Nine Deserving Camp Harbor View Campers Awarded with an Once-in-a-Lifetime Disney World Experience
On June 13, 2009, Camp Harbor View donors and supporters alike gathered on Long Island for an evening of dinner, dancing, and a dynamic live auction. One special auction package in particular was truly a prize for the Camp Harbor View kids, rather than the auction winners themselves. Made possible by winners Steve and Roberta Weiner, 9 Camp Harbor View campers were able to spend Columbus Day weekend at Disney World for their first time. Once in Orlando, campers were treated to first-class hotel accommodations, transportation and guided tours of the parks.
The Disney trip was preceded by a shopping spree at Nike Town where campers were able to purchase a pair of sneakers and three outfits, one for each day of their weekend in Florida. Camp Director, Cara Gould, captured a few memorable moments as the campers prepared for their adventures.
In a dream
We all met at the Yawkey Club and then headed over to Nike Town for the shopping spree. While in route, Greg (Camp Harbor View Social Worker) was driving the van and I knelt on the front seat facing the campers and told them the guidelines for the shopping spree, the itinerary for the trip and the behavioral expectations for both. The campers then started chatting with each other. Javier was sitting in the seat right behind me and looking out the window, not participating in the conversation. After a couple of minutes he looked up at me and said, “I feel like I’m in a dream.”
Pick a leader
When I was giving the campers the itinerary for the weekend and told them that they had a three day hopper pass and could go to any of the parks they wanted to, I mentioned that it was up to them to decide which ones they wanted to go to and when. Javier said, “We should pick a leader of the group.” I responded that it was up to them. Nelson said, “It should be Terrell he’s the oldest (he just turned 15)” Terrell answered, “We’re all here because we are the leaders from the camp, I don’t think we need a leader we should just vote on stuff.”
Better than Christmas
The twins, although identical, are very different in nature. Nelson has a crew cut, is very serious, takes things literally and is straight to the point. Javier has a long pageboy haircut, is more of a dreamer and is more laid back. When they started shopping Nelson was very methodical, got his sneakers, his three tops and three shorts/sweats calculated the total figured he could add a hat and went to check out. They had a $350 limit, Nelson’s total on the first try was $349 and was done in ten minutes. Javier was all over the place running up and down stairs, taking one thing, putting it back and then trying another. He went to the register about ten times before he spent his allotment. At one point, Nelson was sitting in the lobby waiting for the others. Erin, Greg, myself and Collin (from Suffolk) were talking and Collin said, “This must be like Christmas for them.” Quietly from the corner Nelson said, “This is better than Christmas.”
Name tags
When we got to NikeTown, in the lobby they had a table set up with bags, booklets with the trip itinerary, the Nike gift cards and name tags for each of the campers. Erin (from Suffolk) and the woman from Nike gave the layout of the store and the guidelines for shopping. They told them they should wear their name tag and that way the staff would know to give them extra special attention. When Erin was explaining this she held up Natalie’s name tag. Natalie’s face lit up and she said, to no one in particular, “That’s my nametag!”
On the way home, the campers were discussing their shopping strategies and experiences. Imani said, “I just kept walking up to the staff like this (she held up her name tag) and said, can you help me find… whatever?” Then with a tone of shock she added, “And they WOULD?!?”
Saying a prayer
On the ride home, they all started complaining about how early they were going to have to get up the next morning for the flight. Johnny said, “The worst part is, I’m not going to get any sleep, it’s going to be like Christmas Eve when you wake up over and over thinking…Is it time yet? Then you realize it’s only 2am.” They all agreed. One of the kids said, they were going to get up at 5am, so they were going to go to bed early, like 8:30pm. One of the twins said, my parents give us a bed time, we have to go to bed at 8:30pm every night, cause we go to school in Sudbury (Metco) and have to get up at 5am.” Terrell, the biggest, most stereotypical teenager on the trip said quietly, “I wish my mom gave me a bedtime.” Johnny then said, “All I know is I’m saying my prayers tonight, I definitely need to give thanks for all of this.” The twins and Terrell enthusiastically agreed that they were going to do the same. Imani added, “We have been blessed and definitely need to say a prayer.”
Best day of my life
After we returned to Yawkey, I gave four of the campers a ride home, with the twins being the last ones to get dropped off. After dropping off Terrell and Akhari, the twins started talking about all the stuff they had gotten at Nike Town again. Javier said, “This is the best day of my life.” Nelson corrected him, “No the best day of your life is the day you were born.” Javier conceded, “Fine, then this is the second best day of my life and the best part is that tomorrow, the next day and the next day are going to be even better!!”
Thankful
Two of the campers chosen for the Disney trip were twins, Nelson and Javier. I spoke to the father a number of times communicating the details of the trip. When I called about the shopping spree he was nearly speechless and kept thanking me and everyone who made this happen. He said, “What you all have done with that camp is an extraordinary testimony to this community. It is so wonderful for the kids. I want to tell you, my oldest daughter just turned 18 and the first thing we did was register her to vote so she could vote for the Mayor!” …. The next day their mother brought them to the Yawkey club to drop them off for the shopping spree, she expressed the same level of gratitude, gushing doesn’t quite capture it. She profusely thanked us again and gushed a little more about the program.
