A Volunteer Journal Day 5: Amazing Accomplishments before Dancing the Night Away.

Welcome to our first ever Camp Blue Skies mini-series. Thought you would enjoy a play-by-play look at James Guimond's experience at our camp as a week-long volunteer. Please enjoy our last installment. Each one broken into bite size pieces so you can savor every detail. Visit our News page for the complete series.

Day 5 Camp Theme of the Day: Wednesday Leadership

Cabin Captains meeting and breakfast at 8:15 AM, the weather was going to be perfect for final activity day. Cabin time and then off to the Zip Line the one activity I was really looking forward to, Gray was having a hard time on the Giant Swing and with his knee I was concerned about getting him up the spiral staircase and him decide to not do it, we would have a really difficult time getting him down. So when he got hesitant only few steps up we let him come down. I got counselor Adria to go with me on the Zip Line, I did not know she had never done it before. So when she said it was the scariest thing she has ever done she meant it! Even the counselors were pushing their limits too! I tried to video the Zip Line in action but didn’t get the video set right, going to have to try again next year. David was a hero on the Zip Line and asked that I video his run, so we did get video from the ground. Next up Arts and Crafts and a chance to chill a little in the great hall. The campers made mosaics and I just let my brain rest for an hour. Lunch time and cabin time, pretty much all the campers took a nap, by the end of the week they were glad to have cabin time, as we wore them out with fun!

Wacky Olympics was up next, wrap a counselor in toilet paper, spin around, hit the beach ball around a cone with a swimming noodle, and cover Dick and counselor Patrick with whip cream, it was way more fun than it sounds. Cabin time before dinner and the awards ceremony, they were pretty excited after wacky Olympics, hey when you ever get to cover someone in whip cream without getting in trouble, loads of fun. Cabin time today was special, we had some cards with our cabin team picture and a personal note from the cabin counselors, a certificate of completion, and a Camp Blue Skies T shirt was given to each camper. I let them know I had to leave after the dance since I need to be home Thursday morning. Gray was my buddy so I had to talk with him for some time as he wanted me to stay, all week he would not do much unless I was with him, so I wanted to spend some extra time with him to let him know he mattered a lot to me. We had the campers all put on their orange shirts for the dance, and since we were the orange crush team it worked out great. Dean finished up the painting for Dick so we could present it to him at the dance tonight. Much fun was had doing the funky chicken, the slide and many other fun dances, I was surprised how lively they were dancing after an activity packed week. I said my final goodbyes to the campers and cabin team. I talked with some other counselors and was happy to hear they thought I did a good job for my campers, which is what I hoped I could do this week. On the drive back to Charlotte I replayed the whole week in my head, I could not remember a single time we were not having a complete blast with the campers. What an amazing job Camp Blue Skies staff did to pull off an incredible camp that week. Incredible leaders in service they just draw the best out of the campers and counselors during a week when nothing else mattered but serving these deserving campers, just sweet hearts just wanting someone to play, joke, and laugh with to be just other guy or girl for one week, no limits, no awkward stares, just new friends having huge fun at camp. Count me in for next year, would not miss it for the world.

Lord thank you for such an amazing teaching weekend, patience, caring, acceptance, and love for fellow human being no matter who they are. Your lesson of accepting people as they are really impacted me this week. We all are just the same, your children, and the love that binds us is more powerful than any disability or challenge that life brings. The huge power of laughter and fun to heal is truly incredible to watch. I am grateful to have been part of this great work being done by The Camp Blue Skies Foundation and will work to see it continue and flourish. Until next year.

Cabin Captain for Cabin 10

James K. Guimond