Camper Spotlight- March 2020
Tuesday, March 17 by Sari Hirsch
The March Camper Spotlight features Danielle K. Danielle is an amazing camper who comes from a big Chippy family. Danielle’s two older sisters began their Chippewa journey over ten years ago and Danielle is doing a fantastic job keeping up the family tradition of being a wonderful member of the CRC community. In addition to being a spirited, fun and kind camper, Danielle is also the creator of a non-for-profit organization called Boo Boo Bags. Below, you can read all about Boo Boo Bags as well as about Danielle’s life- both in the summer and in the off-season. A big thank-you to Danielle for sharing her experiences with us- we are proud of all she has accomplished and are excited to see where her camp career and other endeavors take her in the future!
What cabin were you in during the summer of 2019?
I was in the cabin of C-C in 2019.
How many summers have you been at camp?
I have been at camp for 5 summers.
What do you miss most about camp?
I miss being with my friends and doing my activities with them.
What is your favorite memory from the summer of 2019?
My favorite memories are probably Chippy dance parties. I love being able to sing and dance my heart out without a care in the world. Being with all of my best friends in the same place jamming to my favorite music is the one of the greatest feelings I could ever experience.
What are you most looking forward to in the summer of 2020?
I am looking forward to being in Trailriders! I cannot wait for my entire age group to be in one cabin. I am so excited about the bonds my age group is going to be able to form now that we are combined.
How do you stay in touch with your camp friends during the year?
During the year my camp friends often get together to hangout, and we are constantly texting each other about our days and our lives.
Can you describe Boo Boo Bags?
Here is the mission statement for a non-profit I started called Boo Boo Bags:
Hello! My name is Danielle Kaplan, and I am a 13 year old girl living in the suburbs of Chicago. One thing you should know about me is that I am terrified of shots. When it’s “that time of year” to get my annual shots, it takes the whole office to help and hold me, and normally right after the shots, my tears stop flowing, and I say, “Why am I afraid? Shots don’t hurt that bad!” With that, everyone erupts with laughter because 5 minutes ago that would be the least expected thing to come out of my mouth. The only reason I would even get in the car to go to the doctor in the first place was because I knew that after my shots, I would get a Boo Boo Bag. This was my mom’s genius idea to fill a small goody bag with candy, a baseball card and/or a stress toy so I would be less worried to get shots.
In the summer of 2016, I realized that getting a small shot was the least of my concerns. I had to go to the hospital, and I was afraid to have to get an IV and some other tests. Our trip was so sudden that my parents never had the chance to make a Boo Boo Bag. I was scared, bored, and distraught. Luckily my family was there, and my amazing child life specialist was able to cheer me up by showing me funny youtube and dog videos that helped me a ton. I got my IV, very unwillingly, and after I was sad because all I wanted was a coloring book or a fun toy to play with, but since the hospital visit was so sudden, I couldn’t grab one while I was home. I had nothing to fill my time and help entertain me. Then I realized, I am probably not the only kid that has ever felt bored and lonely in the hospital. Thus my idea for Boo Boo Bags was created to give children in the hospital a special bag filled with a stuffed animal, coloring book and other toys to distract them from reality and make their visits more entertaining. My mission is to give kids hope and happiness when they are in the hospital.
What is your favorite subject in school?
My favorite subject in school is probably Social Studies because history really interests me.
What activities do you participate in during the year?
During the year I participate in field hockey, softball, piano, and student council.
Is there anything else you want to share with your Chippy family?
I miss camp so much and cannot wait for the summer of 2020.
