Meet The Directors
Who Runs Camp Foley, MN?
A Message From Krista, Alumni and Staff
Meet The Directors
Camp Foley is a family owned and operated summer camp that has entered its 9th decade. On a daily basis your kids will have interaction (maybe share a meal, make homemade ice-cream or play a game) with Marie, our owner/executive director and her daughter Alli (most likely at the lake or star watching at night), who is a 3rd generation summer camp director. That hands on supervision of both the campers and seasonal staff set Camp Foley aside. They really are involved in every aspect of the summer camp experience.
Meet Marie, Alli and their year-round team!
Marie Schmid, Owner/Executive Director
Favorite Activity: Backpacking
Favorite Camp Meal: Pizza
Favorite Camp Song: Donna Donna
Why I Work at Camp Foley: Camp is magical! I feel so fortunate to be able to use my creativity and energy as a youth advocate to provide a camp experience that makes a difference in the life of a child! Each summer camp day, I am surrounded by enthusiastic, adventuresome and talented campers. I am greeted by smiles and laughter in the morning, and when the stars shine over camp, I feel gratitude for the campers and all of their experiences of the day. I work at camp because of the campers! I want each camper to leave having an ultimate Foley experience.
Marie is a second-generation camp director and has been the Director at Foley since 1985 – taking over after her Father (Bob) and Mother (Vi) passed away. Marie graduated from St. Kate’s in St. Paul, MN with a degree in Elementary Education. After teaching for a few years and starting a family, she began working full time at Foley. Growing up as a camp kid, Marie has served as a Program Director, Marina Director and Assistant Director. She is also very active in the American Camp Association serving as the Accreditation Program Chair for ACA Northland (Minnesota, North & South Dakota). In addition, she is on the National Standards Commission where she works with a group to determine best practices, especially around safety and risk management for camps operating across the country. Marie has four children, all of whom have worked (or still do work) at Camp Foley.
Letter from Marie
Dear Parent,
Welcome to what we hope will become a partnership between your family and Camp Foley. We want to partner with you in building important values and skills in your child within our positive, well-supervised environment. We want to help you prepare your child to handle the many challenges of adulthood starting with some independence and community living while under the direction of caring adults who are eager to guide and interact with your child. We want to become advocates for your child.
As a parent of four children and over 35 years of listening to our Foley parents, I truly understand many of your concerns and aspirations for your child. I understand the ever changing world of our youth. I understand the financial investment that you will be making for this camping experience. However, I want to reassure you that the returns of growth, friendship and memories are insurmountable.
We truly want Camp Foley to be a part of your child’s summer and your child’s life. Let us be your partner!
Yours in camp,
Marie Schmid
Alli Faricy, Director
Favorite Activity: Waterskiing
Favorite Camp Meal: Pancakes
Favorite Camp Song: My Momma Don’t Wear No Socks
Why I Work at Camp Foley: When I think back to my time as a kid growing up, the best moments were spent outside, in nature, enjoying friendships and new experiences. Foley is a place that allows kids to find their own way through life while still maintaining supportive relationships with young adults that care about kids and want them to succeed. I have now had the opportunity to work with counselors that I saw grow up as campers and are now on staff. These dedicated young adults find it just as important as I do to pass on to other kids the life skills they learned at camp. Our world needs more villages to raise our kids and Foley offers me a place to provide that extra care to kids that can only help them as they start their independent life.
Alli has been on the Foley staff since 1999 when she started as a counselor teaching Sailing, Windsurfing and Waterskiing and has since worked as a Marina Director, CIT Coordinator, Program Director and Assistant Director. Alli has been a Director at Camp Foley since 2008. As a third-generation camp director, Alli has learned the ropes of camp operation through living and working year-round at camp. In addition to her work at Foley, Alli is very active in the American Camp Association and chairs the ACA Northland Chapter (Minnesota, North and South Dakota). She is also a certified trainer of Youth Mental Health First Aid. Alli graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 2004 with a degree in Marine Biology before moving back to Minnesota to begin working full time at Foley.
