I am not a fan of the outdoors, let alone campgrounds. I think these areas are smelly, bug written, and overall not a fun and enjoyable time. With, this said, I was not the happiest of campers when I found out my group would be volunteering outside.

Prior to into the streets, all my volunteering was inside and often academic related. Into the streets provided me with the opportunity to support Tompkins county — and in particularly — the camp grounds of the local YMCA. I was able to clear sticks and rocks to make a soccer field and build a hut for the campers to lay down in. As I was helping achieve these goals for the camps, the occasional scratch from sticks would temporally demotivate me to continue. During these times, I thought about why I am not a fan of the outdoors. However, the constant support from the Rose House team gave me the push to continue. They reminded me of why we are here and the impact we are making. Being able to know that I helped provide a better experience for future campers of the YMCA is a great feeling. Volunteering at the YMCA has resulted in an innate sense of comfort being outside. I look forward to volunteering again!