SPOTLIGHT! - DOUG ULASZEK

Doug - All-Pro Counselor. Scratch golfer. Aspiring closer for the Chicago Cubs.

Well howdy Doug! What have you been up to since summer?

I’ve been living it up out in corn country, at THE Iowa State University. I just started my junior year there studying Journalism and Religious Studies. Also, I’m a CA (community advisor; same thing as an RA) on campus. Between that and homework, I’ve been keeping plenty busy.

What is your favorite thing about Camp Gray?

Oh man, that’s tough…there are so many things I absolutely love about Camp, but if I had to choose, I’d say parent feedback. It feels incredible to know just how much of an impact we as a staff have on our campers. There’s not many summer jobs where you can say, “man, I really made a difference in that person’s life,” as much as you can as a camp counselor.

What was the best lesson you took from summer camp 2009?

Patience! When you are responsible for 8 Settler boys, you better have some. If you don’t, you’ll learn it quickly, like I did. Holy Cow…let’s just say I have a new found respect for mothers and elementary school teachers.

What is your absolute favorite memory from summer? (I know you have like 39, but I’m confident you can narrow it down to one)

The Week 8 CTF was epic. I was a Pathfinder counselor that week, and between us and the Ranchers we had about 35 people against about twice as many Trailblazers. It was a really close fought match. The Pathfinders were down pretty much the whole game, but we scored the winning point with like 2 minutes left. I mean, you could put that game on ESPN Classic it was so good. That was also my last CTF match of the summer, so it was especially sweet to end it like that.

What is your favorite book?

I’m a big Harry Potter fan, but I think I’d have to say The Lamb’s Supper by Scott Hahn. Or anything written by Scott Hahn for that matter. In The Lamb’s Supper, he talks about how the book of Revelation relates to the Catholic Mass…reading it gave me a completely new outlook on the Mass. It went from something I just did every Sunday to something I look forward to every week.

Name one improvement you would make to camp?

I would love to see more Praise and Worship music…We do it after Mass on Fridays, but it would be sweet to have 20 minutes every day just to praise God through song.

You have a free ticket to go anywhere in the world. Where would you fly?

Is it cliché to say Rome? I’m a big history nerd, especially when it comes to Church history, so I think I would just be beside myself in the Vatican. There’s so much faith and history there; I could probably stay here for months and still not see everything.

Who is the biggest hero in your faith?

You know, I really can’t say I have a biggest hero. There have been a lot of people throughout my life who have had a great impact on my faith…one is definitely Fr. Larry Bakke. This summer I got to know him, and he is truly a great man of God.

Who is your favorite Saint?

Hmmm…I’ve always been partial to St. Sebastian (my Confirmation name!). Any guy who goes up to the Roman Emperor and tells him off for persecuting Christians, then gets ordered to be put to death, doesn’t die, but goes right back and tells him off again is seriously cool.

What are your top 3 favorite spots on camp? Why?

3. Cassidy Athletic Field – CTF on the AF. Nuff said.

2. Patrick and William Picnic table for lots of good conversations with staff when campers are asleep.

1. St. Francis of Assisi Chapel because, well, Jesus is there! Mass, Adoration, No Rosary No Dinner; every powerful faith experience I had this summer happened there…it is truly a special place.

When you were of Settler age, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I think my mom told me once I wanted to be a chemist, but I also remember wanting to be a reporter. Ironically, I started college as a Chemical Engineering major and ended up in Journalism. Oh, and a professional baseball player (actually, that’s still true…can you say Fantasy Camp?)

Favorite Bible verse?

Colossians 3:17 – “Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of Christ Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Honorable mentions – 1 Timothy 4:12, Luke 22:26, and Jeremiah 17:7.

Well thanks a lot, Doug! Do you have any closing words?

Sure. I firmly believe in God putting people where they need to be. Way back in February, I got a call from my old boss telling me that she didn’t have a job for me that summer; I had been planning on working 40 hours a week developing pictures at the Walgreens I had worked at since I was 16. “Well, that’s great,” I thought, “now what?” I was a counselor for a week long camp my parish ran back in high school, so I thought that might be fun to do for the summer. Now, this is the God part. I wanted to work at a Catholic Camp (in truth, I wasn’t sure if those even existed) close to Chicago, where I’m from. So I Googled “Catholic Summer Camp” and just applied to the first one on the list. Camp Gray was number one on that search, and my life will forever be changed because of it…I guess you could say Google (but really, God) changed my life.

Doug teaches this camper the appropriate way to celebrate your first catch at Camp Gray!