In Their Own Words -
Alyssa Polakowski
What Camp Means To
Kids
 The
time I spent at
Dragonfly Forest this
summer has made me
recognize just how much
this camp means to the
kids who have the
opportunity to attend.
During Autism week, my
camper was experiencing
his first overnight
camp. At first I
could tell he was
anxious to be away from
home, but at the same
time, he was excited and
eager to learn new
things. By the end
of the first full day of
camp my camper was
totally comfortable with
his fellow campers in
the blue unit. I
attributed his new found
comfort to the warm,
caring and accepting
environment that is
offered by all of the
counselors and staff at
Dragonfly Forest.
Everything at Dragonfly
is approached with a
"can-do" attitude, which
is extremely contagious
among everyone at camp.
It is truly a safe haven
for kids to enjoy who
they really are, and to
forget about all of the
things that would
normally hold them back
from living an ordinary,
everyday life.
Two days before the last
day of camp, it became
apparent to me that
Dragonfly Forest had
become my camper's place
to soar. While
walking back from the
evening’s activities, my
camper asked "Can I stay
here at camp Thursday
after everyone leaves?"
followed by a long
monologue about how much
fun he has had in just 4
short days. These
feelings were reinforced
during the last night at
camp again, when my
camper changed the
question to, "Can I stay
here at camp forever?" I
can still hear his voice
asking these questions
in my head and every
time I replay it in my
mind, I know that the
best part about his
questions is that he was
asking out of complete
seriousness. An
emotional departure
proved once again how my
camper's very first camp
experience had impacted
his life. I am
sure he's counting down
the days until Dragonfly
2010 when he’ll be able
to spend another week
independent and free to
discover new talents and
abilities.
Dragonfly Forest is,
without a doubt, the
most amazing and
irreplaceable experience
for any kid to have, and
I feel lucky to have
been able to witness it
firsthand.
Become a Hero
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