Through the Hamilton Alternative Break (AXB) program, a group of students traveled to Double H Ranch in Lake Luzerne, N.Y., over fall break to volunteer at Double H’s Comfort Camp Weekend. Double H Ranch is a SeriousFun network camp that offers year-round programs for children and the families of children with serious or chronic illnesses.
Hamilton volunteers were Rachel Lee ’22, Crystal Lin ’22, Morgan McCarthy ’22, Edgar Otero ’20, Elisa Taylor ’20, and Amy Zhai ’22.
Through a partnership with the Glens Falls Hospital, Comfort Camp is for children who have lost a loved one to a serious illness. It is a special bereavement weekend where children aged 6 to 16 participate in healing circles to gently explore their feelings about loss, coping mechanisms and also experience the joy and fun of camp with the support of Big Buddies and volunteer staff.
Hamilton students worked behind the scenes to help make the weekend happen with volunteer projects and helping at program areas like the high ropes course, archery, arts and crafts, and the waterfront where kids fish and boat. They also worked directly with the campers during remembrance activities like making luminary bags.
Cleaning out the Double H costume closet was a favorite project of the group. Home to hundreds, maybe thousands of costumes, the costume closet is a huge part of the camp experience to get silly or out of one’s comfort zone. Hamilton volunteers helped sort and bag the costumes to prepare them for cleaning and the off-season at the end of October.
