If I said my experience volunteering at Camp Sunshine affected me it would be a gross understatement. I got more out of these five days than I could have ever imagined. The little girls in my unit taught me to appreciate the joy that can be found in simple things and how to empathize with people.!
! When I first received the flyer for Camp Sunshine I decided to sign up, not because I was interested in helping disadvantaged children, because I needed more community service on my resume. I met the head of Camp Sunshine, Dr. Laurie Weil at her home for an interview before I could begin working at the camp. During my interview, I was asked why I wanted to work with Camp Sunshine. I gave a generic answer that I’m sure Mrs. Laurie heard 100 times.The interview was supposed to be 10 minutes, but ended up just under 2 hours. Mrs. Laurie was fascinated with me and…show more content… I was dreading Camp Sunshine until the day it began. I couldn’t imagine spending hours with children I didn’t know. I asked myself, how could I help these girls who are so different than me? We have nothing in common. These children were only 2 or 3 years younger than me, and I figured it was going to be the most awkward event of my life. It’s only one week, I told myself. !
! When I arrived at Camp Sunshine on the first day, it definitely was not what I expected. The staff members were like family, with this being the 15th or 20th year they volunteered. I immediately felt accepted and like I could talk to anyone if I was having trouble. There were a lot of familiar faces, people from MA and other schools that I had no idea were doing this. This instantly made me feel more at ease, although I was still apprehensive about meeting the girls. !
! Upon finally meeting the girls, it was awkward. It seemed like they didn’t like me. I wasn’t one of the counselors they were used to seeing at camp. I was new and that made them nervous. I could understand. The idea of something new, like this, frightened me as well.
