Julia Clukey’s Camp for Girls

We love to share stories about WEXers who are going above and beyond in making a positive impact in their communities and in the lives of others. One such story is about a summer camp in Central Maine that’s a place where pre-teen girls can develop self-confidence and a healthy lifestyle. The driving force behind the camp is former Olympic luger, and WEX Senior Recruiter, Julia Clukey.

“Giving back to my state and community has always been important to me. When I relocated back to Maine following the Olympics in 2010, I was seeking more balance in my life. I knew my athletic success had given me a unique platform and I wanted to use it for something meaningful and to connect with kids. A friend suggested the idea of a summer camp, and I approached my local YMCA to partner with them. They said yes, and in 2012 we held the first of my annual summer camps for girls,” said Clukey.

The need for supporting young girls was clear to Clukey, who was 11 years old when she started in the sport of luge – competing for 19 years, including at the 2010 Olympics. Through her association with the Women in Sports Foundation, she learned just how important being active and involved is for kids in the 8 to 12 age group. During middle school, there’s an increase in kids leaving organized activities, like sports and music – with girls dropping out at twice the rate of boys. This lack of participation usually continues through high school and college, which can lead to a lack of confidence and leadership skill development that can even impact future professional life.

The Camp Experience

Competing in luge, Clukey developed skills that are valuable in sports and in life, and it’s those powerful tools that she shares with girls every summer at the two-week camp. She observes that the peer pressure to fit in as girls approach middle school can often cause them to lose their inner compass on who they are and what makes them unique. Everything at camp is focused on helping campers recognize and celebrate who they are as individuals and the healthy relationships in their lives. There is also a lot of attention paid to what activities they enjoy, which ones they are good at, and which they wish they were better at. At the end of the day, Clukey hopes the girls leave with useful skills and the realization that it’s important to stay true to oneself.

Every morning at camp, the 100+ girls in attendance break up into groups by age, and Clukey spends an hour with each doing guided discussions and an activity on the topic of the day, such as self-confidence, goal-setting, presentation skills, and body image. There is also time set aside for journaling and reflection after lunch. The rest of the day is “very summer camp,” with girls participating in swimming, kayaking, archery and a variety of other activities. Clukey writes the curriculum for the morning program, and is supported by about 20 staff that act as counselors and activities coordinators.

Sharing her personal story has resonated with campers. “The kids are often surprised that it took me 12 years to make the Olympic team. That gives us the chance to talk about the process, overcoming failures along the way, and how to stay motivated. It’s also empowering for kids to see that the big dream you have when you’re young can carry you through your life if you’re willing to work hard.”

About half of the girls attending camp every summer receive a scholarship, with Clukey doing most of the fundraising to make this a reality. She works with local schools to award the scholarships, making sure they go to kids who wouldn’t have the ability to attend otherwise. Popularity for the camp is strong – there’s been a waiting list in recent years – with attendance now evenly split between new campers and returning campers. Clukey notes that some of the girls even come back to volunteer after they age out of the program.

“I see girls come out of their shells and gain confidence. The first two days are usually super quiet in the morning session – but after that, you can’t quiet them down! The sense of community that camp can provide, especially for kids who may not have that at home, is also a very powerful connection that can last long after the two weeks are done.”

Clukey has been with WEX for just over a year, and one of the reasons she was drawn to the company was our commitment to community, which includes and encourages employee participation through paid volunteer time off. She refers to the camp as her “passion project,” and her level of commitment is virtually year-round, with planning and fundraising kicking into full swing each February. This was the first year that Clukey split time between work and the two weeks of camp, and she’s already planning how to structure 2018’s session. We have a feeling that the future looks very bright indeed for Julia Clukey’s Summer Camp for Girls and the hundreds of girls who have been a part of the program.