I have always loved helping others, whether it is by holding the door for somebody or helping out at a local place such as a soup kitchen. The feeling you get when you are helping someone else is just truly amazing.

I have volunteered at Double H for three years now which is a camp in Upstate New York. During two weekends in the year, there is a camp held there called Cindy's Comfort Camp. It is a camp for children who have either lost a loved one to an illness or for children who have a loved one that is going through a life-threating illness. This camp provides so much help to children that really need it, during such a rough time in their life. As an eleven-year-old child, I attended this camp because of the death of my stepfather. After attending and realizing how much it impacted my life I felt that it was only right if I gave back to my community and to this wonderful program.

Volunteering for this awesome program has really changed me as a person. I have learned so much and have been able to really help people who need it, and that is so important. When you are the one who has gone through such a hard time and see that others are there for you when they don't have to be you really appreciate what they are doing for you. By witnessing this first hand, I became aware that it is so important to help others because it could not only change your life but it could also change the other person life so much more.

Through the time I have spent volunteering at Cindy's Comfort Camp I have made memories that I will never forget. I also made some amazing friends who will always be a part of my life no matter how far away we are from each other. I couldn't imagine my life without these amazing people that I have come across because of this program. They are some of the most wonderful people I have ever been blessed to meet. These memories and friends are what makes volunteering not feel like work and makes it feel like just another day of this beautiful life.

I truly believe that things happen the way they are supposed to and maybe I was meant to lose my stepfather at such a young age so I could learn that volunteering is an awesome thing to do and that it can really change your life. I know for a fact that if my life didn't pan out the way it has, I would be a completely different person than I am today. I am who I am because of this program and all of the life experiences I have gone through, and the friendships I have made because of volunteering and helping others.

All I want people to get from this article is that if you have the opportunity to go volunteer for a program or for a place in your community, please go DO IT! You have no idea how it could change or impact your life until it does.