By Helene Mattera

Recently, I found myself explaining Camp Rising Sun to a new friend.  As I described how we build an international community of tomorrow’s leaders, I felt my heart glowing.

I detailed how campers get to run the program each day and learn how to be effective leaders, sensitive to the needs of others. How they collaborate to build things, learn how to manage projects and their peers. How to act in teams to clean camp, motivate each other through difficult tasks, humble them to care for the property. How we create a special space for them to ponder their identities and their connections to the citizens of the world.

By that point, I apologized for going on and on. There was a pause and she said, “thank you, thank you for doing that work.” She felt comforted to know that such a place existed, and expressed how important it is to invest in young people in the hope they will use their influence to improve the world, acting with a conscious and caring about the impact of their decisions.

This is why I love my job. I believe so strongly in the mission of LAJF and the value of Camp Rising Sun to our future. This is a Good Place and this summer continues the legacy of Rising Sun. Please join me in wishing the new staff good luck as they help to create a powerful 2016 Camp Rising Sun season.