Camp RAD Observation

On the evening of June 25th, 2014, head camp counselor for ForensiTech, River Forrest, was given permission

As the week progressed and friendships formed between everyone, I realized the importance of the camp to all that were involved. To the counselors it was a learning experience, as well as a time to appreciate all that we would usually take for granted; to the campers it was a time to learn and make new friends, and for most of them, it would also serve as their only form of a summer vacation. So although we were all exhausted by the end of the week, we had a great time.

Last summer I volunteered to be a camp counselor at a camp in Blowing Rock, North Carolina called Camp Sonshine. This camp is different from others in that they bring children ages 5 to 18 from inner city Memphis, Tennessee to the Appalachian Mountains. This

It was a balmy July morning when my family and I drove out to Lycoming College to begin my week at PFEW. An uneasy feeling set in as I realized that I will be surrounded by strangers in an uncommon environment for a whole seven days. Adding onto this stress was the fact that I have never been away from my parents for more than one night. Upon my arrival, all of the camp participants were ushered to a large auditorium and given a welcome presentation. Looking around at all the unfamiliar faces, I felt the urge to call my parents and avoid

"Don 't worry," Rachel and Ben said simultaneously, "It 's only like a four to five hour hike, unless you get lost." Rachel and Ben were my coaches while I was at camp. I could call them counselors, but they weren 't exactly counselors to me, more like second parents, or coaches. Little did I know, this "four or five hour hike" would be one of the worst experiences of my life.

Waking up 6:30 in the morning isn't common for me but July 28th was the day I was driving up to Athens for Dawg Camp. I was waiting for this day since I was fortunate to receive a scholarship to go to Dawg Camp Discovery thanks to the UGA Parents Leadership Council. Every UGA event I attended, convinced me that Dawg Camp was an once in a lifetime opportunity. I was beyond ecstatic when I found out I was one of the recipient of the reward. Once arriving at UGA, I walked into Ramsey startled by the excitement coming from the basketball court. All of the camp counselors were beyond theatric when all of the campers came in one by one. As the day went on, I began to connect with my group, Silver 4, more and more. We were able to talk about our

For over 60 years, Camp Young Judaea Texas (CYJ) continues to flourish and expand our reach in local Texas communities. We receive over 600 campers each summer and administer programming to over 5,000 individuals during the year. CYJ is committed to providing individuals of all financial backgrounds with opportunities to be a part of our camp programs. Through dynamic camp activities and superior retreats, our organization supplies both children and adults with a fun, educational space that fosters spiritual growth, social activism, philanthropy, and a passion for preserving the environment.

While being allowed to come into the camp, I learned a great deal about how the homeless live. This particular group was very self sufficient

I knew my transition from an ordinary visitor to a volunteer would be a new and exciting experience. My task in the Summer Reading Program was to register patrons, explain how the program works, and give out prizes at the end of each week. The number of children who registered for the program impressed me. I enjoyed working with these children, since I knew exactly where they got their excitement from. I would look forward to seeing the smiling faces of the children as they received their prizes. Their faces made me reminisce about the joyful moments I had as a child when I couldn't wait for the grand prize week of the Summer Reading Program.

Both the youth and adult chaperones gained friendships and a greater understanding of each other and the world at large. Youth were able to practice life skills such as taking responsibility for oneself and building relationships with others different from you. As a result of this program, youth from Kanawha County participated as campers with the Wayne County 4-H Older Camp. The collaborative spirit among the Extension Educators was unparalleled. All involved recommended that these educational experiences continue in the

The facility that was assigned to work with is the Louisiana Baptist Home Residential Child Care Program. According to the Louisiana Baptist Children Home website, (n.d.), the residential child care program houses children from 5-17 years of age. It offers a safe environment for children of various races, cultural and religious groups. The children live in a family-style homes with assigned parents who provide them with love, support, and Christian leadership.

The center originally began as the “Ron Wood Project” and the main focus was to be a truancy center. However, the “project” quickly grew into a Family Resource Center in order to meet the growing need of Carson City’s residents. The mission of the Ron Wood Family Resource Center is to create a lasting community-wide cooperative effort between the private

“Making the impossible possible” is the motto of Camp Able. Camp Able offers a summer camp experience for people with special needs, whether they be physical or mental. This week-long session affects the lives of many and I can vouch for that. This experience has given me so many fond memories and has filled me with a more humble spirit. All of the staff that takes part in the one-on-one care and assisted daily living are volunteers who graciously dedicate their time and money to go through online certification, staff training, and the week itself. My experience in volunteering for this event caused me to have some very mixed feelings, but I learned so much along the way.

Camp Happy Valley is a summer day camp which is located in London, Ontario. It formed in 1965, and as a not-for-profit organization. Camp Happy Valley engages in create a positive and safe atmosphere for children to increase their experience. Sue Johnson is the director of this camp and work for hiring the super staff team. Adam Cameron is the programmer for Happy Valley. The process of hiring and training staff was low efficiency, and the camp’s morale was depressed. Camp Happy Valley needs to make some decisions as soon as possible to improve this situation.

This Summer, I had the best time of my life. I learned some valuable lessons, I made some friends, and I had so much fun. Even if I didn’t know it. This is the story of my summer camp experience.