Staff Profile: Caleb Howard

Get to know the seriously faithful and seriously fun Timbers men’s director Caleb “Sink Or Swim” Howard! Pine Cove has played a role in Caleb’s walk with Christ for 15 (let’s count ‘em!) years now. Hear from Caleb below as he tells us more about his family, his experience throughout the years at Pine Cove, and some of his current favorite things! 

Tell us a bit about yourself!
I grew up in Nashville, Tennessee with two loving parents and two younger siblings—my little sister, Sarah, and my little brother, Ben. We’re a very tight-knit family, which has always been a blessing. I started going to Pine Cove in 2009 when some of my dad’s coworkers convinced him to give family camp a try. The Lord revealed a lot of things to my family that summer, and looking back, it’s crazy to see how God has used the Woods to alter my family’s life throughout the past 15 years. 

In terms of hobbies, I grew up around a lot of creativity when it came to art and music. Playing music is something my entire family loves to do. My dad can pretty much play any instrument under the sun, and I play piano, drums, guitar, and sing—so family time for us usually looks like picking up instruments together. I also did lots of sports growing up, especially baseball.

What different roles have you held during your time at Pine Cove?
My first summer on staff was in 2016—I started working at the Woods as a Counselor In Training during the first year the CIT program was established. After that, I worked 2017-2020 as a full-summer staffer. I was a counselor and head ropes, then the Crew senior counselor, and then did back-to-back program director summers. God used that place to change my life as a camper, and it was a blessing to continue to grow there for so many summers. My sister and I even got to work together for two summers, which was really special. 

After my 2020 summer, I wasn’t sure what would come next. This is when a lot of faithful men in my life like Lance Gilliland, Dexter Carter, and Ben Gasaway encouraged me to apply for the Forge. God graciously opened that door, and that program was one of the hardest and best things I’ve ever done. During this time, I began to become more interested in working at camp full time. Taylor Gembel, who I loved and was led by for four summers at the Woods, simultaneously became the director at the Timbers and the Timbers men’s director position became available. I knew nothing about youth camp, but I loved working for Taylor, so I went for it and ended up becoming the Timbers men’s director in May of 2021!  

What have been some of your favorite things recently?
I’ve been really into Nerds Gummy Clusters—specifically the red bag! Also, I’m loyal to Apple Music over Spotify, and plan to stick to that.

What’s your most prized Pokémon card?
I was big into Pokémon in middle school. I played a lot, but then kind of forgot about it in high school. I ended up bringing my cards to camp when I was on summer staff because I thought it would be a good way to relate to kids. Now, my leadership team for some reason is all about Pokémon and very into it. Which I’m not mad about! I’d say the best card I have is a “Gyarados.” It’s awesome—it’s shiny and blue dragon fish. 

How did you get your camp name?
My full camp name is “Sink Or Swim,” and I go by “SOS” (pronounced as sauce). My name comes from two embarrassing stories that include water. One day in middle school, I was getting ready for science class and washing my hands in the back of the class. The sink was pretty old, and when I tried to turn the water off it didn’t budge. My teacher came back in the classroom a few minutes later and the sink was completely flooded and water was getting everywhere. She fixed the problem by messing with the pipes, and I ended up cleaning up the mess as my punishment. The second story happened when I was seven. I got a water gun for my birthday and wanted to prank my parents by spraying them with it that night at dinner. I chose a hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant that had a water fountain out front. My plan was to fill up the water gun in a sly manner while my parents were talking to the hostess, but as I was walking backwards sneakily to the fountain, I miscalculated my steps and ended up falling in the fountain! Put those two stories together and you get “Sink Or Swim!”

What would your ideal day in Tyler include?
It would be a brisk fall day. When I wake up, it’s low 50s, but by midday it’s low 70s so I can wear a sweatshirt in the morning but run around in the afternoon. I’d wake up around 9 am and make some good coffee with either my AeroPress or with my roommate Parker’s Breville espresso maker. I’d have a chill morning—quiet time, TV, and hanging out with my roommates. Then I’d go pick up lunch from Slim Chickens with my roommates and get a Slim’s meal shaken with buffalo sauce and a cherry Coke. After that, I’d play a round of golf or some pickleball with my roommates and some of the other men’s directors. For dinner, I’d go to Javi’s with friends for some yummy food and then end the day playing video games with my roommates! 

Do you have any fun memories from growing up at the Woods?
So many different stories come to mind! I remember my first counselor ever was Jared “Pile Driver” Birch. I was so scared and nervous to be at camp, and he was a huge ball of energy. His goofiness brought me completely out of all of my nervousness, and I was fully sold on camp. Also, Lance Gilliland was my counselor my last two summers as a camper. One summer I had gotten injured, so I was on crutches and couldn’t do much. But, instead of that week being marked by feeling left out, it was marked by time well spent with Lance. I remember the way he would relate to me and make me consistently laugh. Growing up at the Woods was seriously a blast, and so many of the friendships that started there are still signs of God’s faithfulness in my life today. 

What’s your favorite piano gig you’ve played, and what’s your go-to song to play?
My go-to song to play is “New York State of Mind” by Billy Joel. My favorite gig would probably be at the Thomas Hotel here in Tyler. There was one specific older couple that consistently came and were the sweetest people ever. They shared stories with me about living in New York in the 70s and would talk about how I reminded them of their grandson. 

What are some characteristics you’ve experienced from staffers that you hope to also exemplify?
The first thing that comes to mind is that way Chris Boddy has exemplified living a life dependent on Christ. There’s a phrase he coined probably five years ago: “UDOA” which comes from the need for us to live lives that are Utterly Dependent on Christ, living Open and Available to what he has in store for us. Five years later, and I still pray that consistently. 

Also, I’ve been able to work for Taylor Gembol for eight summers now, and have always admired the way he can rally an entire staff under one vision in a charismatic and energetic, yet simultaneously heartfelt and intentional way. That, and the way he prioritizes people, are things I’d love to emulate. 

What keeps you working at camp?
God used this place to transform my life. I recognized the weight of salvation at a “Rite Night” with my dad at the Woods in seventh grade. Pine Cove taught me how to take my faith seriously, and throughout the darkest times in my life, the love of Christ was consistently shown to me through Pine Cove. As I stepped into working at the Timbers, I was in awe of the way Christ placed me at a camp to shepherd middle schoolers, knowing what a pivotal time that season of life was for me in my walk with Christ. That’s a situation that only God can come up with, so that definitely keeps me going. I also have yet to find a place that does ministry in a more fun way than Pine Cove! The Lord is so evident here, and I’m consistently humbled that He asks me to be a part of it.

Tell me about your AeroPress! Have you always been into coffee?
My AeroPress is the perfect mix of a Chemex and a normal, quick pot of coffee. It has the smoothness you would get from a Chemex, but is just as convenient and quick as a normal coffee maker. I had it for a while and didn’t use it much until my roommates started roasting me about it, so now I use it consistently and plan to take it with me on recruiting trips in the fall!

What has the Lord been teaching you this summer?
I would say most recently Psalm 84:10-11 has been prevalent in my mind and during my quiet times. “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” I think this summer has been a “recentering” summer of the simplicity of dwelling with and being with the Lord in the midst of transition.