Partners With Youth

Our annual campaign is right around the corner. This is our time to raise money to give the opportunity of camp to summer campers, outdoor environmental education schools, and individuals participating in our family camp and women's wellness weekends.

We are currently recruiting volunteers for this campaign. If you are interested, please e-mail Alicia Hogl at ahogl@seattleymca.org and read below for an inspirational story from Ben.

Ben has worked at summer camp for two years and has also been a staff member during the conference and retreat seasons at Colman. He was a dedicated 2011 Partners With Youth volunteer and is this year's Camp Colman Partners With Youth Division Chair!

Ben's Impactful Story:

This summer as a cabin counselor, I distinctly remember my cabin of thirteen year old boys and the strong bond we came to share. What sticks out most to me was their ability to interact with and befriend Jack, a camper who has Asperger’s Syndrome. This was Jack’s first year being at camp and his first experience being away from home for an extended period of time. He had previously been a victim of repeated bullying and had tremendous difficulty with social interaction. Through value circles each night, Jack was really able to express himself to our cabin and in turn, the other campers went out of their way to make sure he felt included and knew that he had made friends.

I received a letter from his parents a few weeks after, telling me how much being at camp and making those friends meant to Jack. It’s campers like these that make me so passionate about working for camp. The experiences that we create and share within the camp environment, extend back into daily life and allow that child to grow and become a better citizen. The maturity and growth I see within these children make me wish I were able to have gone to camp when I was their age.