“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others,” Mahatma Gandhi.  This quote perfectly explains the spirit of Camp Koski.  Camp Koski is a summer camp for children with autism.  It gives kids with autism the opportunity to do typical day camp activities like kayaking, swimming, and playing games while also providing sensory activities and one on one attention.  This camp provides a relaxing environment that helps all the kids to be themselves and ultimately helps them shine.  Each day, there is a different special activity for the kids.  These activities vary from riding horses, to petting alpacas, playing water games, launching old fruit, and hearing live music. Every day the campers look forward to this time and seeing what activity the day holds.  This week at camp gives the campers social interaction, friends, and memories that they will remember forever.

While camp is a unique experience for each camper, it also greatly affects the counselors.  Many of the campers don’t get to experience typical social interactions, like going to the movies, or hanging out with friends, so their time at Camp Koski is where they can meet new people.  By the end of the week, each camper has two new best friends and the counselors have a new perspective.  After serving these campers for three years now, they have greatly affected my heart.  I look forward to camp each year, because of the joy, love, and dedication I have learned from these kids.  The campers have taught me to never underestimate a person because of his or her disability.  Each child is extremely intelligent, and many just have an issue communicating their thoughts.  I’ve learned from the campers the value of being determined and never giving up, even when it gets hard.  They also showed me that joy and love are contagious, and should never be taken for granted.  After becoming friends with so many of the Camp Koski campers, I have realized that joy, love, and determination can never be underestimated. Since my first session at camp, I have not taken for granted my abilities and have treasured the simple gifts of love and joy in every aspect of life.  I love volunteering with the children and now the campers and counselors are some of my closest friends.  I wouldn’t change my experiences at Camp Koski for anything, and I will always treasure my camp memories.  If you would like to learn more about Camp Koski, you can go to www.campkoski.com.  Here you can find pictures and more information about the camp.