My Nonprofit Reviews

I started volunteering as a Camp nurse in the summer of 2009. Since then I have been back for several family and camper reunion weekends. I work as a nurse in an outpt dept at CT Children's Medical Center and I have been able to help some of our "kids" apply to Camp and it has been rewarding to see them go and have fun and come back to tell the songs they have learned and the experiences they have had. I plan to volunteer again as a nurse for weekends in the upcoming year and for an entire week the summer of 2011. I LOVE Camp. It is hard to explain but it is such an incredible place. I have met amazing people ...campers, their families, medical staff, volunteers, paid staff , counselors. They are an incredibly giving , loving bunch who work tirelessly to give these kids a phenomenal camp experience. I never see anyone say no to these kids (unless it is a safety issue of course)j. They will do their best to be able to allow the kids to do what makes them happy. They are so encouraging. The kids feel safe in this Camp environment, they don't have to worry about being picked on or not being able to do something because of their medical issues. I love watching the "kids be kids" . They TALK to each other (no cell phones or computers), they experience "cabin chat" which for me was an awesome experience, they create things, they make things. They use their imaginations to perform and create projects. They love to fish...that is one of their favorites.

From a medical perspective the staff nurses and the volunteer nurses and the physicians are amazing. They never seem to get tired. I have seen a staff nurse work all day, stay up all night with the older kids keeping them safe during a camp-out and then accompany a sick child to the emergency room the next day--in her pajamas--and never complain.

It is such an uplifting place to be. You would think with all the medical issues and illness that this would be a depressing place to be but it is exactly the opposite. The kids are inspiring. It is so rewarding to see them making friends, helping each other and learning about themselves. They can't wait to come back. I always leave Camp with much more than I came with and I can't wait to go back. I feel very lucky to be a part of such an amazing team.

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