Lisa O'Reilly: Hastings' 'Mom-in-Chief' Camp Director

Let others take refuge in air-conditioned offices on the hottest day of the year.

Indefatigable in 100-degree heat, Lisa O'Reilly stood in the parking circle at Hillside Elementary School, gently hosing down her campers to make sure they were properly cared for on an especially sweltering day.

Such maternal instincts come naturally to O'Reilly, director for the three camps that Hastings' Parks and Recreation department runs during the summer for village residents.

 "It's easy to sit in the office," said O'Reilly, the mother of a son and daughter who has lived in Hastings for the past two decades. "It's another to go out and do it."

And being out and about during the camp day--where she's as apt to be as silly as her campers for crazy hair day or as liable to get hit with a water balloon—informs O'Reilly's philosophy of what it means to run a good camp.

"I do everything my campers do," O'Reilly said. "Each day is special. The best part is playing with the kids and being silly.  I like the water play the best."

Still, it's hard work to make sure that everyone is indeed having fun.

O'Reilly supervises about 400 campers, from the pre-kindergarteners enrolled in the Early Leaning program to the first- through sixth-graders at the Hillside day camp to the half-day sports camp for fourth- through eighth-graders from June 28 through August 6. She's also ultimately responsible for the 42 counselors at the camp, most of whom are high school students from the Hastings community.

A full-time recreation assistant in the Hastings' Parks and Recreation department, O'Reilly began working at the Hastings camps about 10 years ago, starting as a head counselor and becoming the director five years ago.

"I did such a good job I was rewarded with this," she laughed.

 Seriously, O'Reilly said, "I love kids. This is a very rewarding job. I'm very lucky."

She unapologetically brings her "mom hat" to the job. As she watched a group of campers heading to the pool, O'Reilly reminded one boy to take his sun block out of his back pack and use it. When she took over the camp, she ordered plain white tee shirts for the children that they could use for tie-dyeing, instead of asking parents to send in a shirt. And sometimes O' Reilly gives away ice pops at the end of the day to the campers – and younger siblings – so "they go home with a smile."

O' Reilly acknowledged that it helps that she's a full time, year-round employee of the Hastings' Parks and Recreation department. "I know about the families," she said. "The parents are more comfortable with me. I have such a hands-on approach. Every morning I'm out there. I know the problem even before the parents do. I wear my 'mommy" hat."

She admitted that the most challenging aspect of her job is "keeping such different age groups happy. Happy campers make for a better day."

Most of all, said Reilly, she wants her campers—and their parents-- to "relax and enjoy summer. Let us be in charge of fun."