I’m Nana (Siobhan Murtha), the Camp Director. I’m an RN by trade. I have been involved with Kiwa Day Camp since 2005, first as a Unit Leader, then as Camp Nurse. I have been the Director of camp since fall of 2008. I love watching the kids have a great time at camp. I especially love giving PAs the opportunity to grow in their leadership skills. For those who know my PA daughter is now an adult, I have no plans to retire anytime soon!
WonderWoman (Lindey Burroughs) is my Co-Director She’s been involved with camp since 2015 and came with her memories of Kiwa camp as a child herself. WW takes on much of the coordination of supplies since I now live in PA. Her organizational skills are a boon to camp and her ideas are always fantastic.
Coco (Colette Lottor) is my Assistant Director. She has worked on the camp committee as long as I have and is a social worker. She brings lots of camping experience to ‘Kiwa’ and also plans a day and the LateOver. Coco takes care of many ‘little’ details, before, during and after camp and makes my life much easier!
Camp Specialists and Committee At-Large:
London (Fay Marshall), Kanga (Susan Tempero) and Crow (Janine Bolon) are our PA coordinators. Like the rest of us, they both started out as ULs/adult volunteers and fell in love with camp. They run the largest unit of all (45+ girls) at camp: the PAs! They work with our PAs in gaining leadership skills while the PAs are leading camp for your children….quite the job, let me tell you, and they do it well! London and Kanga also plan days each year at camp….we can count on their days to be fun-filled and well thought out. Crow is also our Fire Marshall and works with the PAs to provide safety on fire day.
Iris (Ellen Schmidt), Piglet (Jennifer Patrick): Iris is our PAI trainer and helps the PA-wannabes plan their leadership activities with the younger campers. Piglet heads up the Kiwa Cooker Committee, planning and preparing our camp meals on Wednesday and at the LateOver. Iris is a teacher with SVVSD and Piglet is a restaurant manager. Our beloved Bunny (Brittney Hardin) also helps in the Kiwa kitchen.
Tonks (Sara Lally) and Kringle (Christine Jones): These ladies work for their respective school districts as a teacher and in child psychology, respectively. Both bring a child’s perspective to our planning and help make camp great. Tonks is usually a UL and Kringle spends her camp days traveling around camp making sure all is well and filling needs as they arise.
NightOwl (Ana Lucia Martin del Campo) and HummingBird (Priscilla Orozco): Our ULs extraordinaire, these ladies will be our PAI trainers this year. Both ladies love camp and bring a range of skills with them to enhance our programs. The days they plan are phenomenal. Both NightOwl and HummingBird help us make our camp inclusive for girls of all cultures.
Shutterbug (Lois Killion) is our camp photographer and devotes her day to recording camp activities and taking unit photos. A former circus performer, she also brings loads of fun ideas to our camp planning. She has 2 PA daughters and gives lots of insight on the teenaged mind!
JellO (Jane McCray) and Smurf (Claire Murtha) are our Kiwa Camp Specialty Trainers. Our Kiwa PAs require more leadership training and outdoor skills for our camp since they 100% lead camp during camp week. These ladies make sure that training is top notch and our new Kiwa PAs are ready to join the PA ranks, seamlessly transitioning from Kiwa camper to Kiwa PA.
With the help of all these special ladies, camp has evolved into the magical place that kids, PAs and adults love. Over the years we have developed lots of the special features our families have come to expect from us….the PA program, Minis and Boys programs (i.e. full inclusion in camp activities), the LateOver and the family friendly nature of our camp and lots more.
I couldn’t run this camp without each one of them and the talents they bring to our camp. I thank them on behalf of all our campers/PAs/Boys/Minis for their hard work before, during and after camp.