have love for it, and love for the people and the community." While Andy doesn’t work with the campers often, he shows his dedication to them through preparing the camp grounds every year. Knowing that he is doing that work and seeing everything come together in the summer is one of Andy’s favorite parts of the work. When talking about what he likes most about camp, Andy said, "Just seeing the kids, knowing that they are out here enjoying it, and actually seeing kids grow up each year…. some are working for us now, and for some crazy reason, these kids like to see me."

Andy is and has been a cornerstone since LVC’s inception. His contribution to the space is evident in every detail. His commitment to working hard, caring for his community, and valuing nature has been handed down to several generations of campers. Lake Valley Camp and PEAK would not be the same without Andy Voit. From all of our staff, campers, families, and alumni, thank you for making the last 20 years of LVC such a special place.