We are excited to share another story about a recent WoHeLo awardee! If you missed our first post, be sure to read about Kayla and the incredible amount of work that goes into earning the WoHeLo Award.
Tara Ferguson has been in Camp Fire since 2002 and has made a great impact with her three advocacy projects. She was a huge supporter of her church’s recent mission trip to Peru. She fundraised, secured volunteers and taught other trip attendees Spanish phrases in order to help them communicate with the Incan people. Tara also co-chaired Camp Fire’s Starflight Adventure Weekend which is a huge undertaking and included planning the entire weekend, teaching workshops and helping to secure attendees. Lastly, Tara attended an accelerated nursing program at Green River Community College for high school seniors and took an active role in teaching and assisting her fellow students. She plans to attend the University at Washington Bothell and study biology in the fall.
Tara writes, “Camp Fire has been a huge part of not only my life but also my family’s for 13 years. I have learned numerous skills through Camp Fire and have had wonderful volunteer opportunities. Growing up with a Camp Fire group gave me a chance to make great friendships outside of school. I will always treasure the memories I made in Camp Fire. Camp Fire helped me step outside of my comfort zone by being less quiet and shy and it has lead me to become more of a compassionate person who loves working with people.
I would like to thank my mom who has also been my leader for the last 13 years. She has led two other groups in addition to mine. My group “The Roses” is her last group and she has dedicated and incredible amount of time and dedication to each of us.
I also want to thank Mary for helping me achieve my WoHeLo award. It meant a lot that she took the time from her busy schedule to work with our group. Mary is an incredible person who has dedicated her life to Camp Fire and I am so grateful for her support.
Through Camp Fire I have learned many fun and silly camp songs that I will always remember, however there are also many skills I learned as well. Skills like knot tying, shooting a bow and arrow, working well with others, being a collaborative teammate, a leader, and much, much more. I also learned a lot about the community I live in and the environment. Camp Fire gave me a huge appreciation for the Pacific Northwest and how amazing and beautiful our environment is.
There is a quote by Mahatma Gandhi that I would like to share that I absolutely love and I know it applies to the amazing volunteers here today. “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” This quote has had a huge impact on my life the last few years and Camp Fire helped me realize my love for helping others and if I ever find myself feeling down I look at that quote on my wall and it encourages me to go do something and help others, because that is what makes me happy and volunteering and helping others has helped me find who I am. Thank you!”
Congratulations Tara, we are so proud of your achievements!
Read about the next WoHeLo Award recipient in this series, Samantha!
Help all of our Camp Fire kids reach their full potential!