Stories from Camp - Together We Can do More!
Our campers at Camp Southern Ground are always looking to explore. They want to explore the woods, explore new activities, and explore our amazing food. Trying new things and exploring new areas can be a very scary thing for campers and even adults. Here is a story from one of our own staff Jessica, as she talks about our campers and veterans exploring our giant ropes course. It can be very scary, but if you explore together, the scary can become exciting.
I’ve Noticed That When We Explore Together, We Grow Together
Jessica Kilgallen
“It is an incredible blessing that I not only get to work at Camp Southern Ground year round, but I’m also a camper mom and a member of our certified high ropes team. My very favorite days at camp are spent on the high ropes course, zip line and exploring the woods on our walk back from the end of the zip line. During these times, we get to watch our campers enjoy a beautiful rushing creek, tall shady trees, a woody marsh and all sorts of plants and wildlife including turtles, deer, turkeys, armadillos, brightly colored mushrooms, wildflowers and more. Sometimes we even spy hoof prints on the trails.
While I love these walks and experiences, my favorite moments are spent with campers, veterans and corporate teams on the high ropes course. Why would something so “scary” be my favorite activity, you might ask? That’s easy! It’s because almost everyone is out of their comfort zone at height, and the realization that we need each other to make it through the challenge is a beautiful thing. Many times, the camper or veteran we think would be the most confident one on the course is the most apprehensive.
We’ve even seen grown Marines break down in tears mid-course. During these moments of paralysis by fear, we first help the camper verbalize what they are afraid of and determine if it is a valid fear and how we can best help them process and work through it. It’s no surprise that the highlight for us is when a camper or a tribe notices someone’s distress and responds. To witness the organic way friends respond to each other is incredibly moving. Sometimes it looks like an entire tribe of veterans traversing across an element to envelope a friend in a five minute emotional group bear hug; sometimes it looks like two 12 year old girls crossing a cable hand in hand so chummy you would think they are lifelong friends, but really just met that week at camp; it might be an encouraging group chant from a tribe on the ground supporting a camper afraid to leave the high ropes course via the giant swing or quick jump; it could be a camper needing one of our facilitators to traverse the course side by side with arms tight around each other’s waist every step of the way.
Life is enriched by the support, love and understanding of friends
Jessica Kilgallen
I love helping campers and veterans explore together. I’ve noticed that when we explore together we grow together. No matter what these moments of support and growth look like, I can’t help but see the parallel to life – aren’t we all Better Together? Life, whether it be at work, home, school or play, is enriched by the support, love and understanding of friends – and that lesson is so much a part of the magic of Camp Southern Ground”.
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
-Helen Keller
Jessica (Director of Corporate Events/Camper Mom/Rope Facilitator)