I suspect my Camp Korey volunteer experience was not unusual – namely – it changed my life. To see the camper’s transition from fear and insecurity at arrival, to tears and hugs at having to leave friends at departure, proves something special happens in the course of their time at camp. It was a privilege to be a small part of the Camp Korey staff team. A team totally focused on doing whatever it takes to support kids with significant challenges enjoy just being kids. From cooks, to counselors, to wranglers, to nurses, to hot-air balloon operators, to spa-service providers, to animal therapy specialists, to the most senior camp administrators, everyone pitches in to make a camper’s time at Camp Korey the best time of their young lives.
So what was so special about my time at Camp Korey? Well, it was the whispered request from a camper asking me if I would play catch with him. It was being in the presence of terrific kids that for the first time in a long time were able to just be themselves around peers. It was watching every camper being given the opportunity to experience joy. It was watching kids who had difficulty walking on arrival, dance the night before departure. It was watching a physically challenged kid recite Shakespeare. It was the uncertainty on the faces of parents during check-in compared to their faces at pick-up hearing from their child how much fun they had. It was the opportunity to interact with such dedicated camp staff giving of themselves in the service to others.
The night before our session ended, I got pretty choked up watching the kids perform at “stage night.” I thought to myself, I must have lucked out and been present with an unusual group of kids. I turned to my lead who was present at each session and asked, “each week must have a different chemistry, right? This magic doesn’t happen every week does it?” She smiled and with a slight tilt of her head and said, “yeah … it kinda does.”
So, there you have it. After one session the kids and Camp Korey staff succeeded in capturing my heart. Camp Korey is a magical place that provides wonderful experiences for special kids. What a privilege and joy to have been a part of it all for a week last August.
-Allen
