I have just finished my third year as a volunteer camp counselor at CRS and let me tell you, it is impossible to express the positive impact and the great feelings you leave with when working with such a camp. Camp Rising Sun exists to provide a safe, nurturing environment for kids who have faced the diagnosis of cancer so that they may grow and learn from their experiences to become the best they can be. This year’s theme was Dr. Seuss and as always we at camp went hard with the decorations and costumes. We decorated the camp with Truffula trees and had professional Makeup Artists come in to help us get ready to greet the kids. I was in Cabin 4 and our specific cabin’s theme was The Lorax, the kids made Lorax t-shirts while all of us counselors in Cabin 4 dressed up as the O’hare delivery men, overalls, mustaches, and all. My week was amazing as always, playing Gaga Ball, horseback riding, fishing and rope swinging in the 40 acre Triangle Lake, and going down the Giant slide amongst so many other activities, obviously all for the kids. We had our annual talent show and of course we as the counselors had to take this opportunity to leave a lasting impression and make this camp week even more entertaining. We had a whole dance routine down that we all did in our costumes to Barry White’s You Sexy Thing. It was a hilarious laugh out loud moment that had many of the kids in tears of laughter. Our Whoville Christmas was awesome with each kid (their were over 100) receiving a gift. Spending a week with these kids is an uplifting one. All of the staff and sponsors really do a great job that make these kids lives and all who participate more fun and enjoyable. It’s a week full of hope, inspiration, and motivation.
