28 to 28 Associate Profile
Several years ago we launched “28 to 28” as a way for young Staff Alumni to more easily become Associates. Recognizing that giving $500 a year isn’t always easy when you’re starting out in your career, “28 to 28” allows people to give $28 a month to the Mount Hermon Annual Fund until the age of 28 and enjoy all of the blessings of belonging to the Associate family!
Sean Charles Sommerville was our first Staff Alumnus to sign up! We’ve asked him to share about his journey at Mount Hermon and why he has made the decision to become an Associate.
“I first attended summer camp at Mount Hermon as a lowly 5th grader down at Redwood Camp. I never missed a single summer after that and even came back as a “super senior” after graduating high school. I was hooked and knew someday I would come back on staff… so I did (though I’m still not sure who was crazy enough to hire me)! I worked several summers at Ponderosa Lodge, then came back as the Redwood Host intern and Coordinator for the
Echo program in Santa Cruz.
I have been a Christian my whole life, but it was at camp that I finally took ownership of my faith. Escaping the day to day and being surrounded by a staff that was driven by a love for God and others made a huge impact on me, and I still remember where I was sitting in the Forum at Ponderosa when I decided that my faith was no longer going to be something I did just on Sunday mornings. Working on staff was even more impactful and I still think back on late night discussions with staff and campers, of lives transformed for eternity thanks to decisions made, and of all the conflicts that turned into life lessons. Much of who I am today was formed during those summers on staff
at Mount Hermon.
I always loved the idea of giving back to Mount Hermon, but didn’t think that I actually could. When I became an Associate I was working part time as a substitute teacher while finishing up my teaching credential. That was when I heard about 28 to 28, and I knew right away I wanted in. $28 a month? Yeah,
I can do that!
You see, when I went to camp all those many years ago, I was only able to make it due to camperships. Each year my family relied on that extra funding to help get me to camp. The money I donate now goes toward the same campership fund that enabled me to get to camp.
I am so grateful for the role God allowed the Herm to play in my life and I want desperately to see it continue for many years to come. Please please please consider joining the Associate family.
You don’t have to be a millionaire, it’s just $28 a month!”
