Why I Give
http://www.orymca.org/
I give to the United Way of the Ozarks and the Ozarks Regional YMCA because their partnership has impacted my teen daughter on a level I never could. She attended a residential summer camp in the summer of 2015 and came away transformed. Having been bullied in school for being too little and short, too outgoing/weird/loud, she struggled with self-confidence, drawing boundaries, and making friends. After a week at camp, she came away with strength, courage, and acceptance. She said for the first time she wasn’t picked on or bullied and people truly cared about, and liked her, for who she was. As a mom, I try to help her face adversity with courage and strength, but there are some places a mom cannot reach. Camp Wakonda, the staff and counselors, and other campers reached her and she came home a completely changed individual. To this day she uses words like “transformational”. She drew healthy relationship boundaries, cleaned up her friends, and embraced the quality, not quantity, of the friends she has. She has continued to share her story and impact others as well. I am thankful for the assistance we received to be able to send her to camp.
Review from #MyGivingStory