Why We Kesem Part 1

This post is dedicated to all those who contributed their time, love, and hard-earned money to this year's Camp Kesem at BYU. In the next few weeks I'll be sharing some of my favourite memories and moments of camp with all of you. Again, thank you so much! The kids, and all those affected by Camp Kesem, really appreciate what is being done here.

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For the 2015 Camp Kesem counsellors, camp started on Sunday, August 9th around noon. We all met at the Lavell Stadium in Provo to carpool up to our campsite in Tooele, Utah loaded with luggage, sleeping bags, and a U-haul of supplies. We had a lot of new counsellors this year and I imagine they felt a lot like how I felt my first time heading to camp--nervous, excited, a little shy... 

But Kesem has a way of creating and cementing friendships at record speeds. By the time we were all gathered at Camp Wapiti in Tooele we were chatting with everyone, getting to know camp names, and sharing tinfoil dinners. I made friends right off the bat with this girl named Peanut Butter--which turned out great since we were put on the same team in the evening when the admin team divided us into our different teams: yellow, orange, blue, grey, green, purple, and red. 

I was on the red team, meaning that I would be one of the counsellors for the teenagers along with Ironman, Peanut Butter, Rabbit, Canadia, Penelope, Dimes, Nemo, Jukebox, and Bolo. 

We set up camp, put our stuff in our cabins, and had a few training meetings. 

There was a part in the evening when our red team was sitting in a circle and we were talking about the kids that would be in our group. Since I was with purple last year (the 13-year olds) and they had aged up to the next group, I knew half the kids in red really well (the 14-16 year olds). So all the counsellors were gathered around and we were going around the circle asking questions and someone asked what we were most excited about for camp. I knew what my answer was right away. 

What I was most excited for was for the new counsellors to catch the magic of Camp Kesem. Because once you catch it, you just want to do everything you possibly can for these kids. It's hard to know exactly what Kesem means to all these kids unless you come to camp and see for yourself. I wanted to explain to them just how life changing it would be to see these kids shine and support each other without even being asked too. They have endured a lot but they all have this amazing capacity to love each other and to notice the people who need more love. 

As counsellors we always come away from Camp Kesem feeling like we were served by the kids more than we served the kids. Some of these campers have been coming for years and they love camp because it is their escape and their home all at the same time. They look forward to it all year.

We Kesem all year long by fundraising and talking nonstop about these kids because we want to make sure that camp is there for them next year. Like these new counsellors, we want others to catch the magic of Kesem and be part of this family. 

Camp Kesem isn't a one week thing. It isn't only for a few years. It's a family that lasts a lifetime. My red team girls will grow up and I want to see them grow up. Because they are going to do amazing things and they will inspire each other and the everyone they meet. 

To help make camp happen next year follow the link to: https://campkesem.givebig.org/c/ck13/a/campkesem-byu/p/stefj93/

Next post: Why We Kesem Part 2 (About my girls: sprinkles, stubby, twix, M&M, snickers, missy franklin, and sweet potato)