Dear Make a Difference Director, team of awesome difference making people, and fellow Scampers,
I’ve attended every Summer Camp Festival since 2005, and each year the festival has improved its green initiatives. Summer Camp 2012 was my first year volunteering for the Green Team and it was an amazing experience! I chose the Green Team because environmental awareness is very important to me and I wanted to use my passion to inspire others to make a difference at Three Sisters Park and take some useful knowledge away. From the volunteer staff to my fellow Green Teamers and many outrageous festival goers, I met so many fellow music lovers and environmental enthusiasts that I probably wouldn’t have encountered otherwise. While I volunteered initially for the free ticket, I had no idea that I would meet so many amazing people and be able to learn and share so much information with others.
My favorite memory of volunteering was at the Starshine Stage during Victor Wooten on Sunday. The photo that I’ve attached is me during this volunteer shift. The recycling/compost/landfill bins were right at the edge of the crowd, and I danced & offered some misty fan squirts for people dropping by the bins. It was shocking that even on Sunday, the last day of the festival, people still didn’t know that those “plastic” cups were made of corn and actually went in the compost bin. While I’m no expert in composting, I still got to spread a little knowledge, and the feeling was amazing. A little direction, a few words of thanks, a ton of high fives, and an endless amount of dancing are all I needed to make a difference. A lady even came up to me and said I was the most enthusiastic volunteer she saw all weekend, which just encouraged me to stay lifted. And to top off the experience, we got to chat with Victor Wooten while cleaning up after the crowd cleared and he signed my green card! This and countless other memories made SC 2012 one of my best festivals yet!
As a SCamp veteran, I encourage everyone to get involved with Make A Difference and other fun activities. Not only will you have fun and meet new people, but you will have the “feel-good” feelings and there’s a ton of chances to win free stuff. Yoga, body painting, and the Go Green raffle were just a few of the activities I enjoyed in the Soulshine tent where I met some amazing people. The “make a difference” mentality is contagious, and I found myself picking up recycling and trash from the ground even when I wasn’t working a volunteer shift. It’s crazy how much awesomeness you can accomplish in a 3-4 day span.
I’m looking forward to making even more of a difference at Summer Camp 2013. Summer Camp Music Festival is the highlight of my summer, and a VIP upgrade would certainly be a sweet new experience. Regardless, I am excited as ever to get back down to Chillicothe and meet up with my old friends, make some new ones, and make a difference!
As Margaret Mead said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Stay lifted friends,
Sarah Wawa
