October_2015_Newsletter_Pages (1)

4 • OZARKS REGIONAL YMCA • FALL 2015
CAMP WAKONDA
SO MUCH MORE THAN AN OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
By Steve Maynard
Camp is probably the place where many of
us learn innumerable lessons about life and
humanity - the separate setting from daily
routines provides an opportunity to shed the
expectations of others and be free to truly be
ourselves, living above imposed limitations,
discovering more about ourselves and blossoming
into who we were meant to be.
Perhaps it’s because of the break from the
craziness of their regular routine that gives
kids the mental room they need to consider
some of the most important issues of life like
their future or any unhealthy behavior patterns.
Perhaps it’s the friendships with caring
adults and other campers, forged through
shared experiences and the compressed time
at camp, that provides a connection that
helps young people navigate the challenges
of life.
Whatever it is, there’s no doubt that going to
camp can be a life-changing experience; both
for a child and their parent, as this recent
email to our camp so eloquently describes:
“Good morning Steve,
I know you are beginning a new round of
campers as of yesterday, but I felt I would be
remiss if I did not take the time to email you
and let you know how Cassady feels about
camp and what she has had to
say in the past couple of days.
After we picked Cassady up Saturday
and was heading home,
she was so excited and overflowing
with energy. Her favorite
word about camp was “amazing”.
Everything was amazing - you,
the campers, the counselors,
the activities, nature, the whole
experience. I tried to count the
number of times she said it, but
finally gave up. Secondly, she
wanted to stay the entire month!
My husband and I were somewhat
worried that she wouldn’t
enjoy camp because she was so
nervous leading up to the drop off date and
even that morning but our worries were quite
unfounded. If we had the resources, we would
have gladly arranged more weeks at camp. To
that note, I want to thank you so much for
the financial aid scholarship program. By the
time we purchased the items she needed for
camp, we dipped in to alternative resources
to make it all happen. So, if it weren’t for your
board and their efforts in raising the funds
to offset the financial aid dollars, Cassady
would not have been able to attend camp and
be impacted the way she was.
In addition, she now strives to be a counselor
at camp herself someday. She spoke with
Hayden before she left and he explained
the process to her. She is more than ready
for two more years of camp, two years as a
counselor-in-training, and then off to being
a counselor. She has even decided to fore go
attending college out of state and attending
MSU so that she can be a counselor during
the summers.