• by Darren Keller , Op-Ed Contributor, July 8, 2019

I recently returned from summer camp. Yes, I left my teen at home and powered down from my day job working on campaigns for clients like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO and headed to Wonder Valley Ranch in Sanger, CA. It’s a pilgrimage I have made almost every year for the past 11 years and the wonders we see at  Champ Camp and the resiliency of human spirit never cease to inspire me. 

Champ Camp offers burn survivors between the ages of 5-17 who have been treated at a California hospital or are current California residents the chance to simply be kids. The week in the woods at this sleepaway camp starts with hugs. Burn survivors, unfortunately, are looked at and treated differently which can bring deep physical and psychological tolls. Heartfelt hugging sets the tenor of acceptance that immediately starts soothing the campers’ bodies and souls. 

My firemen friends introduced me to the camp run by the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation (AARBF), a California-based nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing burns and fires and helping those impacted from burn-related injuries. Alisa Ann died from injuries suffered in a backyard barbecue accident in Southern California when she was 8 and her family teamed with firefighters and medical professionals to form AARBF 1971. Knowing my interest in fire safety, my earlier ambitions to be a firefighter, and my love of kids, my friends thought I would be a great influence on these heroic survivors. 

I only hope that I have influenced them in some way. They have a tremendous influence on me. Champ Camp is a sanctuary where new friends quickly become family. It’s a growing experience for everyone involved. Words can’t describe the world that I’ve been privileged to witness. 

Beyond the sheer joy that comes from camp activities on land and in water, I get to hang out and really get to know the kids in my cabin. They open up. There’s laughter. And tears. Mostly, there’s a place where these kids can be their authentic selves. It’s their personality and essence I see. It’s amazing when kids open up and really share.  

The bravery of the 150+ kids continually amazes me. Their resilience and drive to survive provide life perspective. It illustrates what really matters. I dug deep into my creative bag of tricks to perform improv skits with the other counselors to inspire and entertain the campers. Fun and laughs are intertwined with inspiration and lessons that attempt to give the kids permission to embrace their fear and break out of their comfort zones. We turned towels, sheets, and blankets into costumes. Not all of our attempts at entertainment were Oscar worthy, but we got an A for effort. And, that’s just what the kids need to see. That it’s ok to step up to the plate and swing for the fences. But it’s ok when you strike out. 

Surviving is emotionally and physically painful. It takes strength of massive proportions to stand up to stares and ignorant ridicule. Leaving and putting back on the protective armor they shed when they arrived the week before brings tears. 

The hugs goodbye are longer and full of cautious optimism. They are silent reminders to stay strong through future adversities and never lose sight of their inner selves. They symbolize shared connections and a silly amount of gratitude from countless adventures in one, action-infused week. 

As I packed up the decorations I brought to make our bunks super festive, I committed to trying to change the lens through which I see things around me. Opening my eyes and mind wider will allow me to be a better human and creative director. It will help me be a better manager and more empathically understand teammates. It will make me more open and observant which, as any creative knows, leads to great things.