5/5 Danielle 9 months ago on Google
In
February
2020,
my
daughter,
as
an
avid
viewer
of
Bunk’d,
asked
if
she
could
go
to
summer
camp.
Not
having
gone
to
camp
myself,
a
random
search
for
“Catholic
youth
camp”
led
me
to
Camp
Ondessonk
and
after
reading
the
website
and
watching
some
of
their
videos
on
YouTube,
I
knew
in
my
heart
that
this
was
the
place
for
her.
2020
happened
and
camp
wasn’t
a
reality
that
year,
but
I
was
so
impressed
with
the
communication
from
them
throughout
that
spring
and
summer,
that
we
felt
comfortable
sending
our
daughter
to
camp
summer
2021
sight
unseen.
Summer
2021
came
and,
while
all
of
us
were
a
little
apprehensive
about
sending
her
away,
those
nerves
were
quickly
alleviated
once
we
arrive,
and
even
more
so
when
I
picked
up
a
daughter
who
so
enjoyed
camp,
she
let
out
a
huge
sigh
of
disappointment
that
I
was
there
to
pick
her
up.
Our
then
often
shy
and
quiet
daughter
was
a
chatterbox
the
whole
5
hour
ride
home,
telling
me
all
about
her
experiences
and
the
wonder
and
joy
that
is
Ondessonk.
She
tried
many
new
and
activities:
horseback
riding,
swimming,
canoeing/kayaking,
hiking,
an
overnight
camp
out,
handicrafts,
campfires,
archery,
and
riflery
to
name
a
few.
She
roughed
it
in
the
three-walled
treehouses
that
are
Ondessonk’s
signature
unit,
sleeping
under
the
stars
at
Wednesday’s
overnight,
showering
in
cold
water,
and
using
outhouses.
She
“survived”
without
phones
and
technology,
learning
to
appreciate
a
slightly
slower
pace
of
life.
She
explored
nature
amidst
the
Shawnee
National
Forest:
serene
trails,
trickling
waterfalls,
tall
trees,
rock
formations,
scenic
lakes,
and
pastures.
She
grew
deeper
in
her
faith
and
appreciation
for
God’s
beauty
and
compassion
and
service
towards
others.
Since
then,
she
has
returned
twice
each
summer,
and
each
time,
her
personal
growth
from
these
experiences
has
been
evident
to
not
only
us
but
to
many
of
our
family
and
friends.
She
has
emerged
a
slightly
happier,
more
confident,
more
independent
version
of
herself.
For
many
reasons,
she
has
blossomed
over
the
past
couple
of
years,
and
we
know
that
camp
had
been
a
big
piece
of
that
equation.
As
parents,
we
know
there
isn’t
a
price
that
can
be
put
on
what
our
daughter
has
gained
from
camp,
but
there
is
no
doubt
in
our
minds
that
it
is
worth
every
penny.
My
husband
and
I
have
been
fortunate
enough
to
gain
a
small
glimpse
of
what
our
daughter
experiences
at
camp
at
the
annual
family
camp
in
September.
We
too
enjoy
the
beauty
of
nature
and
the
serenity
of
time
together
as
a
family
that
is
very
different
from
our
every
day
life,
and
we
are
all
the
better
for
it.
Ondessonk
truly
is
a
special
place
and
one
that
has
become
important
to
all
of
us.
🏕️