RHODODENDRON, Ore. — A camp that helps disabled adults and children is struggling to find lifeguards. The Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp is in need of eight more lifeguards for the summer.
Executive Director Dave McDonald said they have no lifeguards to work the pool for the next camp session, which starts July 4.
"If we don't have a certified lifeguard we simply can't operate the pool, which would be a huge disappointment for our campers because it's gorgeous out here and the pool is set to a therapeutic temperature for our campers out here," McDonald said.
The camp needs two lifeguards a week, but they can operate the pool with one.
Lifeguards have the option of living at the camp and getting free meals or they can drive back and forth. Lifeguards have to be certified, and the camp is willing to pay for that certification. The job pays $750 per session, and each session is two weeks. There's also a $50 signing bonus.
McDonald said the pandemic has affected their ability to find lifeguards.
"We had a lot of closed pools," McDonald said. "I think teenagers weren't getting certified to be lifeguards and that has left a gap in lifeguards for this year."
Cole Mosteller, 17, has been coming to the camp and using the pool for years.
"The pool helps you a lot," Mosteller said. "It gets your muscles going, it gets your legs going, it gets you pumped. We do need more lifeguards out here."
If you are interested in applying for the job, email savannah@MHKC.org.