My name is Gretta Utecht, and this is my first summer on counseling staff at Dunrovin! I could not be more excited to spend time with the other amazing staff, DLITErs, campers, and the Lord. It will be a wild few months, but fruitful and loads of fun despite the chaos.
Things I love:
Lasagna, Spongebob, jumping in puddles, camping, planes, basketball, JJ Watt, The United States of America, how much JJ Watt loves the United States of America, my family, climbing trees, and messing with my little brother Billy.I grew up in good ole Hastings, Minnesota where I was well loved by my parents and four siblings. I just finished my freshman year at the University of St. Thomas (Roll Toms) in St. Paul. I am a Business major and I am in the US Air Force ROTC program. I take classes and do training while in college and when I graduate I will go active duty.
While scrambling to get the next year of my life together, I was glad to have one thing planned out- a summer job at Dunrovin! I did still have to do the application, but I would get to that eventually. I had done DLITE the past two summers, after my junior and senior years of high school, and had an absolute blast. I grew in areas that I didn’t even know I needed to improve in, and as a counselor I wanted to continue the work the Father had done in my heart while helping those around me do the same.
Before DLITE, I would say I was content with my life. I was supported in my faith, had a lot of friends and a loving family, did well in school, was involved in sports and clubs, and seemed to have a bright future.
The problem was that I didn’t have any plans to go deeper.
I was able to serve those around me and receive God’s love and graces at the same time. While at Dunrovin, I found my potential as a leader through the different team building activities we did and in the reflections after each one. I was a pretty rambunctious and impulsive little kid, from doing my homework on the roof to using horse manure in mud fights with the neighbors. I was never a very pensive individual. My wonderful father would tell me over and over, “Gretta, you need to think through things before you just act”.
On DLITE, when we discussed what had happened in the last activity and why, I had an epiphany of sorts.
Although it was a difficult transition to take control of my thoughts and my impact on the world around me, I could see the positive changes in how I was living my life. I was able to pinpoint my mistakes and learn from them, in turn I could be more genuinely proud of my successes. I felt a lot more in control of who I was, large and in charge! I found that what I had learned on DLITE was applicable to any situation I found my little self in, despite the big scary world of today.
“Far and away the best prize that life has to offer, is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” -Theodore Roosevelt
I am so blessed to be back at Dunrovin for the summer, working hard at work worth doing.
Ball hard and God bless,
Gretta Utecht