Karen Steelhammer has announced her retirement from the Office Administrator / Registrar role of Pilgrim Lodge. While we will deeply miss Karen, it is with incredible gratitude that we celebrate all that she has contributed in nearly two decades of service to Pilgrim Lodge. Karen joined the team in 2005 and her last day will be July 31, 2024.
Karen has been steady, calm and effective in her work throughout her long tenure at Pilgrim Lodge and supported camp through many celebrations and seasons of transitions. Karen was part of Pilgrim Lodge’s 50th Anniversary Celebration in 2006 and provided capacity for the transformative work of the Pilgrim Lodge Capital Campaign and the resulting building projects at camp, including the construction of Quitobaquito. During the two summers of closure due to the pandemic, Karen held the operations of Pilgrim Lodge together so that camp would be ready to reopen and welcome us back in 2022.
For many families or folks from churches, Karen is the voice of Pilgrim Lodge when calling the office to register a camper, ask about scholarships or review questions about camp. For campers, Karen is one of the first faces they see in the registration line as they sign-in to camp. For staff and volunteers, it is Karen who welcomes them and gets them moving in the right direction. It is humbling to consider how many lives Karen has touched during her tenure at camp as she has so gracefully done the work to make camp possible for hundreds and hundreds of people.
Please make a point to reach out to Karen (ksteelhammer@pilgrimlodge.org) in the months ahead to share your appreciation for all she has accomplished and for the spirit she brings to our camp community.
