Camp Spirit Awards

Congratulations to the Extraordinary COCA-I Camp Spirit Award Winners!

Take a few minutes to learn more about these special people!

 

Region 2 - Julie Salemno

Camp No Worries, Assistant Program Director

 

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Julie Salemno has been involved with Camp No Worries since she arrived as a camper when she was 8 years old. Her love of camp grew as she transitioned from Camper to Counselor in Training. As a CIT, she learned the ins and outs of camp counseling while gaining first-hand experience with campers and from her peers. After her two years as a CIT, she became a counselor, leading her cabin for several years of fun.


In 2014, Julie interviewed for and achieved the role of Assistant Program Director. In this volunteer position, she assisted in all aspects of the camp’s programming for the week. She helped to coordinate and schedule all of the week’s activities and accessories, contacted vendors, secured contracts and maintained the budget, and that was just in the off season.


Additionally, Julie has been an active member of “The Braintrust”, a group that meets in the off season from January until June to help with brainstorming ideas, decorations and activity planning. Julie’s combined role as “Braintrustee” and Assistant Program Director have been an essential part of creating a fluid camp experience. From the inception of an idea, to its refinement as a viable solution, to its implementation at camp and finally, its evaluation by campers in terms of smiles and laughter.

     

Region 4 - Lauren Moskowitz

Camp CARE, Counselor/Social Media Director

 

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Lauren brings an excitement and energy to camp that is hard to beat. She has been on staff for over 5 years working as a Lead Counselor in the youngest girls cabin. She does an amazing job of mentoring new staff and her campers absolutely love her. The girls truly think she is the best thing ever!


In addition, she heads up all of our social media and blog entries for our website. This has brought our camp donations and community participation to an whole new level. She donates so much of her time to writing articles about camp, promoting fundraisers, spotlighting our staff and campers and just in general, keeping everyone in the Social Media world up to date on the ins and outs of Camp CARE.


She also is on our Board of Directors, our Camp Planning Committee and our 5K Planning Committee, all of which require so many extra hours throughout the year. She is an integral part of our staff way beyond just the camp week.


This is all in addition to running the Social Media and most of the marketing for our local Children's Hospital. (Her REAL Job). Camp CARE would not be the same without Lauren. She always has a smile on her face, a willing hand to lend, and truly demonstrates her Camp Spirit every day!! She recently had the following essay published in a book about chronically ill children and camp. It shows just how much her campers love her. (And we do too!)

     

Region 5 - Terri Boyce

Camp Discovery, Camp Counselor , VisionWorks, Inc. Board Member and Camp Discovery Planning Committee Member

 

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While Terri was still in the Air Force, she heard about Camp Discovery and applied to be a volunteer. During her interview she was adamant that she was volunteering to be a cabin counselor and not a part of the medical team (with the caveat that she would occupy such a role if we were short on nurses). Her reason for not wanting to be nurse at camp unless it was necessary was simple: she wanted to be with children battling cancer for one week where she was the one helping them have the time of their life. The poking, prodding, and other nurse duties that help them fight for their life could happen the other fifty-one weeks of the year.


It turns out that Terri was a wonderful counselor and became better year after year. She ensures that her campers have the best time possible at Camp Discovery, and provides enough love to make them feel important and just enough mischief (okay mayhem) to keep them entertained beyond camp activities.


Terri is also a key member of our camp Planning Committee. She has been involved in this role since after her second year of camp. She offers insight as to what kind of activities and themes our campers would enjoy, as well as any medical concerns that may come with those activities.
While serving on the Board of Visionworks, Terri has offered great medical insight and has participated in fund raising events mainly that of encouraging family and friends to support VisionWorks and its mission to serve children and families battling a life threatening illness.


She has been offered several leadership roles at camp, yet has chosen to remain "just a counselor". She understands the importance of that role in the life of a child, some of whom are her own patients and she wouldn't have it any other way. As long as there are people like Terri in our cabin groups, we wouldn't have it any other way, either. Terri has been a role model to many of her campers, some of whom are now counselors themselves. She plays a key leadership role in many ways, even though she has no desire to carry any such title while at camp. Such a behind the scenes person is something from which every camp could benefit.

