Catherine Johnson
Catherine Johnson On August 11th I returned home from my volunteer experience at the Wagon Road Camp in Chappaqua, NY. My time in NY was a complete success as I reached out to a diverse group of underprivileged, inner city teenagers who attended the camp. I was assigned the post of assistant counselor to Hawks 6; a group of 17 thirteen-year-old female campers. They were the oldest campers, and at times difficult to handle, but they grew to trust me and each other as we found connections between our lives and experiences.

Throughout the two weeks, the girls and I participated in various activities such as horseback riding, swimming, rock-climbing, arts and crafts, and gymnastics. I learned from them that I have strength as a leader, and hopefully they learned a little something about teamwork from me as well. I took part in manual labor chores during which all the Landmark volunteers like myself worked to improve the church we slept in for the two weeks. The twelve of us picked up trash, weeded, painted, and cleaned and fixed windows.

Finally, at the end of the two weeks, the Landmark volunteers were asked to make a mural leaving our mark on the Wagon Road Camp. As the artist of our group, I was able to bring our mural’s message to fruition by designing and orchestrating the art project. I believe that the teens who return next year will look at our mural and remember the smiles, challenges, and laughs we shared in the summer of ’07. I am extremely proud of the work I did and the relationships I made during this experience. This was the opportunity of a lifetime, and to anyone who is thinking about joining Landmark Volunteers, I highly suggest you do! You will not only learn a lot about the institution you work at, but you will learn a lot about yourself. Good luck with whatever you decide! Thank you.

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