Shawna Hakes, Camp Susque’s Office Manager, started as Year Round Staff in 2003. Having been a church secretary for 5 years before joining Susque; her experience in payroll, accounting, and managing the Trails End Camp Store; and her years of being a part of the camp ministry here, Shawna is ideally suited to serve Susque in this role. Her listening skills and heart for team building at Susque make her the perfect person to manage the office. She’s great at remembering the things we forget and keeping us all organized.
When Shawna isn’t answering phones, helping parents sign up campers, or as the CampMinder guru, answering our questions about the application process at Susque, you can find her leading the Widows Ministry at Lycoming Valley Baptist Church and writing for “A Widows Might” (AWM) online and Facebook ministry. As a widow herself, Shawna has a heart to help other widows through their grief journey. She recently received recognition for her work with widows this past fall when she was nominated for the 2022 YWCA “Woman of Excellence” Award for Advocacy.
Besides writing devotions for AWM, you may be surprised to find her working on the first chapter of a book for widows that she hopes to publish someday. Shawna is a mom of two daughters and “Nini” to ten grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. Shawna is accompanied in the office by her two dogs, Duke, and her emotional support dog, Gus, who is either sitting on her lap as she types or on her desk to keep her company.