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Health & Fitness

Living Well Village Inspires Changed Lives

This group of dedicated individuals is in the business of changing, and saving, lives. Let them inspire you.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to the closing ceremony at one of our local camps, Camp Jump Start at Living Well Village. This summer camp, located in Imperial, hosts four and eight week summer programs to help young people learn healthy lifestyles.

As part of the ceremony, Jean Huelsing, the camp director, showed a before and after photo of each camper and announced their time in a one-mile run at the beginning and end of the program and announced the amount and percentage of body weight lost by the camper to the crowd.

Every single camper had lost a significant amount of weight, and every camper had improved their ability and timing on the one-mile run. Many of the campers had lost over 15 percent of their body weight in one short summer. I have never seen such joy of accomplishment in such young individuals. Each camper was asked to share words of wisdom they were taking home from the experience. One young woman simply said, “I that I am worth it.”

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I am worth it.

Those four words summed it up so well. My hope is that every child in Jefferson County comes to this honest and true understanding. Each person has value. 

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I tried to speak with Jean after the ceremony, but she was overwhelmed with the grateful hugs and tears of campers, parents and friends. I learned later from Jean that often she hears from campers that many these young people carry sadness and hopelessness every day. In fact, some have confessed that before attending Camp Jump Start, they had contemplated suicide. 

Jean and her team at Living Well Village are not only changing lives, they are saving lives.

For more information about Jean and Living Well Village, visit www.livingwellvillage.org.

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