This week I was able to spend some time at Camp Silvercloud held at Warner-Tully Memorial YMCA Camp. The day or overnight option camp, hosted by the Junior Auxiliary of Vicksburg, is for children with special needs.

Campers participated in many of the same activities other campers had been doing all summer long during the YMCA camp like archery, canoeing and swimming. In addition to those experiences, these campers also held a talent show and a water carnival. At night there was a bonfire and s’mores before a golden rock hunt in the morning.

This year’s theme was the Olympics and some of the arts and crafts activities and a relay were created to incorporate the Olympic theme. Eight volunteers helped out in the kitchen, 11 JA members facilitated the camp and wore white camp T-shirts, 40 student volunteer counselors wore the red camp T-shirts and spent day and night with their assigned camper, 25 campers had the experience of a lifetime wearing the blue camp T-shirts.

JA project chair Dara Hendrix was blown away by how helpful and generous the student volunteers were with the campers. She said watching the counselors and the campers interact with each other was something she enjoyed seeing because she knew how genuine those actions were.

Personally I never attended a traditional camp growing up. I never thought it would be an experience I would enjoy. Plus the thought of an icky, old cabin never appealed to me.

I had no good reason to leave my parents alone and let them have full reign over the house. Not on my watch.

Sure, I did end up going to a camp on the beach where we stayed in a renovated old motel, and even though my parents decided to chaperone the group I went with the first year, it was a pretty good experience. I went back two more times without my parents.

Even though I didn’t see it at the time, I think I would have benefitted from the experience of a camp like Warner-Tully. I may have come out of my shell a little sooner, I would have had some new experiences and possibly developed new skills.

I’ve had limited time out at Warner-Tully but it’s apparent that the place is special. It’s hard to explain, but you just feel at home out there. It’s peaceful, can help establish bonds between people and promotes inner and outer strength.

I think it is a great benefit to members of the Vicksburg community to live so close to such a jewel of a place where children can experience the beauty of the outdoors and also the adventure of meeting new people away from home.

Summer may be coming to an end, but this camp will live in the hearts of many forever.

 

Alana Norris is a staff writer for The Vicksburg Post. You may reach her at alana.norris@vicksburgpost.com. Readers are invited to submit their opinions for publication.