The Boothbay Region YMCA will be adding a familiar face to its summer team.

Camp Knickerbocker Director Emily Mirabile said she and Youth Sports Coordinator Joe Clark directed all summer camps for the past two summers, and have decided to bring on a Camp Knickerbocker Day Camp Director. Mirabile will continue overseeing all camping services for BRYMCA and Clark for Central Lincoln County YMCA. Mirabile said she will be concentrating on the music theater camps and specialty camps.

Shane Hathaway, one of last year’s day camp and adventure camp counselors at Camp K, will become day camp director.

Hathaway, originally from Pittsfield and an alum of Maine Central Institute, plans to move to Boothbay after he graduates from the University of Maine at Farmington with his degree in psychology. Asked what he likes about Boothbay so much to return, he said the coast is a great change of scenery and the community is amazing, but Camp K has given him the opportunity to work with children, which is the most important part, he said.

“My favorite part about working with kids is just watching them grow and knowing that I can be part of that,” said Hathaway. “Being able to make or change a child’s day or impact their attitude or outlook in a positive way is another of my favorite things about working with them.”

Hathaway said no matter if he is coaching, educating or doing other camp activities with the children, teaching a lesson and watching them understand and apply those skills means a lot to him.

“Knowing … that how I act or what I say will impact these kids during that day, or possibly the rest of their life, means a lot to me.”

Hathaway said he has always worked with kids, from his high school summer job as a lifeguard to coaching clinics for his school’s recreation department to his work at Camp K last year. He even has his Maine Health Rehabilitation Certification (MHRT-C) and his Crisis and Intervention Certification for counseling and hopes to be an American Council on Exercise-certified personal trainer by the time he graduates. A four-year varsity track and field athlete at UMF, Hathaway is a three-time conference hurdle champion hoping for his fourth this year. He has twice qualified for New England Regionals in the 400 meter hurdles.

With all of his training, Hathaway still looks forward to doing many of the same things he did as a counselor last year.

“I like to mentor, and I’d like to play as active of a role as I can as the camp director. Yes, it’ll be more responsibility than just being a counselor, but I’m excited to see where it takes me and I am ready for the challenge.”

Mirabile said Hathaway’s energy and enthusiasm will enable him to do an amazing job. “I think he is a great role model for all the youth in our community and they will have a blast with him leading their day!”