Meet the team: Emily “Cardinal” Hayes
Emily is the Program Coordinator and Jill of All Trades, working behind the scenes at Camp Casco! She is responsible for community outreach, connecting with organizations similar to Camp Casco’s mission, and ensuring each camp session has all the supplies needed for the best week ever!
I had no prior experience volunteering with a camp or organization similar to Camp Casco. If you can believe it, I was a corporate attorney in my "past" life (a far cry from my work at Camp Casco). I feel so grateful to have found an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children affected by pediatric cancer - making a lasting impact on their lives (even if mainly behind the scenes).
After "launching" two children, I was looking for a way to give back to my community, using some of the skills I honed as a lawyer but in a different position. I actually came across the Camp Casco opportunity in an online job posting and applied immediately. Erin and I live in the same town in the suburbs of Boston, and it all fell into place.
I like to think that I am the behind-the-scenes person at camp. I work with camp leadership to purchase and organize all supplies necessary to run fun and engaging camp sessions. After the camp season ends, I am the person who makes sure that all our supplies end up organized and in storage - ready for the following summer. I've also recently become involved with planning and executing family socials, planning activities for our hospital clinic visits, and facilitating collaborations with similarly-minded organizations like Lucy's Love Bus and Rhett's Roost.
My favorite part of every camp is seeing the huge smiles on the faces of our campers! I also love to see the connections our campers make with one another and our amazing volunteer counselors.
My favorite camp memory is a variation of our more typical egg roulette. Instead of cracking an egg on the head of our counselors, our campers cracked a plastic egg (think Easter egg) on their heads. Each egg was filled with colored powder - the campers loved it (not sure about the counselors!) This year, I'm looking forward to another summer of fun, friendships, and laughter - where we create an atmosphere of joy and light for these children.
When not working behind the scenes, I am a mom to two amazing children who challenge and bring me joy every day. I also try to start each day with a walk outside as a way to center myself for the upcoming day.
