Sertoma Rocks

One of the hardest things about working in Camp Sertoma is knowing the history of some of the kids that come. The hardest are those whose lives are so unstable, so frequently changing, that we only see them once. They come, are loved hard, and then during the year they move. And they're gone. Sertomans, for the most part, don't look for them. They are more concerned about the kids that are in their area, the ones they can help right here right now. And that's cool, that's what they do. But for those of us who spend a week turning them from strangers into best friends, it's much much harder.

I think, though, that that's one of the best aspects of our job as well. As hard as these kids have it, as rough as their background is, I rejoice and take comfort in the fact that Camp does kids a world of good. We love them, encourage them, listen to them, and befriend them. Loving them is our job. One of the ways that is done is through rocks.

At the end of the week, every camper gets a rock with their name, the year, and a character trait written on it. A lot of these kids never hear any affirmation at the good things they do, the good traits they possess, and so they forget that they have them. But when you give a nervous kid who trusted you all week and tried everything a rock with the word "BRAVERY" written on it in big, bold letters, the look on their face is priceless. Joy, peace, compassion, teamwork, love, friendship, helpfulness, humor. All of these and more are the shining lights we see in our campers.

But they don't take them home. In order to teach the message that we are to work for the good of others, to encourage, to inspire, to counsel, we have them leave the rocks here. So every week, outside of a tree near the picnic shelter in Camp Sertoma, 40 rocks are added to an ever growing pile. I can look back at that pile and see the names of campers, the traits they modeled for me, remember their faces, and remember how much it hurt to see them leave.

Again, I take comfort in knowing that camp is a safe, amazing, wonderful place for these kids to be. Even though we only get them for a week, they definitely leave changed.