Christa DeMasie has been hired by Georgia 4-H to lead the summer camp program at Wahsega 4-H Center during the summer of 2006. I interviewed her to find out more about our 2006 Mama Bear.

Travis Williams: Why do you like working with kids?
Mama Bear Christa: You get to help them try new activities. When a camper accomplishes something that they thought they could not do or the activity was challenging for them and they succeed and they have a great big smile on there face and you know you had a little part in that, there is nothing better.

TW: Can you describe one moment that stands out as your favorite in your counselor career?
MBC: At Wilderness Challenge camp [during the summer of 2004] we went spelunking. One of the paths was called the meat grinder. Scary sounding? Well it was. I am claustrophobic, particularly when I am in a dark space that I have to crawl on my belly to get out and I can't see what is ahead or how long the tunnel is.

I was in the middle of a group of campers. I was about to turn around and say that I could not go through the tunnel until I saw one of them starting to freak out as we were about to go through. At the beginning of the tunnel, the guide said we could not back track so I put all of my attention on the camper so that both of us could get through the meat grinder. I told the camper that we are going to do this together.

We waited until the people in front of us were up a little ways so that we could move the whole time and not have to stop and get that trapped feeling. Our plan worked. The whole time crawling on my stomach I was telling her to just keep moving and that we were almost there. At the end of the tunnel when we both lived, the camper told me that if I had not helped her through the tunnel she would not have gone. In my head I was thinking, if she had not freaked out I would have freaked out and not gone through either.

TW: Have you mastered
MBC: I mastered in the Bread project in 2003.

TW: Did you go to 4-H camp?
MBC: I went to Rock Eagle after 5th grade, Wahsega after 6th grade, Tybee after 7th, and Wahsega again after 8th. I enjoyed just hanging out with friends and making new friends.

TW: What is your favorite color?
MBC: My favorite color is red because it is bright and vibrant. My favorite color to wear is green because it makes my eyes look really pretty.

TW: What is your favorite food?
MBC: Ice cream because it has the perfect texture, sweetness, and temperature. You can eat ice cream with any food and it always tastes great.

TW: Least favorite food?
MBC: My least favorite food would have to be mayo, it is just disgusting.

TW: Do you have any pets?
MBC: I did have a fish but he died recently. I had him for about 9 months. His name was Alfred.

TW: What are you looking forward to most about being Mama Bear?
MBC: I am looking forward to guiding counselors into becoming the best counselors that they can be.

Christa is getting her bachelors degree at the University of Georgia in dietetics and consumer foods. She was a 4-H'er in Bleckley County and then started her counselor career as a first year here at Wahsega. We are happy to have Christa on staff this summer.