The joyful, reciprocal, and steadfast nature of the Onas gift (opinion)
by Isabelle Helmich
My sessions at Camp Onas were a gift from my grandparents. When I was 12, I asked to begin attending for two sessions, and my grandfather agreed, only if I applied to work as a staff member when the time came. Hmmm… let me think about that. Two extra weeks at Camp for the next two years, in exchange of doing exactly what I already planned on? DEAL!
Camp was the biggest gift in my life, bore many additional gifts, and continues to do so. For my grandfather, a former Camp Director himself, he knew exactly how sticking around at Onas as I grew up would continue to benefit me.
It’s my job to think about giving, but I also just enjoy it. I like knowing that people give of themselves and their resources, not only to Camp Onas, but to all kinds of organizations, causes, and people they care about. Even more, I like knowing the story behind someone’s Camp experience, and why they’ve made preserving the Camp experience for future generations a priority.
Recently, I’ve thought about the forces that constrict our ability to give, those that expand them beyond expectation, and those that somehow manage to do both – the little miracles of humanity in which we feel pain and respond with generosity and joy.
I think about how the young people at Camp are particularly good at responding – and preemptively acting – with generosity and joy. And, how those that support Onas not only value our mission of Building a community of people who are kind, confident, joyful, and engaged … But they are that community of people. They embody the mission while actively supporting the work that advances it, on behalf of today’s campers.
And, in the most straightforward sense, Camp’s continued success relies on financial contributions in order to operate smoothly, remain accessible, and continuously evolve in order to meet our community’s needs … while, of course, remaining unequivocally “Onas.” With the help of this community, we’ve made some pretty amazing investments in the physical infrastructure and human power Camp needs to run its highly effective programs, in accordance with our values, and with careful stewardship of our resources.
And, Camp Onas is going to keep running its highly effective programs, in accordance with our values, and with careful stewardship of our resources … we hope for a very long time!
To make that possible, we hope that you will choose to make a gift to Camp Onas today. In doing so, you’ll also strengthen our entire community, and the joy and generosity of spirit with which it responds.
“I think the short answer is that I believe every kid deserves to have a space away from their home life and school life and everyday community where they get to be themselves and explore what that means, where they are a trusted and important member of a community, and where they get to be empowered to make their own choices.”
-Bea G.
2025 Senior Director's Assistant
2009 Chicory Camper in my very first bunk <3