Kind-Fidence Recap

"Camp Onas has been a beacon of light for our family. As our circumstances changed and we had to relocate first to another state and later, to another home, Camp Onas was there for both of my children, providing a warm, welcoming and stable environment. Although I always missed them while they were gone, at the end of the session they were always brimming with joy and newfound confidence."

"Camp Onas, it seems, has always been intertwined throughout our family story.  From the smells flowing through the lower fields to the warm, sweet aroma of the wood on a platform tent; there are few other sensations that can wrap me in a feeling of home!  

The best parts of Onas, however, are in the people that make it so!  For me, the connection I have with my sister, Holly, has been the absolute greatest joy Camp Onas has brought me!"

"My daughter was a camper and counselor for many years, so I had the privilege of meeting many of the friends she met at Camp. They are a great bunch of kind people, who make me feel welcome every time I see them. Sometimes I’ll see them out and about, and they always recognize me and will run up for a big hug. I’m honored to know all of them!"

“I experience acts of kindness and confidence truly everyday while I’m at Camp. I remember one standout moment from my CIT summer. In hindsight, I was feeling particularly overwhelmed that day, but hadn’t really stopped to take a break or process my feelings. One of my friends– an older counselor who I’ve always looked up to– immediately noticed this. She gave me a hug and we talked for a bit. I didn’t even know I needed it, but she was willing to take time to make sure I was comfortable. Throughout my years at Camp, I’ve learned that Onas people are kind even when no one is watching.” 

"In a world with so much anger and conflict, Onas has been a beacon of warmth and light, learning and joy for our two kids. I dont have just one story of kindness. Each summer is made up of one giant kind experience, filled with laughter, growth, songs and humor!"

"It was my last year attending Camp. I brought my trumpet because as soon as Camp ended, I would be heading to band camp to practice for the upcoming marching band season. I was really worried about being prepared so I’d practice trumpet during free time– although it made me feel a bit nerdy and shy to do so. One day I was practicing one of our classic cheer songs in a small room in the Texas Building when the door burst open. It was a very fun older counselor who was shocked to see a girl playing the trumpet. 'I know that song!' he said, 'I had to come in and see who was playing!' He told me that he was in band at his school too, and that it sounded great. He left so I could continue practicing and I felt pretty great from his small act of kindness!"

"When my husband (also a former Onas staff member) and I purchased our first home, we wanted to save some money by painting the walls ourselves. Our incredible group of local Camp friends showed up two times to get the job done. One day we had 12 people helping us paint! This was obviously a very fun experience, but also reinforced what I’ve always known: Onas people will show up for you whenever you need it!"

 “I experienced an act of kindness last summer when I and a few counselors drove to Frenchtown, a small, cozy town close to Camp. When we were driving there, we were talking about music and listening to one of my CDs. We arrived and walked around for a while. Eventually, they stopped at a record store, and I went back to my car. When we got back to Camp, the counselors surprised me by telling me they had all chipped in to get me some CDs for my collection, as a way to thank me for taking them places that summer. That experience was really heartwarming and deepened my appreciation for the Camp Onas community.” 

"I was working at the Camp Store on Second Session check out day, when many people stop by to pick up some Camp merch before they leave for the summer. One of my campers was leaving and asked his Mom if he could get a bandana. They were having some technical difficulties buying it, and I could tell the camper was pretty sad about it. Just as they were going to leave, one of the senior staff members came over and gave him a bandana. In the end it was probably less than ten dollars, but this small gesture meant the world to my camper and was really just a generous and empathetic moment that I got to witness. I'm incredibly honored and proud to say I have worked with such amazing staff, including the person mentioned in this story, and have been a counselor to so many incredible campers."