Page 15 - CMTeen_Volume3_Issue1

Counselors
OUR COOL CAMP

Counselor’s Corner
Reflections from Camp Footprint Counselors

Counselor Collin Stanton splashed around with campers during pool.

Counselor Ozzy Alfonso, right, formed a special bond with campers.

Ozzie Alfonso, Belleview, New York
As someone who has CMT, I remember the daily struggles I faced growing up - mentally, physically, emotionally and socially.
I wanted to come to Camp Footprint as a counselor, be myself and show the kids that “Hey, I’m just like you, I’m happy and
I always keep my head up!”
As a teen with CMT, the biggest thing I have struggled with was social anxiety. Although most people who know me would
describe me as an extrovert with an outgoing personality, I was nervous and shy because of the way I walked to the point where
my legs wouldn’t stop shaking. However, after I talked with someone, the question would come up. Once I’d explain CMT to
people, my whole body would loosen up and relax. I’d feel a lot of weight fall off my shoulders.

Aside from being a father to my amazing son, being a camp counselor is the best title that’s been put next to my name. The
kids enjoyed my company, they didn’t look at me like a guy with CMT and I didn’t treat them just as kids with CMT. For a week,
we were one big family who laughed with each other.

Camp gave me a sense of home away from home. We all experienced the same trips and falls and struggles. When we would
see someone trip or go down, most of the time we would say, “Been there, done that - now get your butt up because we have
somewhere to be!”

The biggest benefit the campers got, in my opinion, was gaining confidence
and assurance through peers and mentors that everything is going to be
okay – that this is not the end of the world, but just merely the beginning.
Camp is important because it gives them a week of fitting in. It’s a week
where we all have difficulties with some of the activities we do, but where
none of the campers have to be scared about other people judging them.
Many campers conquer fears here. They figure out that they’re capable of
much more if they just step outside of the comfort box, which is what we
encourage at camp.

I went into camp thinking that I was going to give these kids all I have in
hopes that they can get something meaningful out of camp. But the truth is,
I ended getting much more than I could ever imagine from the Camp
Footprint experience.
Nurses Renee, Tina and Megan took excellent care of the
campers all week long.