Camp Winadu

Dear Shelley and Arleen,

I've finally finished unpacking Kevin from his Camp Winadu experience and have sat down to ask myself "What's next?"; and the first thing I decided I needed to do before worrying about the first day of school was to write to you to thank you for providing the environment in which Kevin thrived for a full 7 weeks of his summer! Kevin thoroughly enjoyed just about every aspect of his experience at Winadu.

Kevin made great friends and was cared for by thoughtful, dedicated, hardworking, expert, and caring staff. I know that there were many aspects of his stay that were well thought out and planned and that it is hard for me to know and understand every thoughtful detail that you and your staff tended to. I do know that you painstakingly match kids in bunks for the right mix of kids; and this is one example of the quality that was added at Winadu. I also know that one of your staffers made an extra effort to join Kevin and his bunkmates each evening, which enriched their Winadu nights tremendously. These are just two examples of "the extra mile" that you and your staffers took, and I know that there are many other special efforts that you and your staff made of which I am not aware, but were none-the-less heartfelt by Kevin.

On one day that Kevin called me he said "I've just had the best day of my life!" This is only the second time he's ever said this; and this particular day will be cherished for the rest of his life. Upon returning home at the end of camp, he told me that he would live there year-around if he could.

Kevin was given the opportunity to begin becoming an independent young man in a very safe, friendly, fun and enriching environment. He absolutely loves his sports and requires a great deal of opportunities to expel his teenage energies; and again he thrived in the environment that you provided for him.

Before Kevin's Winadu experience, he had never been away from home for more than 5 nights; and now he has no qualms about saying that he wants to return next summer. Kevin has actually been a child who has had trouble falling asleep at night; and this was one of my concerns; but this was NEVER an issue with him at camp. This means that he felt safe and comfortable and that he had sufficient opportunity to exert himself physically during the day.

As you have learned this summer, Kevin's love of basketball is tremendous. We will always be indebted to Coach Freedman for exposing us to the opportunity for Kevin to go to Winadu; but, much more importantly, we will always be indebted to Coach Freedman for sharing himself personally, for sharing his expertise, and for sharing his love of basketball with Kevin and the other Winadu boys. Kevin's basketball experience was tremendously enriched due to Coach Freedman's, and the other basketball staff's, way of giving of themselves.

Thanks for a great summer for Kevin!
Sincerely, J.B., Newton, MA