Staff & Alumni

Camp Living Stones has been blessed, year after year, with an incredible summer staff. We accept applications year round and would love for you to apply to work with us during the upcoming summer. Both Counselor and Counselor in Training (CIT) positions are available. A limited number of positions are available each summer, and each applicant is considered through much prayer.

Summer Counselor
“The Principal function of a Summer Camp Counselor at CLS is to develop relationships with students for the purpose of helping them to mature socially, mentally, physically, and spiritually. Counselors do this by investing in students individually through participating in and facilitating all of camps programs and activities.”

Counselor positions are summer long, paid positions and applicants must be out of high school for at least one full year. Counselor applications are accepted until the positions are full. Apply as soon as possible to ensure that you are considered for the position. Four of each male and female positions are hired each summer.

We are currently fully staffed for the summer of 2010. Please consider volunteering as a Counselor-in-Training for a week, or check back in the fall to apply for a Summer 2011 Counselor position. Thank you for your interest in serving at CLS!

Counselor in Training
CIT positions are week long, volunteer positions and applicants should have either recently graduated from high school or be preparing to enter their senior year. CIT applications are accepted through May 15th for that summer.

To apply for a CIT position, click here for an application!

2009 Staff Bios

Jon and Gretchen Smeltzer,
Alea and Laurel: A graduate of Baylor University in 1998, Jon and his brother Eric Smeltzer started Camp Living Stones that same year. Jon worked at several camps in years prior to CLS, but now maintains the position of Director. Jon and Gretchen met at CLS, married, and now have two beautiful daughters. Alea loves digging for 'wormies' with her daddy. Laurel enjoys eating, sleeping, and laughing at Wrangler.
Jon's dream is to drive the CLS bus across the country.

"Maw and Paw" Smeltzer: Richard "Pop" Smeltzer is Jon's father and the husband of "Mama."  Pop fills a wide variety of functions at CLS from trashman to Chairman of the board of Directors.  His main job now, however, is assistant cook.  In his spare time (when Mama lets him off) he makes walking sticks for the Camp store. 

"Mama" S is Jon's Mom.  She has worked with youth for about forty years and loves the Lord.  She has taught High School English, worked as an interim Youth Minister, and been a mom.  Now, she is chief cook and bottle washer at Camp. 

Matt Cushing: After graduating from Baylor University in 1999, Matt embarked upon his five-year nomadic journey to dodge what some call the real world. After landing jobs as a forklift operator, bus driver, camp counselor (once again), and Outward Bound Instructor Matt took what some might call his first and only real job. If you can call riding around in a boat in the Florida Keys enforcing laws a real job. Serving three years in the Keys as a Fish and Wildlife Officer and TV star Matt has turned in his badge cut his ties and his mustache and moved to Camp Living Stones to be the Assistant Director.

Allison White: Allison comes to Tennessee from the very hot and humid state of Florida. She has spent the past four years in its capital city going to school…and recently graduated from FSU with a degree in Social Work. Allison likes to play outside - hiking, climbing, cycling, running, slack lining, frolicking, and star gazing. Her four favorite things are sunrises, sunsets, handmade things, and thin mint frappes. Camp has been a part of her life since the summer of 2005 and she is so thankful to have the opportunity to work alongside the CLS family once again as 'the office girl.'

Cassie Fryfogle: Cassie grew up in Stuart, FL spending most of her free time at the beach. She spent her first two years of college at the University of Florida and remains a loyal Gator fan! Cassie now lives in Orlando, FL and loves her job as a fourth grade teacher! According to Cassidy Hodges, Cassie "loves to come to camp for the summer and pretend that she doesn't have a real grown up job." While at camp, Cassie likes to hang out in the air conditioned office eating pop ice, break out into uncontrollable fits of laughter with Courtney Brooke, and battle Mama & Michael Marquette at Speed Scrabble. Cassie is the President of the Cassidy Hodges Fan Club and loves her so much she even let's her share her name. She is super excited about returning to camp and is pumped to see God change lives this summer!

Lindsay Harris: Lindsay Rae is unbelievably excited to come back to camp for another summer to watch and experience God pouring out His love on people! She will now be a junior at Samford University in Alabama and hopes to soon be a nurse. Frisbee is quite possibly one of her most favorite things in the world and she has been known to help paint school buses.

