Finding joy in the simplicity of play, art, swimming, and dance, Day Three of JASY Camp brought us together by sharing happiness, cultures, and understanding.
Today was Family Day at JASY Camp. In the theme of joy, Family Day was an opportunity to show others the day-to-day and impact of camp. Parents, children, and siblings of JASY organizers and volunteers joined us on their Labor Day holiday to take part in the fun. Even on their day off, families and also the facility management of the University of Technology took the time to come to JASY Camp to experience the energy and help us across our venues to achieve the mission of the program.
With 135 campers, JASY staff, and family and children buzzing around campus today, it could have been easy to get wrapped up in the commotion and lose track of the values, skill building, and joy we set out to instill. Instead, we embraced the blessing to have so many of us working together. Our team coaches, camp directors, and venue volunteers made it a point to facilitate activities that created joy for the campers – from pool games and free time, to team challenges, and relaxing coloring art.
From showing off their moves on the football field to getting together to swim and sing in a train across the shallow end, JASY helps campers find joy in learning, making new friends, and creating memories through sport and art.
What our JASY Campers believe JOY is:
helping people, smiling, playing with others
J – JASY
O – opens
Y – your heart [written by a JASY camper on Team Red Dragons]
The joy of Family Day didn’t end with camp. Tonight, we hosted a reception for everyone affiliated with JASY. Teachers of Riverton, volunteers and their families, and those who help us with transportation, security, and more joined us for an evening of dinner and entertainment by the Stella Maris Steel Band. The reception allowed our Fisher volunteers to get to know the Jamaican volunteers and people impacted by the program.
We shared realties of our differing cultures, sang karaoke and all danced together - a picture of joy in unity. A few days ago, on Sunday night, our JASY group joined hands to say a blessing for the week ahead. We each had the opportunity to say one word to summarize a goal we had for the upcoming week and 2018 camp. Everton, our night security guard, joined in. That evening, he whispered “unity” during the blessing. When he joined us in the dance circle at the reception, it seemed that everyone in JASY was in unison.
After the festivities, our group reflection revealed that despite today’s theme of joy, there is much sadness anticipated over the next few days. Feelings of heartbreak as we have to say goodbye to the children we’ve shared our time, attention, and hearts with are already setting in. The memories and sadness as we miss the relationships we were only just able to start are inevitable. But, we came to an agreement that to best serve the campers for the last two days we need to stay focused on the moment. We will teach as much as we can teach, encourage as often as we can clap, high five and smile, and chant our team cheers as loud as our voices can be heard.
Keep up with Wednesday's action by watching our daily video: https://youtu.be/jVwvDsg-eAQ.
Stay tuned for more about JASY Camp 2018 this week!
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