Smiling Hearts
By Hannah O’Briant
June 17, 2019
Rachel Dempster attended camp at Victory Junction this summer for the very first time! Her passion for the activities she encountered brought smiles to everyone around her throughout the entire week of camp.
Rachel was just recently adopted from Uganda and travelled all the way from Tennessee to be at camp for the week. Her cheerfulness and eagerness to get involved is always present, never failing to have a smile on her face. When asked what her favorite part about camp was, she said
“the zipline, and I did it twice! It was so much fun!”
She experienced many ‘firsts’ at camp including horseback riding, ziplining, and so much more! The joy in Rachel’s eyes when she accomplished an activity is incredible, whether it was getting a bullseye in the archery room or a strike at the bowling alley.
Like many other campers, Rachel is eager to experience new activities. She is always excited and enthusiastic about whatever is next on the agenda. That is what camp here is all about. Victory Junction’s goal is to see campers build confidence and just be themselves. When Rachel went to the horse barn for the first time, she thought she needed someone to hold her hand to keep her safe. After a couple laps around the arena, she eventually let go and held onto the reins by herself!
“I’m having fun!” Rachel screamed as she rode her favorite horse, Pebbles, around the arena.
Rachel is a big inspiration to many, and it warms the hearts of everyone at Victory Junction knowing that she is leaving here with even more of a cheerful spirit, if that’s even possible.
A week at camp leaves campers with countless memories, laughs, and friendships. It can be intimidating to reach out of their comfort zones by coming to camp for the first time, but it’s always worth it.
