One of the many reasons I LOVE my job: Monday 10:00A: Receive an email from a young woman who is deaf, and really wants to attend camp but is afraid that being deaf will make her feel isolated, instead of included, at Camp Widow®. She asks for my advice. Monday 1:00PM: I send a quick note to one of our amazing donors (and board members) who sponsors the cost of our interpreters at camp to ask if she is willing to sponsor double the amount of interpreters this year. Monday 3:00PM: Our donor says...absolutely yes! Monday 3:30PM: I send an email of reassurance to the young widow to let her know that we have learned so much about how to help our deaf widowed connect with others at camp, and that not only will we have interpreters for her that she can connect with by email in advance, but also that our community member (and Regional Leader!) Donna, who is also deaf, would be very happy to connect with her to talk about her experience at the last two Camp Widow West weekends. Monday 6:00PM: I receive a note from the widow who is considering camp, that tells me that she shared the email I sent her with her sister, and her sister said only one word after reading the email...GO! Monday 6:30PM: I receive a registration for our new camper! Monday 7:30PM: I receive an email from Donna letting me know she has already reached out to the new camper, and really hopes she joins us for Camp Widow®. *Donna didnt know that the woman with whom she is now corresponding registered about an hour before!* This community rocks! Thank you to our generous donor for allowing me to confidently say we will have FOUR interpreters on-site at Camp Widow® West this year! Thank you to Donna for being willing to reach out a hand to another widowed person so quickly, and with such kindness. Thank you to our amazing interpreters whove been with us for two years at camp, and whose understanding of how our program works has been pivotal to providing a meaningful camp experience for our deaf and hard of hearing widowed. Thank you to the brave young woman who wants so badly to connect with other widowed people, that she is willing to step way outside her comfort zone to do so. And thank you to Vicki, who was the very first brave deaf widow to join us at Camp Widow® many years ago...Vicki, weve come a long way! I love my job...the photo below is from our 2012 Widow Dash, here we are signing Widows Rock!
Posted on: Tue, 01 Apr 2014 18:41:06 +0000