What does camping mean to you?
I was working the market alongside an employee, and as often happens when you're outdoors, the wind was out to play. If you ever hang around us more than a few minutes when we're set up outside, you'll probably hear someone shouting, "the wind is a factor." It started as a joke, but it's real. On this particular day, it was relentless. We'd just gotten a new sign setup, and the was wind intent on destroying it. Finally, our employee grabbed an extra cord from one of our bins and jury-rigged the whole thing to keep it upright. Impressed, I said something to the effect of "way to be crafty over there." She responded very matter-of-factly, "that's what camping will teach you." I nodded in understanding. I've also had to get resourceful when fixing gear with limited resources in the backcountry. I fancy myself to be crafty too.
Then, I stopped talking. It hit me suddenly that my employee's definition of camping is 100% different than mine.
When I camp, I head up to the north shore on a backpacking trip decked out in top-notch gear and with a reliable route planned out. Typically, I've planned for this trip for a while. Asked off work, gotten excited, packed and prepped. I've got every meal ready to go, and in my Osprey pack, you'll find a waterproof tent, down sleeping bag, and a quality rain jacket in case inclement weather comes. When I camp, it's intentional time to get off the grid and relax.
When my employee camps, its because it is her only place to sleep.
She's exhausted her other options. There are no more couches left to hop, no open shelter beds available, and not an abandoned building to provide a roof over her head. Her gear is whatever hand-me-downs her street outreach worker was able to find for her. Instead of the open skies I experience, she can look up and see the bridge she's set up camp under for that extra rain protection. Whereas I am lulled to sleep by the soothing sounds of the forest settling in and animals saying goodnight, she hears the traffic of a busy metropolitan area and sounds of strangers nearby. My general list of concerns or worries is that a black bear may stumble into my tent by some odd chance. She worries that someone willing to hurt her will venture into her camp. Theft, assault, police telling her to move-along are all viable scenarios every time she closes her eyes.
Ask me who comes back from camping relaxed and refreshed?
What did camping mean for you as a kid? Was it magical nights spent under the stars? Making smores around the campfire? Jumping into the lake in the heat of the day? Hand prepared camp food magically provided by your parents? Is it backpacking trips to the most beautiful sights you can find? Consider this shift in perspective.
Her small sentence served as a big wake-up call. Until camping can literally mean the kind of camping you and I think about for each young person, we can't give up the fight to end youth homelessness. We're raising funds to create that kind of world here. Will you join us?