Page 13 - CMTeen_Volume1_Issue4

staff set out on a night-time hike in the total dark, day of camp, friendships were forming, leg brace
with not a flashlight to be found. Campers and
staffers alike faced fears, built trust and made it
to the other side. It was a highlight of the week!
The final night of camp found campers on a
treasure hunt, complete with a buried treasure
chest full of camp goodies. A local restaurant
catered an amazing luau afterward, with dancing, other over tough terrain, encouraged each other
awards and reflections on the week spent with
this amazing community.
In looking back over this fantastic week, a
number of things stand out—the activities, the
devoted staff, the beauty of the Pennsylvania
woods, and the bravery of the campers to take
on feats that most would deem out of their range
of ability. What stands out far above the rest,
though, was the connectivity of the campers and
staff and how quickly the shared challenge of
CMT brought them all together. By the second
comparisons were abounding, and stories of life
with CMT—the good and the challenging—filled
the air.
A collection of individuals aged 10 to 18
connected into one group, united by their CMT.
They looked out for each other, helped each
to participate in all of the activities, and most of
all, felt normal. For once, they were not the one
person in their family, among their friends or at
school dealing with difference. When they looked
around, they saw that everyone was struggling
and overcoming struggles in the same way. It was
a profound connection that affected every person
there.
Jonah was the 2016 Camp Footprint director.
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