$100

Nineteen ninety-eight was a year when cabins went camping on cabin night.  No tents.  No pre-build platforms.  No charcoal. Just the ground below us, stars above us, a lighter, and meager portions of hot dogs, marshmallows and whatever the counselor bought at the Lazy G. These were the days when counselors spooked their kids with inappropriate ghost stories, support staff - not having responsibility for a cabin - made raids on our makeshift campgrounds, and we had no concern for Lyme disease (Why I don’t know). 

It was session five, the last of the summer, and we were out for our fifth cabin night - six kids, two exhausted counselors.  Our only goal was to get the fire started and get whatever sleep we could get on the bumpy hard ground.  The kids were sent for firewood and hotdog sticks.  They usually came back with 4 inch wide “logs” asking if they would make good hot dog sticks. While the kids hunted for supplies my co-counselor and I sat with pride that we got our fifth and last fire started while we whittled the logs into hot dog sticks.  Just then we heard Jason yell excitedly, “Is this real? Is this real?” as he ran into the campground and thrusted a $100 bill in our faces.

Jason was probably 13 at the time and quite possibly the most amazing kid I had the privilege to counsel during my two summers.  His priorities were not of an average 13 year old - not of an inner city 13 year old or of a privileged suburban 13 year old.  After establishing the authenticity, we told Jason he could do whatever he wanted with it, but that for his best interest (and because of camp policy) we would have to hold it until he got on the bus heading back to Bridgeport.  So of course he wanted to buy the latest video game, the coolest kicks (do they call them that anymore?), new shades, or a new Yankees cap, right?  No, he wanted all of his cabin mates to have a modest ice cream party and for the famished staff - after lights out - to be treated to milk shakes at Stewart’s.  A 13 year old with more money in hand than he could imagine taught all of a lesson in generosity and kindness that could not be matched during bible classes, celebration, or fireside lessons. He flipped the dynamic as he became the counselor and I became the camper.

Lucas was a counselor at Camp Shiloh during the summer of 1998 and was the Youth Counseling Director in 2001.  Lucas was a mentor in the teen mentoring program from 2002 thru 2004.  He was a Pediatric Physical Therapist for 6 years and has been a healthcare analyst/manager for Union Health Fund for the past 3 years.  He currently lives in Queens New York.