Volunteers Make Our Heart Race!
By Elizabeth McCurry and John Barnett
April 15, 2022
“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.”
– Elizabeth Andrews
Speaking of heart, we like to say our volunteers make our race! Our volunteers donate their time, talent, and energy to make sure we can continuously make the magic of Camp a reality for the children and families that we serve. In recognition of National Volunteer Week, we thought it would be a perfect time to explain some of our volunteer opportunities throughout the year.
During spring and fall family weekends, volunteers fill many different roles at Camp. Some volunteers serve as Family Pals, guiding families through their VJ weekend experience. Others work as Program Pals, overseeing program areas that families visit during their daily “turns.” Volunteers can also help out as Fuel Stop Pals in our dining hall, or as Stable Pals in the barn.
Volunteering for summer programming is a little different, as it requires a week-long time commitment. Summer volunteers usually work alongside paid summer staff. Cabin Counselor volunteers assist with the daily needs of the campers in the cabins they are assigned to. They also accompany campers and summer staff to different program areas throughout the day. Some volunteers work in the Fuel Stop, assisting the kitchen staff and nutrition team with the daily needs in the dining hall. Other volunteers help out in the barn, leading horses, grooming animals, cleaning, and more.
Victory Junction also has summer volunteer opportunities for those who can’t commit to spending a week at Camp. More than one third of our campers need assistance getting to or from VJ for their sessions. Transportation volunteers ensure that campers get to Camp and back home safely. Volunteering to help with transportation only requires a one-day commitment, and all trips originate from Camp. Victory Junction provides the vehicles, and all of the required training (CDL license is not required but recommended).
Volunteer applicants must be 19 years old, or 18 with one year after high school graduation. Applicants must undergo Victory Junction’s vetting process prior to being accepted to ensure they are a good fit.
We say it over and over again, but VJ couldn’t run our programming without our volunteers. If you want to learn a little more about our volunteer program or get involved yourself, please visit victoryjunction.org/volunteer/.
