— By Paul Yenor CRG Scholarship Recipient and former camper-

I was 4 years old when my older sister was diagnosed with stomach cancer. It was the first time that she wasn’t my partner in crime causing chaos around the house for my parents. It was really hard to see my sister, who was my best friend in a hospital bed. When my sister was sick, my parents had the new challenge of having three energetic boys to look after while also caring for their sick daughter. When my parents found Camp Rainbow Gold and the family camp, things got much better. The family camp was an opportunity to get away from all of the hectic things happening at home and to enjoy time together as a family. It was also free of cost for my parents which made it all possible!

Summer Highlights

Camp growing up was always a highlight of my summer. Some of the best memories from when I was a child are based around my time at camp with my family. Some of my favorite memories from camp are the awesome campfires after long days of games with siblings, the new friends I made, and lighting a pine cone with a memory from camp on the last day. One of the most vivid memories I have from camp was dressing up as geeks and nerds. My siblings and I picked out costumes from the shop at camp and we performed a song in front of everyone. 

Never Alone

Camp was always a wonderful retreat away from the busyness of life. It was also comforting knowing that the people around me at camp were in similar life circumstances. My family never felt alone in the fight against cancer. 

The Impact

Camp Rainbow Gold provided a lot of fond memories, but also a helping hand to my parents and family. Something I recently found out from my parents is that the camp was free of charge, which made a huge difference for my family. Camp Rainbow Gold was a huge influence on my family and childhood and I want others to experience exactly what I did.

Camp Memories