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Happy but sad: Outcomes at Morry's Camp

Camping Magazine, Jan, 2002 by M. Deborah Bialeschki, Teresa Younger, Karla Henderson, Dawn Ewing, Mary Casey, II

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When asked if they had anything else they would like to share, several testimonials illustrated the importance the parents placed on this experience for their children. I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving my daughter the best experience of her childhood life," and "She has met a lot of different people and made a lot of friends. I hope she can continue ... and instill in others what you all have instilled in her."

One parent brought up a poignant viewpoint that illustrates the far-reaching possibilities and implications beyond the child for the camp experience. "This program has not only helped my daughter, but it has also helped me in a great way I learned how to let go of my child and be thankful that she was in a safe and fun environment. Thank you for your excellent job performance and patience. Maybe next-year I'll take a vacation."

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Structured writing from campers

During the course of the camping sessions, campers did structured writing exercises in the form of journaling. One of the pages they turned in to their counselor asked them to complete the following statement: "The difference between camp and home is..." We analyzed their responses to discern the benefits and drawbacks of camp as perceived by these young people. The responses could be grouped into several themes including environment, social relationships, independence and discipline, and activities. Each of these aspects is discussed briefly in the following section.

Environment

Several campers mentioned the differences between the physical environment of camp and home. One girl said, "At camp it's peaceful and quiet compared to the city" Another ten-year-old girl noted, "There's no bugs inside of my house that make a sound [like the bugs in the tent]." Similarly, another noted, "[At home] there are hardly any bugs or daddy long legs, instead there are roaches."

An additional response from one girl was, "The difference between camp and home is that at home we have an air conditioner and we have a television. Here in camp we don't, but we have Olympics, clubs, and lots more. At home, we have schools, buildings, and parks. Meanwhile m camp we are in the wilderness."

Other differences related to space and safety A nine-year-old boy liked the open space at camp. He wrote, "We have so much room in a field to play soccer. [At home] we never had enough room to play capture the flag. We have so much space to play everything." Safety issues were raised by an eleven-year-old girl. She said, "There is less danger [at camp]. You don't have to be scared to walk around without somebody trying to mess with you or try to hurt you."

Social

Several campers mentioned the different relationships that they had with others at camp compared to at home. The differences between home and camp often related to the absence of family, but highlighted the support of other caring adults. For example, one girl said, "At home I have my mother and at camp I don't, but I have my counselors to substitute for her." A thirteen-year-old boy indicated that at camp, "we are not pampered by our parents and all of the modern technology."

Happy but sad: Outcomes at Morry's Camp

Camping Magazine, Jan, 2002 by M. Deborah Bialeschki, Teresa Younger, Karla Henderson, Dawn Ewing, Mary Casey, II

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