“My family moved a lot when I was growing up,” Tony recalls, “so I learned that I loved meeting new people and found I was good at talking with them. Even at a young age I enjoyed making others laugh. My mom worked at Wanake when I was in elementary school. I loved the water, and I loved people, so it was simply a question of when, not if I would be a camper at Wanake!”
“I was enthralled by the camp staff,” Tony remembered, “and was always hoping to get the more comical counselors. I looked forward to a great summer and experiencing both the fun and the familiar. I was looking for a community that loved me and would be there for me. I becAme very homesick at the beginning of the week. While still being fun, I fondly remember my counselors getting down on my level, talking with me about my interests, and helping me move past my homesickness.”
“Wanake is where I found a path to Jesus that was at the same time relaxed and serious. I found a relationship with God. I was always surprised by how much community was built and how much my faith grew in such a short amount of time,” Tony exclaimed. ”At camp I felt as though I was part of something special that wouldn’t happen again. Everyone had an abundance of love and compassion for one another, and no one was excluded.”
“The effect that the counselors at Wanake have had on me,” Tony notes, “continues to influence my day-to-day life. Today, as I work with groups of children and youth, I strive to provide that special community of love, compassion and inclusion. Much of what I have learned about leadership and how I lead has come from the camp groups of which I was a part. The community building, teamwork games, and faith development that I experienced and learned at Wanake help me each day as I lead youth at my church.”
“My greatest hope for Wanake,” Tony shares, “is that Wanake campers will continue to find the love, inclusion, and faith encouragement that I experienced. It is as important for today’s kids and teens as it was for me, maybe more so! I trust that the next generation of campers will follow the Will of God as they cherish, maintain, and add to Wanake, the beautiful spiritual place among the hills.”
Your generosity allows Wanake to continue to be a place where children and teens are welcomed, loved, included, and invited to grow in their relationship with God.
