Who exactly is Groundhog?

Groundhog. It's a word I hear thousands, if not tens of thousands of times over the course of the Summer. Now, the numbers of times I hear it over the school year numbers in the triple digits as well. It's more than than the below pictured furry animal, it's a persona.

 Pictured left: Marmota monax, Pictured right: Groundhog and a groundhog

Four years ago, I took a job at a local summer camp. I had never had intentions of being at a Camp, and my only goal for being around kids, was potentially teaching, someday in the vague future. But I needed a job, and I had gone to this Camp as a kid, and so did my sisters. I had no idea about the experiences that awaited me. Somewhere in that first summer, I discovered just how deep my fear of heights ran, and got the nickname "Groundhog". That was also the summer that I discovered my passion: Helping kids be all that they can be.
That first summer, I met so many Campers, many of whom still attend Camp, and I know to this day. But over that summer, I realized that I could be a strong listener. So many kids opened up to me, sharing tales of neglectful step parents, friends that pushed them into things that they didn't want to, depression, fears about middle and high school, and so many other things. Groundhog became all that I ever wanted to be. Someone who could be fun, someone who could be out there, but most importantly, someone who could be turned to when a camper, or anyone, needed someone to talk to. To this day, that's what it still means to me. Even though my role at Camp has changed, and I've faced many different challenges, and seen through those challenges that I have a whole lot more room to grow, Groundhog will always mean what it did that first summer.