Et cetera : NCCC Oak 7 Travels to Camp Courageous in Northwestern Ohio

By: Sarah Feyers

On May 1, NCCC Team Oak 7 loaded up their van and began their seven and a half hour journey to Whitehouse, Ohio, a small town in the Toledo metropolitan area, where they would serve Camp Courageous, a summer camp for individuals with developmental disabilities. Not only was this Oak 7’s second project, but also their first project outside of the state of Iowa, where the team served for their first round project.

“Our work at Camp Courageous has been nothing but positive and fulfilling. It's great because we are continuing to learn new skills while being able to apply some of the skills we gained from our round one project. The sponsors are constantly showing their appreciation for us which has been a huge motivating factor. It has been a rewarding experience for us to see the differences we are making for the camp,” says Jenna Uretsky, Oak 7 member.

Both on and off hours, Oak 7 has had numerous fun experiences to grow as a team, including playing games after dinner, storytelling over camp fires, and going to the Toledo Zoo as a team building activity to boost morale. The team has also experienced significant bonding over their service work with Camp Courageous and the surrounding community, knowing they are serving an important cause.

When asked about the team dynamic during this round, Oak 7 member Nate Rouht said “I am happy with how the project is going. With the team, I feel like we are all getting to know each other a lot better.” His fellow team members agree!

The mission of Camp Courageous is to provide outdoor recreational activities to improve the quality of life for children and adults with developmental disabilities and allow them to pursue their own goals and interests. Oak 7 has been assisting to prepare and enhance the camp’s grounds and facilities for the start of the summer session. To date, the team has restored garden beds and planted starter plants in them, painted benches, burned brush, and cleaned the pool.

So far, the team has participated in one independent service project in the area. The team traveled to the Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity Restore to help clean up their storage areas. The team is planning future service projects in the area and is very excited to spend their time helping Camp Courageous and the Whitehouse community.