Great Wolf Lodge

Over the past few months, we’ve been highlighting stories from the winners of our 2024 Great Wolf Scholarship Program. We distributed more than $250,000 to 54 Pack Members and their children to help them achieve their educational dreams. Today, we’re featuring Jennifer Patrick, a Food & Beverage Attendant at our Sandusky, OH lodge: Q. Why did you apply for the Great Wolf scholarship? I applied for the Great Wolf scholarship because I felt it was a great opportunity to continue to pursue my undergraduate education without any help from my parents. With two other siblings, one of my main goals is to cover my college expenses on my own. Q. How did you get the news that you had received the scholarship? On my last day before returning back to college, my coworkers and staff held an amazing surprise going-away party! At the party, I found out I was receiving the scholarship as well—I was overwhelmed by the opportunity it presented me with. Q. How do you plan to use your scholarship fund? Currently, I am using the scholarship fund to continue my education at Ashland University, where I am a psychology major and family and child studies minor. In the future, I hope to pursue my education in graduate school to become a licensed sports psychologist. Q. What advice would you give others who are planning to apply for the Great Wolf scholarship? Remember to include your goals in addition to your accomplishments: It’s important for others to see what you plan on using the scholarship to achieve! I would just like to thank the Sandusky Great Wolf Lodge for embracing me and working around my busy schedule! I am so thankful for all they have done for me.

At Great Wolf, we know there are those with different career skills than are found in our industry, or who are still developing their skills, either in hospitality or another field. We see this as an opportunity to help people explore or start new career paths. It’s why we’re a proud partner of Blackstone Career Pathways—a program working with community-based organizations to increase employment opportunities and career mobility for those from marginalized communities, overlooked groups, Veterans, and underserved youth. The goal is to get talented people into advanced skill and management roles and position them for career opportunities and long-term employment. We’re excited to continue the success of the Career Pathways program. Learn more about our efforts https://lnkd.in/gB5eRgXQ. #BXCareerPathways

Love Your Lodge is our way of celebrating Pack Members who have made a career at Great Wolf Lodge. Today, we’re featuring Rachel Sebring, Director of Food and Beverage at Great Wolf Lodge Pocono Mountains. 1. What do you love about working at Great Wolf Lodge? I love coming into work daily and seeing not only my Pack Members, but all the kids running around making memories. They bring such joy both to our guests and to everyone who works at the lodge—It warms my heart! 2. What’s a way that you get to help out other Packs or other Pack Members working at Great Wolf? I have the joy of assisting not just my pack but also all departments throughout the lodge. We strive in supporting one another. I have also had the opportunity to be a part of a task force, traveling and spending a few weeks working at some of the other lodges around the country. This experience has helped me to embody our company value, “We Are One Pack.” 3. What’s a personal or unique aspect of your lodge that makes it fun to work at? A unique aspect of our lodge is our leadership longevity: It’s been wonderful having the opportunity to assist in the organic growth of our Food and Beverage leadership team over the years. Our team aspires to spread positive vibes throughout the lodge, and one of my favorite ways to do it is signing up for all the committee events we host—to help service the pack and have fun!

This past year has been a busy one for Dr. Romie Mushtaq, MD, ABIHM our Chief Wellness Officer. We asked her to look back over the previous 12 months and talk about all that she has learned during what she calls her “Year of Listening at Great Wolf”: This past year has been an incredible adventure. I've had the privilege of connecting with thousands of our amazing Pack Members, one on one, across 22 lodges. My mission? To understand their unique needs and build a wellness program that truly supports their well-being. Here are a few key takeaways: ● Know Your Pack: We tailor our programs to resonate with everyone, from frontline team members to corporate leaders. ● Departmental Diversity: Different departments have different needs—so we're developing customized solutions for each area. ● Mental Health vs. Mental Wellbeing: There’s a difference, and we’re prioritizing both through comprehensive support programs. ● Holistic Approach: Our focus is on the whole person: physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. I'm honored to have met and learned from so many dedicated Pack Members to shape our wellness initiatives. We're excited for our new program launch in 2025— stay tuned! #Wellness #WeAreOnePack #BePackPositive

Every child deserves to experience the joy of the holiday season. That’s why we participate in The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program, which provides the opportunity to buy presents for hundreds of thousands of children in need across the country. Join us in lending a helping hand — the holidays are a time for giving. #GreatWolfLodge #Charity #Holidays

Over the past few months, we’ve been highlighting stories from the winners of our 2024 Great Wolf Scholarship Program. We distributed more than $250,000 to 54 Pack Members and their children to help them achieve their educational dreams. Today, we’re featuring Adalyn Middick, a Retail Attendant at our Mason, OH lodge: Q: Why did you apply for the Great Wolf scholarship?  A: I applied for the Great Wolf scholarship because it seemed like a great opportunity and a perk for me as an employee. It also helped me achieve my dreams of going to school without the stress of paying for it.     Q: What was going through your head when you found out? A: I couldn't believe it. I couldn't help but shed a tear, thinking about how I would be debt-free going through college.    Q: How do you plan to use your scholarship fund? A: I plan to use my scholarship fund for my college tuition. Applying for the Great Wolf Scholarship was one of the best decisions I have made in my college experience. I am debt-free and hope to be as I finish my final year next year.    Q: What advice would you give others who are planning to apply for the Great Wolf scholarship? A: I would advise others applying to the Great Wolf Scholarship to write their essays to show their dedication and achievement. Write about something that you overcame, and that won't hold you back.

We need your vote! Cake artists extraordinaire, Duff Goldman and Ashley Holt, each designed a giant, custom Gingerbread Lodge: Duff at our Maryland location, and Ashley at our lodge in The Poconos. Everyone can vote on social media for the design they like best—with $15,000 going to the winner’s chosen charity, and $10,000 to the second-place finisher’s charity. Visit the link below to learn more—another way we’re working to give back to our communities. https://bit.ly/4giAkZY #GreatWolfLodge Charm City Cakes

Our Traverse City, MI lodge recently had the honor of hosting the kickoff celebration for Toys for Tots of Northwest Michigan’s annual campaign. With games, holiday treats, and the chance to visit with Santa, the event showcased Toys for Tots’ mission: ensuring that all children receive a gift under the tree this season. Hundreds of people lined up to drop off toys for those in need—the largest turnout yet for the event. “It was truly heartwarming to witness the generosity and community spirit on full display. We are immensely proud to support such a meaningful cause, and to be a part of this wonderful community,” says Sylwia Wardzala, general manager of our Traverse City lodge. “Together, we collected an astounding 25,000 toys and provided 2,000 free passes to our indoor water park for each donation.” Giving back to those in need is the most rewarding thing you can do during the holidays—and since the campaign runs until December 13, there’s still time to contribute.   Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gWFBsmqX