Need something done?

They say that when you need something done, find a busy person. For Dave Grace that person for almost 20 years has been Michelle Stockstill. How much so? At staff development week he often introduces Michelle as the person who runs Olympia.

 

Michelle has always been a leader. In fact, she was student council president at Oakville Trafalgar High School when she applied for a job at Olympia. She had been a camper and she loved the idea of working there.

 

Oops Dave. She didn’t get the job, but that got rectified as Michelle got called back and was hired  for the tuck and pro shop, a job that normally didn’t include cabin duties. Nothing is normal about the Olympia path of Michelle Stockstill. Later she was asked to cover for cabin duties and was so good at it that she won the first-year female award at the year-end banquet.

 

Michelle’s journey took her from counsellor to senior staff to Unit Leader. She saw the next progression to be hired as a programmer. Sometimes we reach our intended target, sometimes we are needed for a higher cause.

 

“At the time I was in my second year studying at Dalhousie and decided that I needed a break from school,” Michelle says,” the Olympia office adminstrator had just left, and Greg and Dave wanted me to take the job. I told them I would do the job throughout the winter and spring if I could be the summer programmer at camp. The needs of the office proved to be where I was most impactful, so I stayed in the office and was the camp registrar until 2012.”

 

Roles and duties grew for Michelle, and after being at Dave’s side for four years, Michelle was dealt a blow that altered the direction of her life. In 2016 while in Halifax for a family reunion Michelle’s boyfriend Mike Corbett dove into a pool and broke his neck. After the trauma of the accident, and their lives turned upside down, Michelle went from being Dave’s right hand to Mike’s full time care giver. Through it all, there was Dave Grace’s support and positive outlook that Mike shared. 

 

“For months I did minimal Olympia work, but Dave supported me and Mike so much.  It was like the Dave Talk came to life. Mike and I both decided that the opinions of the doctors were not going to be our belief system and it was up to us to set the path going forward. Dave and Mike have had many inspiring chats about attacking rehab with passion and trust in the process. They  talk about the power of a positive mindset, a basic part of the Olympia life. Mike has learned to be mindful of the steps of the journey he is on."

 "Mike has every right to be negative and he could be angry. But to him an attitude like that is never going to change anything. He's good. He's just injured right now. There are signs of improvement, and this is because of his work and his belief. He is so mentally strong. Mike’s strength is what is keeping me going. I am so proud of him."

About mid-October of that year Michelle decided that being the caregiver for Mike and working full time for Olympia was not sustainable. She contacted Dave and told him she couldn’t work anymore. Her time had come.

 

Or so she thought.

 

“In typical Dave Grace fashion, he wouldn’t let me quit. He felt that the camp needed me to stay, but more importantly he was concerned that my whole life was now about helping Mike, and that maybe I needed Olympia now more than ever. Together we could work it out. Once my head was wrapped around everything that Mike needed and taking care of him full time, I realized I needed an outlet.  Dave was right. It was my choice, but I decided to listen to my friend and stay on."

  

“My favourite part of all my years at Olympia is meeting people when they are young and then seeing them years later. They are influenced by what takes place here at Olympia and then they in turn become influencers.  I was impacted by so many awesome people like Jodie Collins, Denise O’Brien, Adam McConnell, and Jackie Birch. I took their lessons and help the new staff to make sure they learn the Olympia way. I don't know where you can find a job where you are challenged with new things all the time and be up north in a setting like this. It’s energy, growth, and learning from a guy like Dave Grace."

 "The majority of people that I am close with to this day are from Olympia because when you work here you work 24/7 for two months but the reality is that working here for a week is like working a year. You get to know people so deeply in the time you're here. You must be your authentic self, and you learn a lot about yourself through the eyes of others.”

The Hero’s journey is all about daily habits and progression. Michelle sees valuable perspective from what she and Mike have gone through.

 

“Let’s say Dave gets has to deal with something at camp. It may feel huge at the time, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s a momentary issue. I can help him focus just by saying “OK, let’s just deal with it,’ He also sees that life is too short. Even the coach’s meetings are Sunday morning now, so that he has Saturday night for himself.”

 

But the accident impacted Dave. When it happened, it just shocked him. For Dave to see someone actually pushing through the journey has helped him gain the outlook that the Hero’s Journey is a work that he must continue.

 

“I want that to continue. I want Olympia to be a safe place for kids to come up, have fun and find out through the experience who they really are. That's what Olympia does for people. Get away from the internet, put down the phones, and have a fantastic time with fantastic people. I've been working with a guy who believes in daily habits toward goals, mental practice, human contact, and mindfulness.  I've literally heard it all and learned from the best.”

The link to the blog is TuesdayswithDave.blogspot.com

This blog is about the journey of the writing of the book A Hero's Journey: From Little Norway to Olympia Sports Camp. The blog will contain excerpts from the book and my personal thoughts on what the place and the people that make up Olympia's journey is all about. The title comes from the great book Tuesdays With Morrie, by Mitch Albom. The blog's title is recognizing Dave Grace as Camp Director, but all content is my own.