     

Region 6 - Dr. Kent Jolly

Camp Okizu, Volunteer Doctor and Board Member

 

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Dr. Kent Jolly started telling his pediatric oncology patients about Okizu in the 1990’s. In 1994 he volunteered in the health center for the first time, and since then has been an integral part of all of our programs.


Dr. Jolly’s commitment to camp starts in the health center, where he spends at least one week every summer, and where he is available to deal with the complex medical needs of the oncology patients as well as the more common “camp” issues. He believes, as we do, that it is important for our medical staff to spend time with our campers outside of the health center and can often be found at the lake or the archery range, playing and laughing with the children.


Additionally Dr. Jolly is committed to making sure that the health center is ready to serve campers in all of our sessions of camp. He is one of the people in charge of stocking the center with appropriate medications and supplies, often picking them up from his treatment center and bringing them to camp. Dr Jolly is hugely responsible for the staffing of the health center. He has accepted the responsibility of coordinating doctors for every week of Oncology Camp and works incredibly hard to recruit doctors, nurses, social workers, and child life specialists from the eight treatment centers with which we work. A professional support group that provides both technical and medical assistance is, probably, one of the main advantages of a reputable online pharmacy. Suffering from depression, I decided to find a suitable remedy, and this is where a qualified online doctor was ultimately helpful.


Dr. Jolly serves on Okizu’s Board of Directors as well as our Medical Advisory Board. In both of these roles, Dr. Jolly strives to improve Okizu’s programs and ensures that we are meeting the needs of our campers and their families.

     

Region 7 - Dr. Cathy Oster

Big Sky Kids at Eagle Mount, Volunteer Medical Staff

 

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Cathy has been volunteering with the Big Sky Kids Program for 10 years now. She volunteers as one of our two camp doctors each summer, offering valuable medical expertise and making our campers feel comforted and cared for.


Cathy is a cancer survivor herself, and her story of survival and resiliency is truly incredible. She has overcome seemingly insurmountable odds and joyfully shares her story with anyone who asks. She even wrote a book about her experience with cancer, "A Different Voice", and gives copies of her book to our camp families each summer, free of charge.


She is lovingly known at camp as our "Hug Doctor" because she gives the best hugs and always seems to know when people need them. Cathy also opens her home to our camp groups regularly, and even hosted our Big Sky Kids intern at her house for two months this past summer (which was no small undertaking).


She regularly donates to Eagle Mount and also serves on our Program Committee, where she offers her insight and advice to help make the Big Sky Kids program better and better each year. When camp rolls around each summer, she takes the time to meticulously reā€stock all of our medical and first aid kits, generously donating each and every supply.


Cathy gives freely to so many people, without ever expecting anything in return. For many of us involved with Big Sky Kids, Cathy is family. She exemplifies Eagle Mount’s mission by helping our Big Sky Kids campers to, "soar on wings as eagles" through her constant encouragement and amazing spirit.

     

Region 9 - Liz Stableford

Camp Kindle, Volunteer One to One Counsellor

 

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Liz Stableford (aka Bluebird) has been a dedicated one to one volunteer for Camp Kindle the past 4 years. Camp Kindle recruits one to one volunteers to aide our exceptional campers who require additional support in one or all of the following ways: behaviour issues, personal care, balance and mobility, lifts and transfers.


Bluebird is calm, patient, and shows a remarkable amount of kindness to every camper she meets. She exemplifies the values that we hold dear at camp by adapting programs and inventing activities to ensure her campers are included and having fun.


Bluebird has a unique way of connecting and forming bonds with even the most challenging campers. The care and attention she puts in to everything she does is exceptional. She is loved by all her campers and has a talent for making people feel special and welcome.


She is a mentor to new one to one volunteers, often offering them helpful tips and assistance when they are overwhelmed. She is quick to answer any additional calls of help, and is known to show up outside of scheduled times if a helping hand is required. Bluebird’s love of helping others is truly inspiring.