Reflections Magazine Issue #79 - Fall 2013 | Page 13

Campus Feature

SHU Volunteers Help Camp Sunshine

Shine a Little Brighter

S

everal Siena Heights students and staff members
gave up part of their summer vacation to give others a needed break from the concerns of a life-threatening illness.
A dozen or so from Siena Heights traveled by minivan
to Casco, Maine, in July to work at Camp Sunshine, a nonprofit operation that provides a retreat for children who are
battling life-threatening illnesses and their families.
SHU Dean for Students Michael Orlando (left, below)
learned about Camp Sunshine three years ago and involved
Siena Heights through the Siena Serves volunteer program
on campus. Orlando, his wife, Becky, and SHU Director of
Counseling Sandy Morley joined nine SHU students from
varying backgrounds on the weeklong experience.
“(Camp Sunshine) lets the families be treated as royalty
and loves them as much as possible,” Orlando said. “It’s a
way for everyone to come together with a sense of shared
understanding.”
Siena was part of retinoblastoma week. Retinoblastoma
is a rare form of eye cancer, and Orlando said volunteers are
trained to help families spend a week having fun—and away
from the worries of doctor and hospital visits.
“They can relax and just have fun,” Orlando said of the
families hosted by Camp Sunshine. “You see a lot of kids
who go in with ‘I don’t want to be here.’ But by the end of
the week, they are crying and say ‘I don’t want to leave.’”
Volunteers often play the role of camp counselors, helping with activities such as canoeing, kayaking, Frisbee golf,
swimming and arts and crafts. Camp Sunshine pays for all
but $125 of the volunteer expenses for the week. Orlando
said funding from the Siena Serves program helped with
all but $25 of the volunteers’ costs.
Orlando said it was a bonding experience for the volunteers as well.
“What was really neat is that our group didn’t really
know each other at the beginning,” he said. “We not only
grew close with Camp Sunshine, but as a group collectively.
… You do feel like an extended part of their family when
you go there.” u

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