Camp ASCCA isn’t just a place; it’s the people who make it feel like home. In this series, we’re shining a spotlight on the staff, past and present, who dedicate their time, energy, and hearts to creating unforgettable experiences for our campers. From heartfelt stories to behind-the-scenes moments, get to know the faces, positions, and journeys that make ASCCA truly special.
At Camp ASCCA, a lot of what makes camp run smoothly happens in the moments most people never see. It’s the work that keeps everything running so campers can focus on being campers. Since 2015, Lance Chayka has been part of the ASCCA family, with 2020 being the only summer he missed due to COVID. From CIT to program staff to seasonal roles, and now as the full-time maintenance supervisor. Lance has done a little bit of everything. In 2021, he officially joined the full-time staff, and he has been keeping Camp moving ever since.
Ask Lance to describe his job, and he’ll keep it simple. “Fix everything that breaks.”
Of course, anyone who knows Camp knows it’s never quite that simple. His days are unpredictable in the best way. What starts as a plan can quickly shift depending on what is needed most. That is the part of what he loves about it. No two days look the same, and there is always something new waiting around the corner.
What has kept Lance here year after year is not just the work. It’s the people. It’s the campers, the staff, and now even his own family getting to experience the same joy that first brought him to Camp. That connection runs deep, and it’s something he makes time for every summer, bringing his family out to be part of evening programs and the community that means so much to him.
Some memories stay with you forever, and for Lance, one of those moments goes back to his very first summer. He remembers a camper named Emery who moved through the day at his own pace, never in a rush, always ready for whatever came next. “Somewhere in that slowness, I learned a lot about patience, about presence, and about appreciating the little moments.”
That perspective is something Lance has carried with him ever since.
Over the years, he’s seen firsthand how Camp ASCCA changes people. Staff arrive at the start of the summer unsure of what to expect, and by the end, they leave differently. More confident. More connected. The same is true for campers, who grow in ways that are easy to see in how they carry themselves and how they try new things. “I saw it in my brother Cole. I now see him in a completely different light, interacting with people in ways I had never seen at home. There’s something about Camp ASCCA. It changes people,” says Lance.
Camp has shaped his life in ways he once only imagined. Back in high school, he wrote about where he hoped to be in ten years. He wanted to work with people with disabilities, get married, and start a family. Today, he has done all three. Even working in maintenance, he’s still surrounded by the same environment and mission that first drew him in.
If you ask him to describe Camp in one word, he will tell you it’s surprising. “You can never predict what’s waiting around the corner. One moment it’s a massive water leak, the next it’s a camper who was terrified, suddenly having the time of their life.”
That is Camp.
Some of Lance’s favorite moments happen in the in-between times. Early mornings when summer staff come to him with a problem, unsure of what to do. It gives him a chance to not only fix what is broken, but to connect, to reassure, and to be a steady presence in the middle of the unknown.
Looking back, there are plenty of moments he would relive, but one stands out. A boy’s night in 2018 when the dining hall was transformed into a wrestling arena, complete with mattresses and caution tape. The energy in the room was unforgettable. Campers cheering, laughing, and fully immersed in the moment. It’s a memory that still makes him smile.
Through it all, Lance keeps a simple piece of wisdom at the center of his work and his life. “Things break. It’s part of the job and part of life. But the rule stays the same for everyone: no matter how bad it is, tell me. We’ll figure it out together.”
