Responsibility in Action! #CoreValuesInAction

04/05/2017

Happy April, and Happy month of Responsibility!

Throughout the month of April, we are going to focus on ways to put Responsibility into action! Responsibility can mean many things, including responsibility for your words and actions, responsibility to give to others, responsibility to contribute to your community, as well as responsibility to provide for the future.

Responsibility at camp can be as simple as our daily routine. You are responsible for keeping your bunk clean so that your things don’t get in other people’s spaces. You are responsible for carrying gear in your pack on the hike so that your group has everything they need to cook and sleep at a camp site. You are responsible for weeding the garden during chores so that the garden at the farm has enough space for the plants we are trying to grow. At camp, we provide moments for all of our campers, staff, and guests to take responsibility for their actions, certain parts of camp, as well as the experience they are having, so that everyone at Frost Valley, past, present, and future, are able to enjoy what camp has to offer. Sometimes at camp, responsibility can also be a little bit harder to realize. You have the responsibility to embrace and practice our core values, you have the responsibility to contribute to your cabin community, and you have the responsibility to make camp a great place for everyone (not just yourself). Each member of the camp community, has the responsibility of contributing to the greater good of the entire camp community.

Outside of camp, we also all have the responsibility to ourselves and to others, to help make our communities and our world the best place it can be. To me, this means learning about myself to ensure that I am being the best me possible, and taking responsibility for my contributions (or lack there of) to my greater community. I should be responsible for my words, thoughts, and actions, but I should also take on the responsibility of sharing my beliefs, opinions, and knowledge. As a woman in the workplace, I have the responsibility to speak up to make my voice heard, so that other women know that they can do the same. I have the responsibility to be a strong role model for all of my staff and campers, so that they can also be strong role models for others. If I don’t own this responsibility that I have, I am not allowing myself or others the chance to be our best selves, because I am not doing the little things that I can to make the world better for everyone.

One of my personal role models, Desmond Tutu, once said, “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”

And at the end of the day, THIS is the responsibility that we all have to each other. I feel like it is on all of us to do the little bit of good everywhere we can, and take responsibility for what we can contribute to the world, to make it a better place for us all.

What are somethings that you are responsible for? What are some chores that you have at home? How about different groups that you contribute to at school, like a club or organization? What are things that you can do every day to provide good to your community — these are the things that you have the responsibility to share with the world! I would love to hear from you about how you put Responsibility into action!

Send me an email, letter, story, or photo of how you put Responsibility into Action to lhutchinson@frostvalley.org. I am excited to hear from you! I will share your stories on the blog, as well as send you an AWESOME Core Values in Action Tshirt that you can wear all summer long!

Peace, Love, Bibbley,

Lindsay

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nick Lomauro

Nick Lomauro is a lifetime lover of camp (overnight and day), outdoor recreation, and value-based programs. Nick grew up in the YMCA and discovered his passion for working in youth development as a summer camp counselor. Full of curiosity, Nick graduated from Montclair State University with a degree in General Humanities. Immediately following graduation Nick set off to Spain to hike the 500 mile ancient pilgrimage trail, El Camino de Santiago. Nick then returned to his childhood YMCA in NJ, of over 20 thousand members, as the Director of Youth Development. In this role he designed, developed, and implemented day camp and teen programs. In 2015, Nick returned to Frost Valley and he is now the Director of Camp Wawayanda. This is Nick's 16th summer at Frost Valley.