— By Jaynie Welsh, Current Volunteer–
I didn’t really intend to volunteer at camp when I initially got involved.
My first semester of medical school felt pretty isolating. I had spent most of my hours studying with little time spent connecting. When I finally felt like I had a grasp on balancing anything but school, I realized something was missing in my life. Community has always been important to me, and I’d previously found incredible community at the pediatric oncology camp in Colorado where I’d been volunteering for the past eight years. I wanted to find that connection in Idaho that’s how I found Camp Rainbow Gold.
I joined the CRG events team during the school year, knowing I wouldn’t be in Idaho for my summer break. However, every event I volunteered at connected me with a new person who had an incredible story about a CRG camp. It didn’t take long to realize this was an experience I couldn’t miss. On a whim, I decided the trek back to Idaho would be worth it, and I submitted my application for Youth Oncology Camp.
Although I had some similar experience going in, I was nervous. Maybe this would be totally different than the Colorado camp I loved so much. Every camp is a little different, and I didn’t want to feel like I was comparing them the whole time. It didn’t take long to squash those nerves. I realized very quickly that the location, the structure, the activities don’t matter… It’s all about the magic created by the folks involved.
When you put out a call to help lift up children and their families going through a pediatric cancer diagnosis, the people who show up are guaranteed to be the kindest, most selfless people you’ll ever meet. They are people who will spend hours in the costume shack as campers pick out ballgowns. They are people who are willing to have eggs smashed on their heads to make campers smile. They are people who volunteer to read Flat Stanley to homesick kiddos until they fall asleep, no matter how late it is. Every single person is there with the goal to create an unforgettable experience for our campers.
The differences don’t matter when the similarities are love, compassion, and magic.