Mary Stevens, Office Administrator/Registrar
Why I Work at Camp Foley: As a mother, I initially was looking for a job that would offer me flexibility – so I could attend my children’s sporting events, or stay home with them if they were ill. My kids, who are now grown, attended Camp Foley for several years. Watching the changes in them after they returned home from camp made me realize that camp isn’t just about having fun – it’s so much more. Being part of the Foley team that helps make camp possible for so many amazing kids is fulfilling and rewarding. I came to Foley looking for a flexible job, and found a family – my “Foley family”.
Mary has been the Office Administrator at Foley since the summer of 2000. She is the one to call if you have any questions about registration, forms, billing or any other question about your child’s stay at Camp Foley. Mary has lived in the local area since 1994 and her two children both went to Foley, so she understands what it’s like to have a child at camp. Prior to living near camp, Mary lived and worked in the Twin Cities area. Mary keeps the Camp Foley Office running smoothly all year!
Email Mary
Ally Daily, Girl’s Assistant Director
Favorite Activity: Fencing
Favorite Camp Meal: Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Favorite Camp Song: Rattlin’ Bog
Why I Work at Camp Foley: I work at Camp Foley because given the option, why would I want to work anywhere else? Attending Camp Foley as a camper for 12 years was one of the happiest parts of my childhood, and helped mold me into the strong independent person I am today. Now I go to work every day knowing I take part in creating some of the happiest times in so many other children’s lives. The scenery isn’t bad either!
Ally graduated from the University of New Orleans with a degree in Education. She then worked in New Orleans as a First Grade Teacher while spending summers on Staff with Foley. Ally started attending Camp Foley when she was 6 years old and never stopped! She loves fantasy and Sci-fi, and even taught a LARP-ing class as a counselor. She can teach you to swing a sword and shoot a bow and so far Foley is the closest she can get to living in Middle Earth so she’s glad to now call Foley her year round home.
Joe Harrington, Boy’s Assistant Director
Favorite Activity: Waterskiing
Favorite Camp Meal: Tater Tot Hot Dish
Favorite Camp Song: Flea Fly
Why I Work at Camp Foley: In all the years that I have worked at Camp Foley, I have always felt that it is a place that allows me to be the best version of myself. Camp Foley challenges me to grow my skills in areas I am less comfortable in, while at the same time utilizing my strengths in areas I am more confident. Not only does camp challenge me to be the very best version of myself, but I get to work in areas that I am passionate about. I love exploring outside and being in nature, especially being on a lake, so working at a camp is a dream job for me. Finally I have seen how much Camp Foley positively impacts campers, staff, and their families, and I want to be a part of carrying out and supporting the important work we do for as long as I can.
Joe grew up in Minnesota before attending Creighton University in Omaha, where he graduated with a degree in Finance and Spanish. He has been a counselor at Foley for 3 years, spending most of his time down at the lake and working with the younger campers. He loves to talk about his many interests from College Football to Bluegrass music, and always will have a fun fact that he is able to share with you. Joe also loves to spend time exploring nature, especially any activity that involves the snow or a lake. He spent the 2019-2020 in Guatemala, working for San Lucas Mission, before he started full time at Foley in April of 2020.
Mike Lillo, The Maintenance Guy
Favorite Job at Camp: Driving the bobcat or building random things that will help out the kids.
Favorite Camp Meal: Chicken Tenders and Cornbread
Why I work at Camp Foley: I enjoy the work. One of my favorite memories growing up was going to summer camp, I never wanted to leave! Now I work at one! Sometimes its hard for me to go home, this place makes you feel young again!
Before joining our team, Mike dabbled in pretty much everything that is needed at camp including plumbing, electrical work, and carpentry. He is the keeper of the grounds (plowing in the winter, mowing in the summer), helps fix all of the random things around camp and still finds time to help staff with projects. Mike is originally from Fosston, MN but now lives with his wife, Karly, and two daughters, Addison and Payton, in Brainerd, MN (near camp). Mike started at Camp Foley in April of 2014 and has been just the guy we needed to help keep our grounds looking nice and camp operational. Mike has associate degrees in Sales, Marketing, Management, Plumbing and HVAC from Northwest Technical College in Bemidji, MN.