By Katie Schlenker
My sophomore year I got the opportunity to be a family pal at Camp Boggy Creek for a weekend! I had heard about this camp and what a special place it was, but getting to experience it firsthand was incredible. As a family pal, I got paired up with a family for the whole weekend to do whatever they wanted to do with them, be that archery, the pool, and many other activities! The weekend I volunteered was cancer weekend, meaning that one of the younger boys in the family I was paired with had beat cancer. I remember his parents telling me during one specific meal, while the kids were away, his story of beating cancer. They told me about the heartbreak of the diagnosis, the struggle that came with fighting it, and the hope that came from overcoming it. It was an honor to hear their story and to serve them all weekend.
Camp Boggy Creek so closely aligns with Footprints’ mission to let “kids be kids”. My favorite parts of the weekend were getting to play with the kiddos, even we were just playing cards in the cabin. It was so much fun to be their friend for the weekend and to encourage them to take advantage of every second at camp. They were so fun of energy and boldness and joy!
Another part I loved about Camp Boggy Creek was getting to meet the other volunteers. It was really cool to meet other college students pursuing similar things as me but also to meet adults who are choosing to spend their time serving family and kids. I still keep in touch with many of the friends I met at Camp Boggy Creek and hope to meet up with them again soon! It was truly an incredible weekend where I learned far more than I ever thought I would. I can’t wait to go back soon!
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