Volunteering at Camp Ta-Kum-Ta’s new location
Posted by Amanda on 11 Nov 2009 at 10:10 am | Tagged as: Other Stuff, Social Responsibility
Green Mountain Coffee employees have a long history of volunteering with Camp Ta-Kum-Ta, a camp based in Vermont for children who have or have had cancer. In their own words, “Camp T-K-T is where kids go to reclaim a childhood robbed by cancer”. Behind this magical week, is Ted Kessler. Ted visited the GMCR campus a few weeks ago to share the history of the camp, his moving memories of the children, and the amount of work that needs to get done at their new location in South Hero, VT. (Click here to watch a moving video about their new location)
Last week the entire Service group took the day to help with that work, using a few of their 52-hours of paid-time off to volunteer. Below is summary from Paul Guilmette:
“At this year’s annual meeting, the Service group decided that we would have a team CAFE event at Camp Ta-Kum-Ta (Camp TKT)—a week long summer camp for children with terminal illnesses.
Although we had heard many stories of fellow service member’s experiences at the camp, it was the first time to volunteer for myself and other technicians from the ROC’s.
We were welcomed by Ted Kessler, Executive Director of Camp TKT. He told us a short history of the camp and how they came to be at this location. In his voice you could hear the commitment and passion for this program which helped energize us to get to work and help make a difference.
Ted talked of the magic that happens during camp week, and how the children were thrilled about the staff that gives them a week to just be kids, and to forget about life woes for awhile. The children were also thrilled about the new location. The building and land were worth millions of dollars, but the view overlooking Lake Champlain was priceless.
Green Mountain Coffee Employees Volunteer at Camp Ta-Kum-Ta
It was a cold, drizzly day, even though the weather man had predicted warm, sunny one. With many of us being seasoned Road Technicians, we were not about to be put out by a little rain and cold. We grabbed our gloves and rain jackets, shovels, picks, wheelbarrows and chain saws, and went to different locations to pick up, clean up and throw out.
It was a lot of work, but I think the rest of the Service Department would agree that at the end of the day it felt really good to help in this way.”
Have you volunteered at Camp Ta-Kum-Ta or a similar camp for children? How did the experience affect you?