I graduated from the University of Dayton which has a summer program called UDSAP, University of Dayton Summer Appalachian Program, and one of my biggest regrets was not participating in this summer of service, so CAP summer camp sounded great to me; although nothing and no one could have prepared me for what I experienced my six weeks in Jackson County, Kentucky. I arrived on my birthday, the next day learned what chiggers are, and the day after that I woke up with a sunburn that bubbled. Throughout the summer I had a total of 392 bug bites, picked countless lice bugs and eggs out of little girls' hair, got four bee stings, two splinters and a pretty nasty case of poison ivy. Sounds terrible right?
Last summer was without any doubt in my mind the best six weeks of my life. I have never been with such different people that come together and work so well together. I have never felt more needed and more appreciated than I did at Camp Andrew Jackson. Miss Nina, the fabulous chef of Camp AJ, was an inspiration to me. She had no idea who I was but every day, from the very first to the very last, she would always make sure I got a hug. Miss Connie (another camp employee) would always shout, "Oh yea Miss Gracie, Rock Star!" when I walked by. I could make you a list far longer than I'm sure you would want to read that would describe people like Miss Nina and Miss Connie. It's the love and affirmation that I received from the staff and from my peers that made all the bug bites and the heat not even matter. We were there for the kids, we were there for each other, and we had more fun than anybody could imagine.
There was one particularly hot day, and I was just not feeling well at all. We had been trying to keep the kids cool all day so we were rotating between arts and crafts and the waterfront; I was sick, I was tired, and I just wasn't having a good day. Well one of my Middles (at camp, we divide campers into Youngers, Middles and Olders), a little boy named Brian, stood up on one of the tables in the cafeteria during snack and screamed, "ATTENTION CAMP AJ, I WOULD LIKE TO SING A VERY SPECIAL SONG, FOR A VERY SPECIAL LADY, MISS GRACIE..." And he started singing, "We love Miss Gracie, a deep down in our hearts..." and the whole camp joined in. Now I come from a very loving, crazy, affectionate home, but I have never felt as loved as I did in that moment.
I have seen the magic of summer camp, I have been touched, and I want to continue to be a part of the wonderful work CAP does so that maybe one day I can make somebody feel as appreciated and loved as those kids and those counselors made me feel.
Gracie P. was a 2011 summer camp volunteer at Camp Andrew Jackson. She is now applying to be a long-term volunteer, and this post was excerpted with permission from her application essay.
