May 2008 - Epilepsy Australia

unexpected rewardsconfessions of a volunteer by Lesley RidgewayBack in 1998, I took myself off toBendigo to complete a degree inOutdoor Education. At that time, I hadbeen involved in camp programs, teambuilding/personal development and trainthe trainer programs for 5 years. In myfinal year in 2000, I was required to dovarious forms of field placement. It wasthere on the noticeboard of potentialplacements that my relationship with theEpilepsy Foundation of Victoria began.I made an appointment with LisaRath in order to learn more about it alland for Lisa to assess my suitabilityas a volunteer. The contact up to thispoint was impressive. I had spokento Rosemary from Melbourne andLisa from Bendigo and enjoyed thefriendliness and professionalism thatwas given. After my appointment withLisa, I intuitively knew that I wasgoing to be more involved with thisorganisation that just a once off campexperience. I sensed and liked thenurturing and highly organised feelingthat I had so far. Lucky for me that Lisaassessed me as a suitable volunteer.I attended the adult camp that year,re-acquainting with Lisa and meetingJan Burns, the camp co-ordinator.Another staff member, Camille Heagneywas brilliant with the volunteer ‘getto know you’ activities and with theoverall camp activity program. Again,I was impressed with the efficiency,organisation and professionalism inwhich the camp was run.The following year, I attendedthe Family Camp to find that it wasCamille’s last camp as she was soon tobe leaving the Epilepsy Foundation. Imentioned to Jan that I would be happyto co-ordinate programs in the future ifthey needed someone. Jan thought thatsounded like a good idea. That was eightyears and 16 camps ago.I have really enjoyed each and everycamp experience, but it is more thanthat for me. It is about friendships andrelationships. I have developed lovelyfriendships with Jan and Lisa, twowomen that I highly respect for whatthey do and how they do it. The love,the care, the warmth that they give tochildren and their families, and adultswith epilepsy is inspirational. I havelearned from them and continue to do so.Talking with and listening to people atcamp, particularly mums and dads is sovery eye opening, rewarding, sad, joyful,heart breaking and also very funny attimes. I may never see them again orthey may come to several more camps.As a volunteer, I am giving of myselfand expect nothing in return. Butthere’s the catch because I get so muchin return. I get enrichment in so manyways. Sharing in people’s lives for afew days, people with, or affected by,epilepsy offer insight into their world– hardships and struggles, joys anddisappointments, hilarity and sadness.You know, it is largely hardships andstruggles, but for most people on camp,they find others in their very samepredicament, they share stories, theymake friends, they swap numbers, theycry (for all sorts of reasons), they laughand relax for the first time in ages.Seeing people relax, talk and laughtogether. That is what is special. That iswhat makes me feel enriched because Iam a very small part of this wonderfulprocess.I walk away from each camp havingexperienced all this, having the honourof seeing inside and sharing otherpeople’s worlds. My experiences at campmake me a better person and no amountof money or reward can do that. It is therole of a volunteer and the relationshipsthat allow me to receive more than Igive.The photo is of a mural made atthe last family camp. Every family isrepresented in their own individualunique and beautifully creative way. Wehave just started doing these at the lastfew camps. We will need a lot of walls tohang them on if we keep doing it. Thismural can be viewed at the Foundations’office in Camberwell.24 THE EPILEPSY REPORT MAY 2008