Brittany Moe: Brittany is 21 years old and from Clarksville, TN. She is a recent graduate from Belmont University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a double minor in Spanish and Athletic training. She loves Belmont so much, that she recently decided to stay for Grad school to study Physical Therapy. She loves Route 44 grape slushies, traveling, hammocks, playing cards, reading, mentoring for Youth Villages, and crocheting! Her main missions in life are to help others at every chance she gets, and to strengthen her relationship with Christ every day. She has always wanted to be a camp counselor and is super excited about spending this summer at CLS!

Cassidy Hodges: Cassidy can’t ever get enough of CLS, so she came back for round 2. She’s soon to be a Senior Broadcast Journalism major at Belmont University. She hopes camp will prolong the process of graduating and becoming an adult. This summer she’s super excited about leading worship, playing with Wrangler and working with the most amazing staff in the world. Since Cassidy loved the cave so much last year, she spent all her summer savings on surgically implanting night vision goggles...only to find out that the cave has been closed due to sick bats. While camp forces her to dress like a boy, she’s actually uber fashionable outside the Starr Mountain bubble. She is so glad that Cassie Fryfogle and Wrangler are around this summer to share her love for being a lady. In her spare time she likes to play guitar, make ridiculous faces for Stephen's camera, and dominate the world at lazer tag. Cassidy just cut an EP that is sold exclusively at the CLS Store. One day Cassidy aspires to be a rock star. No really—she’s serious.

Michael Marquette: Originating from Kansas City in the late 80's Michael was destined from a young age to be a counselor at CLS. He is back for his third and final instilment in his CLS trilogy. Like all trilogies, (eg. Back to the Future, Indiana Jones, and The Mighty Ducks) the final one is always the best. Michael is excited to see how God works not only in his own life this summer but in the lives of the campers and fellow staff. He is excited to see old friends as well as meet some new ones. Do Work Son.

Marcus Million: Guess who's back… Back again. Marcus’s back. Let the summer begin! That’s right ladies and gents Marcus’s is pumped to be returning once again to CLS in his new position as the “Tower Guru.” Marcus is 21 years old from greater Decatur, TN who is currently attending the TTU (Tennessee Tech University) and will be a rising senior majoring in Secondary Education – Math. He is passionate about camp as it has changed his life as a camper, and considers CLS to be a second home. This summer however, Marcus will retire from his look of a Mohawk haircut, 5 dollar sunglasses and pink rain jackets to a more serious look of colorful bandannas and of course the sleeveless shirts. … Are you ready, are you ready, here we GO!

Stephen Nelson: Stephen is a traveler, thinker, photographer, lover extraordinaire who is fascinated by this crazy journey we all find ourselves on. He is originally from the Sunshine State, but has relocated to beautiful Birmingham, AL where he will be a junior religion/philosophy major at Samford University. He lives each day working to give sight to the blind and to spread the joy of a simple smile. He is determined to savor each moment as a gift and to never stop sharing it. He spends his days exploring ideas, diving into conversations, framing pictures, and climbing mountains. He is excited about another summer at CLS and is expecting God to move in powerful ways.

Jake Simko: Jake was born and raised just around the corner from Camp Living Stones, in Cleveland TN. Jake is 19, and currently a student at Tennessee Tech with past counselors - Marcus and Lance. He enjoys playing the guitar, climbing, hiking, swimming, and being outside. Jake was a Counselor In Training (CIT) for the past two summers at Camp Living Stones and earned the nick name...”CIT”. He is excited to finally be able to fill the role of a full fledged staffer this summer. Even though he is a Civil Engineering major, one day he hopes to be in a rock band rocking out for Jesus! Jake is very very very very passionate about music and has a really deep voice. So ask him to sing some bass for you when you meet him!

Justin Evans: Justin hails from the beautiful Pell City, Alabama and is currently majoring in biomedical sciences at Auburn University, War Eagle! Justin first came to Camp Living Stones as a camper back when the meals were still cooked in the snack shack. He is extremely excited about the opportunity to join the CLS family as a counselor and see God work at this awesome camp this summer! Justin enjoys Auburn football, the Atlanta Braves, water skiing, ultimate frisbee, tennis, cooking, and most of all, spending time with Michael Marquette.