A Look Into A Sister's Life Changing Summer!

What’s up Gamma Girls! This past summer was a life-changing summer for me and I had easily the best summer of my life so far. Not only did I have a ton of fun and make a ton of new friends, but I learned a lot of valuable life lessons that I will never forget.

My summer was filled with hanging out with friends, spending a lot of needed time with my family, and a little bit of traveling. I went to California for the first time to see my cousin get married, which was super cool. This wedding was so beautiful, and it inspired me to want to travel more on the West Coast because every minute my jaw was dropping at how beautiful California was. I never wanted to leave, and I hope to be able to go back someday soon!

I spent the majority of my summer working at a camp and it was the best thing ever. This past summer I worked as a camp counselor for a nonprofit called Sunrise Day Camp. This was my second summer working for them, and this year I truly felt I made an impact.

I could share a 5-minute story from every day at this camp because the summer was filled with adventure and new twists and turns. My campers were the greatest kids in the world and they truly changed my life. Whether it was having them teach me basketball (I am not terrible anymore), playing some good ole” Duck, Duck Splash”, or just telling stories in the tree-house, I had the most fun every single day.

My kids loved Gaga, so much so that if they had the ability too, they would play it all day long. Naturally, I had to get good at it so they would think I was cool and by the end of the summer I had won 2 Gaga games. Seeing my kids play Gaga and help each other out while playing was a heartwarming feeling that I will never forget.

If we weren’t playing Gaga, we were probably swimming at the pool or doing lanyard in the art shack and seeing my kids be creative was the best thing in the world. A lot of them ended up giving me some of their stuff and I have it hung up in my room to remember them by.

Beyond the camp activities, this job was emotionally fulfilling. Even if I was having the worst day ever and was exhausted, to see these kids smile from ear to ear and have this never-ending energy was special. It made my day and it pushed me through any challenges I was going through at the time. The conversations I would have and the secrets they would share with me are the simplest things that I will cherish and remember forever. All of it gave me the reset button I had needed on life and it gave me that push to get through my final 2 years at college.

My life was changed this summer because it gave me a new outlook on life. It gave me hope that this world can be good. The best part is that it was a nonprofit and I felt that I was making a real difference in my local community and in these kids’ lives.

Thank you all for reading this! Cannot wait to write to you all again very soon!

Katie DeBois