Healthy Communities • Healthy Living • Y Stories • YMCA Camps and Outdoor Education
Spotlight on Sephra: 5 Years of Giving Back
11 April 2019 - by Sarah Joseph
In honour of #NationalVolunteerWeek, the team at YMCA Camp Pine Crest would like to extend a huge “thank-you” to all the volunteers who make our camp the vibrant, exciting place that it is. We truly wouldn’t be able to give our campers the positive experiences that they deserve without the hard work of our volunteers.
Although Pine Crest sees over 100 volunteers on our site every year — from Volunteer Work Weekends, to week-long summer placements, and even our volunteer Alumni Committee — we wanted to take this opportunity to highlight someone who has been with Pine Crest for a very long time and who brightens our day every time we cross paths with her. Sephra has dedicated years of volunteerism to Pine Crest and we don’t know what a summer would look like without her!
Sephra began her volunteer career with Pine Crest 4 years ago and typically spends 1-2 weeks with us during the summer to help out around camp and spread her infectious joy. Over the years, Sephra has been on countless canoe trips, and has positively impacted the lives of many staff members and campers alike. She particularly enjoys spending time in the office, greeting parents and families when they come to the desk. Sephra doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty, either! She can often be found tending to our garden or helping campers find the true beauty in the nature that surrounds them. Sephra teaches us all to “stop and smell the roses” and really appreciate the little things that make us smile. It's also a priority of hers to spend time with as many campers as possible, and she participates in many camp activities throughout the day, from swimming to arts and crafts.
At least once a day, if you listen closely, you can hear music coming from our office — but not just any music... the Mamma Mia soundtrack! It's Sephra's way of helping us remember not to take life too seriously, and to just "dance it out" every now and then.
I think I speak for all of the summer staff members at Pine Crest when I say that camp truly wouldn't be as enjoyable as it is without Sephra. We are so pleased that she continues to choose the YMCA of Greater Toronto as the organization that she gives back to every summer. We know that her time at Pine Crest has helped her develop her interpersonal relationships and organizational skills, but what we have gained by her presence could never be measured. Thank you, Sephra, for all that you do!
Although Pine Crest sees over 100 volunteers on our site every year — from Volunteer Work Weekends, to week-long summer placements, and even our volunteer Alumni Committee — we wanted to take this opportunity to highlight someone who has been with Pine Crest for a very long time and who brightens our day every time we cross paths with her. Sephra has dedicated years of volunteerism to Pine Crest and we don’t know what a summer would look like without her!
Sephra began her volunteer career with Pine Crest 4 years ago and typically spends 1-2 weeks with us during the summer to help out around camp and spread her infectious joy. Over the years, Sephra has been on countless canoe trips, and has positively impacted the lives of many staff members and campers alike. She particularly enjoys spending time in the office, greeting parents and families when they come to the desk. Sephra doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty, either! She can often be found tending to our garden or helping campers find the true beauty in the nature that surrounds them. Sephra teaches us all to “stop and smell the roses” and really appreciate the little things that make us smile. It's also a priority of hers to spend time with as many campers as possible, and she participates in many camp activities throughout the day, from swimming to arts and crafts.
At least once a day, if you listen closely, you can hear music coming from our office — but not just any music... the Mamma Mia soundtrack! It's Sephra's way of helping us remember not to take life too seriously, and to just "dance it out" every now and then.
I think I speak for all of the summer staff members at Pine Crest when I say that camp truly wouldn't be as enjoyable as it is without Sephra. We are so pleased that she continues to choose the YMCA of Greater Toronto as the organization that she gives back to every summer. We know that her time at Pine Crest has helped her develop her interpersonal relationships and organizational skills, but what we have gained by her presence could never be measured. Thank you, Sephra, for all that you do!
