Jodi began attending Moorelands Camp when she was nine years old—and she keeps coming back! Now a teenager, Jodi attended camp for the seventh time in 2023. “Since that very first year, camp has always been the highlight of my summers,” she says. For Jodi, Moorelands Camp has been a safe and exciting place where she has experienced many “firsts” – her first time away from home, first time camping out, swimming in a lake, canoeing, paddle boarding and trying archery. From exploring nature with newfound friends to enjoying water sports, each moment has shaped her youth and become part of her own development.
A Positive Experience
One of Jodi’s most memorable camp experiences happened on her very first day. She arrived on the island by boat, had lunch and met some of the other campers, and then everyone went to the camp nurse for a quick health check. When she was there, the nurse offered her a head massage. “They put some stuff in my hair, massaged my head and put my hair into two nice braids. I felt really cool, special and pretty,” says Jodi. “Throughout that week, I returned to the nurses a couple of times and they washed my hair out and put the braids back in. I got a lot of compliments on my hair.”
But it was only once Jodi returned home from camp that she realized the reason they did that was because she had head lice.
“I realized what an accomplishment it is that they were able to handle the situation with such grace and care that I didn’t feel any negative after-effects of it. I didn’t feel ashamed or embarrassed. I just had a wonderful time at camp,” she says. “To me, that’s just a testament to the positive atmosphere that Moorelands Camp creates.”
To Be a Leader
For many children and youth like Jodi, the nurturing environment at Moorelands Camp is a safe place to explore and learn valuable lessons about life and leadership. “I’ve always been a good kid,” says Jodi. “But I was also a bit loud and often the loudest voice in the room. So being at camp showed me that this wasn’t what leadership had to be.”
Camp showed Jodi that in order to be a good leader of yourself and others, you don’t have to be the loudest person in the room – you just have to be kind and considerate of others. And it’s just as important to be kind to yourself.
“In my opinion, camp made what was implicit, explicit,” Jodi reflects thoughtfully. “Often in day-to-day life, a lot of what is considered normal thrives off of negativity, like how widespread self-deprecating humour is in teens. Camp showed me that this isn’t necessary in order to have fun. We can find other, more positive ways of enjoying ourselves.”
As we set out on another summer of empowerment and joy, let’s celebrate campers like Jodi and the countless stories of growth and resilience that define Moorelands Camp!