March 2015

Winter Family Camp – A Parent Speaks Out

To The Laurel Foundation,

Mario and I would like to thank you for working with us on getting all that was necessary for us to attend Camp Laurel’s Winter session. We loved it! Mario is looking forward to attending summer camp this year. We met some fantastic people & will keep in touch with each other.

Please thank the many wonderful people who work with you to make these camps available to kids & families that would not be able to spend time in the mountains. You all have planted seeds in us that will continue to grow as the the years go by.

Again, with much appreciation,

Rosalinda Lozano and Mario Avila

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ta9mrWinter Family Camp – A Parent Speaks Out
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NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK

I recently visited with one of our campers to introduce her to her new mentor through our LEAF Mentorship Program. As we all chatted I asked her if she had received her camp photo from Winter Family Camp. She said, “Oh yeah, it’s already up on my wall. You wanna see?” Her face lit up as she stood up to show us to her room. When we walked in the door I could hardly believe that this young teenager (you know how teens can sometimes be “too cool for school”) had her entire wall above her bed covered with years of pictures and memorabilia from Camp Laurel.
In that moment I couldn’t help but think of you; our amazing volunteers. You have made such an impact and become a source of joy and hope to so many of our families in a way that you couldn’t possibly know. You are the faces on their walls encouraging them and reminding them that someone believes in them. You are the memories in their hearts reminding them to laugh and try new things and to be adventurous. You are a part of them and a part of us.

The great men and women of our time were not necessarily the wealthiest or the most charismatic or even the most popular. They were people that possessed a generosity of spirit and a hopeful determination to see our world grow in love and service to others. Our volunteers are beautiful reflections of these legendary souls and we are undone with gratefulness for your commitment to The Laurel Foundation.

Next week is National Volunteer Week. We wish that there was something that we could give to each of you to show our gratitude, but our hands our empty. Our hearts however, are full of love and appreciation for you. You make a difference; you change lives.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts

Cheria Young

Director of Volunteers

Photo by Marcella Atallah

ta9mrNATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK
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