Making an Impact, One Camp at a Time

My name is Patrick and I have been working here at DocNetwork for just over four years now. I’ve been in different roles helping our Camp Directors to set up their camp registration and health forms on our platform. This means that I have had the great honor of working with our many camp operators and talking with them about their camp experiences over the years.

There have been many times over the last four years that I have had to take a pause and reflect on the impact that some of our camps have in their community. I have chatted with camp leaders who excitedly told me that they secured funding for a new lunch room so that they could serve higher quality meals for campers or that their camp had more participants than they ever expected. There were also more difficult times during Covid where many camps were devastated and unable to operate. Through all of the ups and downs, the stories I remember most vividly are those that paint a picture of just how impactful camp programs are for the campers attending.

One of the most moving stories shared with me was immediately following the 2020 season of camp. Many camps were completely devastated by COVID and could not operate in any capacity. There were other camps who decided for the first time to move towards a virtual format so that they could still interact with their campers in a virtual setting. One of these camps happened to be a Burn Camp that works directly with children who are recent burn victims. The camp works to connect burn victims with others in the local area to develop a sense of community and help show these young campers that life can still be fully rewarding and exciting despite the trauma the campers have experienced. This camp found that by switching to a virtual format, they were able to include campers who were still hospitalized or recovering from their injury. Hearing the Director talk through the massive impact that this camp was able to have on these participants was extremely moving. I couldn’t imagine myself being in the position of one of these participants, and hearing how the camp was able to bring these campers into their community and give them hope and confidence as it relates to their future was very emotional for me. I have always had a special place in my heart for those that have experienced trauma or may in one way or another be less fortunate, and this moment really brought the emotions out of me. 

Any time our team checks in with our camp directors immediately following camp, we always ask the basic questions of “how did camp go” and “did CampDoc work well for you and your Staff Members”. It wasn’t until this moment that I became convinced that we need to lean in more on the stories that our camps have to offer. Lending an ear to the camp leaders and hearing the impactful stories that they have to offer has reaffirmed for us that camp can be an unforgettable experience for campers, and that the world can be a better place when creating a sense of community with others.