4th of July week by William

4th of July week by William - October 2013 Scholarship Essay

Over the years I have spent many Independence Days at Eastport with my family and friends shooting fireworks and grilling out. One 4th of July did not outshine any of the others; it was the same routine every year- grilling out, fishing in the lake, riding in the boat, swimming, watching the fireworks at night. Each year was no doubt fun but nothing ever really stood out. This most recent 4th of July was not the typical 4th of July I have had in the past, but it was in fact the most memorable. I not only got to spend time with an amazing man, but I also learned to look at life in the big picture.
In the summer after my junior year of high school I made the decision to volunteer at Camp Lake Stephens for Rainbow Week. Rainbow Week is a week set aside for special needs adults to come and enjoy camp. Every year about eighty campers arrive to camp that first week in July, and volunteers are needed to assist the staff with them. My older sister had volunteered this special week many times and would always speak of how wonderful and life changing it was, not only to the campers but to the staff as well. So I signed up to volunteer and packed my belongings and headed that way.
We had staff training and I have to admit, I was a little nervous. When I met my camper Mr. Cal, I had nothing to worry about. Mr. Cal was diagnosed with a severe case of autism. Mr. Cal had to stay on a schedule. My job was to make sure he stayed on his schedule at all times; if he varied from it, he would become highly agitated. We had pool time and arts-and-crafts, which he loved. He loved Justin Bieber and was quite the flirt with the girls. It made me smile watching him say, “Hey, Pretty Lady” or faking an injury in order to see the nurse. He would even allow us to vary from his schedule if he could go talk to a girl. Mr. Cal was definitely a character and fun to be around.
On the 4th of July, we had several planned activities, but no fireworks since they scare too many campers. There is always a talent show, an awards ceremony, swimming and canoeing. Mr. Cal was definitely excited about the talent show, so he could show off his dance skills. I had to convince him to go canoeing though. We walked down to the lake, put on our lifejackets and climbed in. I paddled us out into the lake; all the while, Mr. Cal frowned at me, saying, “I don’t know about this, Jackson.” I kept reassuring him that we were safe, and when we reached the middle of the lake, I stopped. Mr. Cal looked around and around. I was worried he was about to throw a fit, but he sat calmly. We sat there about five minutes in the quiet of the lake, and suddenly Mr. Cal started singing “My Country Tis of Thee”. I was shocked! We had been singing patriotic songs earlier at karaoke, but I didn’t remember Mr. Cal singing along. His sweet voice carried over the lake and I was just amazed. Those ten minutes we sat out in that canoe still stand out in my mind like it was yesterday. It was like Mr. Cal really understood what this holiday was all about. It made me remember what it was about, for sure.
We headed in after Mr. Cal sang. When we got out of the canoe, Mr. Cal leaned over and hugged me, then started up the hill. I got a tight feeling in my throat watching him walk away from me, but I knew I’d never forget that sight.
Although I've had many great Independence days with my family, it always seemed like another typical summer day. My time with Mr. Cal made me rethink about the holiday. I may never get to spend this holiday with Mr. Cal again, but next year I hope to have another patriotic soul to show me the world in a different point of view.