Charlie

Charlie was a first time camper last year and is looking forward to coming back to Onas this summer! Charlie recently supported Onas by writing a story about Camp for his Friends Meeting Newsletter and by giving a presentation to his Meeting with two Camp Onas Board Members about what Onas means to him.

What inspired you to write your story about Onas?
I share with everyone how much I loved going to Camp and why. I wanted other kids to know what Camp Onas was like from the first-time camper perspective. Going to Camp was such a great experience for me especially being away from home. My wish would be for all kids to have an opportunity to go to Camp Onas because it is truly the best place!

How did it feel to give the presentation about Camp Onas?
I felt honored to be asked by my Quaker Meeting (Newtown Monthly Meeting) to be one of three panelists to discuss and give a presentation about Camp Onas. Giving the presentation allowed me to share more of my experiences from camp as a camper, share pictures from last summer and answer questions.

What do you love the most about Camp?
What I love most about Camp is that I get to choose the activities I want to participate in each day. I also really enjoy the camp songs too!

What are you most excited about for Camp this summer?
I cannot wait to see all my friends this summer!! I am also excited that I convinced my parents to let me go to Onas this summer for 2 Sessions too.

Mia was a camper and staff member at Onas in the 70s.

When you talk about Camp with friends and family, how do you describe the Onas experience?
Camp Onas was my happiest place. At camp, my days were filled with singing, running, and being outrageously silly. I felt completely alive and completely myself.

Why was donating to Onas important to you?
The more years pass in my life, the more gratitude I feel to Onas, and I wish for Onas to be a happy place for many more children in the years to come.

Do you think your time at Camp Onas changed anything about how you view or experience life outside of Camp?
It is not an overstatement to say that Camp Onas made me who I am. In addition to all the easy-to-name fun and happiness, Onas was for me also a refuge from the painful and confusing world of adults. Camp created a safe container for us campers to be free from so many parts of our lives that were painful and confusing (divorce, for example), and to feel beautiful and beloved just as we were, in contrast to school, where we were always supposed to be getting better. At Onas I was already great.

What is one of your favorite Onas memories?
Strangely, I always really enjoyed taking the deep-end test and the river-test in the pool. It felt exciting and challenging and a little bit scary. And that was the first hour of the first day! I definitely was drawn to things that felt exciting and challenging and a little bit scary, like the Pioneer and canoe trips.