When Campers Become Staff

Vanessa first came to Hole in the Wall when she was just six years old for a Family Weekend. She was already no stranger to hospitals, having been first diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma at the age of two, and then relapsing at the age of four. After years of treatment and surgeries, it was a relief to have a place she could escape to and be her truest self. 

Over the next several years, Vanessa became a fixture at Camp, returning year after year for the summer program, Family Weekends and even CampOut events. At Camp, Vanessa found kindred spirits and a “hole” lot of fun. 

“Camp brought me a community where I could be truly unjudged and not worry about what people thought of how I looked from my treatment,” Vanessa said. “At Camp, no one questions you or what you’ve gone through. I could just be myself and enjoy the programs. Camp has also gotten me a lot of confidence.” 

After years as a camper, this past summer, Vanessa joined with 31 other former campers to experience a new side of Camp as a summer counselor. Each year, Camp is blessed to see a significant number of our campers return to share their experiences and skills in this important way. When they arrive, they bring an understanding of shared challenges and help campers see that they too can accomplish their dreams. 

“The benefits of former campers coming back and joining our summer staff team are endless,” said Connecticut Camp Director Alan “Pendo” Pender. “Not only are they an incredible resource to the campers because they have been in their shoes, but I also notice how they go the extra mile to ensure the campers have the most amazing week ever. 

I am so grateful for that. But the most impactful part of former campers becoming counselors is that they provide the current campers with motivation, inspiration and HOPE that they too one day can be a Camp counselor.” 

For Vanessa, being on summer staff was something she always planned to do. She was determined to bring Hole in the Wall magic to other children facing serious illnesses, knowing first-hand how those Camp experiences stay with campers and can positively impact them. 

Now, with her first summer on staff behind her, Vanessa has also found that she’s not only sharing “a different kind of healing” with her campers; she’s also still experiencing it herself. She has continued to build confidence and become more comfortable with herself through her time leading the music program. 

“I enjoy getting to see the reactions in other people when they get to experience things at Camp,” Vanessa said. “I think seeing myself in the kids and the things that they do helps me heal my inner child in a way too. Just being able to see them have these happy experiences even though they are dealing with things that are very tough. And being able to relate to the kids and have them know you understand them makes a very big difference. I like being a part of that experience for them.” 

Explore the magic of summer at Camp and learn more about seasonal staff opportunities with our Connecticut Location Summer Program!