The Reward of the First Step

I have just returned from my favorite place, with some of my favorite people. The place that I always am for a week in the middle of June every year: CHAMP Camp. 

CHAMP Camp is a camp for children with tracheostomies or children who need assistance to breathe, such as ventilators or C-Pap/Bi-Pap at night. 

For several magical days out of the whole year, campers get an inclusive and full summer camp experience.

“But you work at an accounting firm, Bree. Why are you volunteering to be a counselor at CHAMP Camp?”

I’m so very glad you asked.

My “Why”

My “why” for volunteering at camp is the zipline. Creative minds got together and came up with a way for ALL our campers to zipline, even our campers that use a wheelchair or power chair. They secured the equipment and hardware to make it happen. 

There is nothing like watching the joy light up a first time camper’s face when they realize that they can do this, even if they’re doing it scared. They hear, both at the top of the zipline and the bottom, their fellow campers and counselors cheering them on every second. 

Camp is all about the ordinary moments in life that we all take for granted. A week where we encourage our campers to be brave, to try new things, to hear them laugh and enjoy being in a place with others just like them.

Every year, I come home with a new lesson learned from experiencing so many magical, ordinary moments with campers and counselors.

This Year’s Lesson: Be Brave

In reflecting on camp this year, I am reminded of when my sister attended camp for the first time. She was scared to zipline her first year as a camper. She would begin to take a step off the platform, but every time she neared the edge, she stopped. 

I will never forget the moment on video where she stepped off the platform. 

All the way down, counselors and campers cheered her on. 

She went on to go down the zipline many more times that day – too many to count. It was one of her favorite activities from camp that year. 

She tried something new. She took a moment to be brave and be open to the new opportunity that came from camp to make new friends and try new things. 

To witness campers’ bravery at camp firsthand continuously awes me, and I am so grateful that I am one small part of making that possible. Witnessing the joy on our campers’ faces is the reason I come back to camp year after year.

Bravery is a part of life and a necessary ingredient to succeed in business. Bravery is committing to doing something, even when you’re scared, and following through anyway.

Have you witnessed a moment of bravery recently?

We’d love to hear your story!