Dear Friends,
People often ask us about the impact of our overnight camp. We are pleased to share the story and words of a remarkable woman who attended.
Valeria Luna was 10 years old, and her brother was 8, when she started attending RMM's Overnight Leadership Camp. Her parents were originally from Puebla, Mexico, and they worked at an apple packing house.
"It was the best time of my life! As a young child my parents could not afford to send me and my brother to a summer camp and so this was a great opportunity for us, says Valeria. "Me and my brother would look forward to it all year long."
It's a time that she looks back fondly, as her experiences at camp shaped her as the person she would become, while also providing serious fun and recreation.
"I still have detailed memories about the first time I learned how to fish and the first time I learned to start a fire using sticks that we picked up during our hike. Meeting new people from different backgrounds and learning about them was the most inspiring. I created so many great memories with people that I am still friends with to this day: counselors, artists, nursing staff and the RMM family," explains Valeria. But it wasn't all fun and games! (Even though it was a lot of that.)
"I truly believe that our experiences and positive relationships that we made during those years made an impact on the people that we grew up to be," says Valeria of her and her brother. "It warms my heart to know that RMM’s overnight camp is still running and that there are a lot of young boys and girls learning and building leadership skills while having fun and most importantly having a safe space to share their stories, hopes and dreams."
Valeria then went on to dedicate her career to serving people who faced language challenges in accessing services. We like to think, and so does she, that the lessons from RMM overnight camp and the community she experienced there shaped the leader she would become as an adult.
Valeria got her Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood and Special Education. She worked in a Migrant Head Start Program in Ulster County as a Bilingual Education/ Disabilities Coordinator for four years. In her current position with the NYS Department of Health in the Early Intervention Unit in Orange County, she works as an Early Intervention Official.
"My job is to work with families to determine whether their children qualify for special education services if they have any developmental delays based on multi-disciplinary evaluations," says Valeria. "I am passionate about working with children and families from diverse cultures and helping those who struggle with being heard due to a language barrier or because of their legal status."
We invite you to support our summer youth programs. Thanks for helping us to create experiences like Valeria's!
In peace,
Richard
