Check out our interview with Rosh Nitzotzot Danielle D’Onofrio in the blog below! Welcome back Danielle!

 Tell us about your background at camp.

“My first summer at camp was back in 2011 as a Kochavim camper. I instantly fell in love with it, and have known since then that there is nowhere else I would rather spend my summers! After passing through the oldest unit and the C.I.T. program, I had the amazing opportunity to spend 3 summers as a Nitzotzot boys counselor (campers ages 7-9). I loved the added challenge of being a live-out female counsellor for the boys, and had a phenomenal 3 summers full of fun and growth! In 2018 I was the Nitzotzot assistant unit head, and last summer was my first summer as the Nitzotzot unit head! I am so excited to be back in the same role for a second summer – there’s nowhere I’d rather be than Nitz!”

What are you looking forward to this summer?

“I am really looking forward to taking what I learned from my first-time unit head experience last year, and using it to make this summer the best it can be! My goal is to not only create a safe and fun-filled environment for my campers, but to also foster a love for working at camp in my amazing staff! This will also be my 10th summer at camp (backpack here I come!), and I am so excited to spend this summer celebrating a decade of summers on Maple Lake!” 

What do you do outside of camp?

“Outside of camp I am a full-time student studying psychology at Queen’s University. I also love to dance – I take classes on campus, volunteer teaching in elementary schools, and perform in an annual student-run charity fashion show! I also must admit that I spend most of my time during the year thinking about, planning for, and counting down the days until camp!”

You have to sing karaoke, what song do you pick?

“Anything ABBA!!! Super Trouper and Waterloo are 2 of my go-tos!”

If you had to eat one camp meal everyday for the rest of your life what would it be?

“Definitely pizza bagels – one of the best parts of Shabbat!”

What is one thing people might not know about you?

“Something that people might not know about me is that last summer I managed to get in the water at least once every single day of camp! I am looking forward to continuing the tradition this summer!”