BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Camp Good Days is looking for volunteers to continue programming for the overnight and day camps for children fighting against cancer.
"We are looking for volunteers down at our summer camp down at Keuka Lake and also at our day camps here in Buffalo," said Sammantha Reynolds, Program Coordinator with Camp Good Days.
Reynolds was introduced to the camp when her sister began her fight against cancer.
After all of the years of going to the camp, she decided to give back her time to ensure kids like her and her sister could experience normalcy.
"It is so special and having the opportunity to meet them and play them with and have fun is just amazing," said Reynolds.
With summer quickly approaching the camp is calling for all hands on deck as the volunteer numbers have dwindled.
"We are always looking, we always loving and we come in with open arms," said Chris Shahin, a volunteer with Camp Good Days for 11 years.
Shahin had battled cancer since 13 years old and recalls his first experience being introduced to the camp.
"Nobody could relate to what I was going through and all of a sudden as my prayers were answered camp good days came knocking on our door to my parents," said Shahin.
Shahin has volunteered to give back to the campers with the same love and care that he needed when he was first diagnosed.
"It's just become a beacon of light to me, a light at the end of the tunnel, we did the monthly events at summer camp and it always gave me people I could relate to and at the granulated level talk about what we were going through," said Shahin.
Junior Good Days – Day Camp for Campers ages 4-7
June 26th – June 29th in Buffalo
Volunteers can choose 1 or more days to volunteer during that week, and must commit for the entire day that they choose.
Volunteers go through an onboarding process that includes training. Volunteers can be any age over 18 and are paired directly with a child to help them have fun, stay safe, and build friendships. Junior Helpers (ages 16-17) who help with the programming for the week; set-up, clean-up, etc. Junior Helpers can sign up for 1 or more of the days as well.
Overnight Camp – for Campers ages 8-17
Different Programs throughout July and August at the recreational facility on Keuka Lake
Volunteers must commit to the entirety of the program (4-5 days) and are placed in a Cabin with children for the week. These volunteers must be over age 18 and also go through on onboarding process which includes training. Counselors-In-Training are also available for each program, ages 16-17, these CITs get placed in a cabin and support the counselors in all the camp activities with their cabin.
Applications for volunteering at the day camp and overnight camp can be found here.
