A Unanimous Admiration of Uniqueness
As a former camper, I have many fond memories of the fun times and special bonds I have made at Green River Preserve. A time that really stands out to me was my last year on base camp. It was my first and only three week session, and I was in the oldest cabin. The most potent part of my memory was not any specific moment, but the most profound sense of belonging I felt to my peers and even to my counselors. My cousin cabin and mine got very close throughout our time by the river that summer. We were practically inseparable. There is no other feeling quite like the one where you feel so whole in yourself and look around you and realize you have so much love to give and receive to everyone you see.
During my time as a counselor, I have wanted to make that special type of community for my campers. I had so much hope that it would come again, and luckily, it did. Now watching from the perspective of a staff member, separate and yet also connected in a different way than what I had experienced in my own time, I have found so much joy in watching these campers I spend so much time with, being so fully expressive in their own unique ways. They make me smile, they make me laugh, they make me reflect on what it means to be present and fully yourself. Here, at GRP, not only do they have the bounding space to let their personalities burst, but they are supported and loved and accepted in a way that is so different from the worlds we all come from outside of this valley. The kindness displayed amongst these children makes space for community to grow. They blend with each other and are woven together through a thread of love and joy that is unlike any other community I have experienced.
At Green River Preserve, there is a unanimous admiration of the uniqueness children express. Their differences are a piece of them they can wear with pride and are cheered on by their peers without judgment. At GRP, it is safe to be you. It is wanted for you to be you in all the glorious ways that you are.
Story by Neoma Sanchez with photos by Samantha Keebler & Brandon S. Marshall