I agreed to do Manitou Experience last year for all the wrong reasons. Basically I wanted to steal a few extra weeks at my new favorite place. Of course I also liked the idea of giving back to those who need it. As it turns out sometimes you can have your cake and eat it too.

I have never had to deal with untimely death. The people in my life who have been taken away were older. Everyone at Manitou Experience has a different story, but they’ve all experienced loss before they expected it. Spending time with those kids made me step back and reflect about my own life. Would I have been strong enough to handle the death of a parent in my adolescence? I’m lucky that I never had to answer that question or face that challenge. Seeing those kids’ strength humbled and inspired me; if they can be alright given the difficult circumstances they were forced into, then I should be able to handle whatever comes my way.

Probably the most often asked question at Manitou Experience is, “What is regular camp like?” Those kids live vicariously through the full session campers even as they are experiencing camp. Our campers are lucky to have great parents that send them to an awesome place like Manitou. They should be proud that they are a part of something so special, both the camp and Manitou Experience. I am lucky to be employed at a job that I love. And the best part is for one week I get to spread that joy to kids who need it. It doesn’t get much better than that.

- Bobby Wilson, 2nd year staff member.