In the summer of 1979, my dad, whose camp name was Trout, volunteered at UniCamp as a counselor with his two best friends, Tree and Big Foot. He loved everything about camp including the outdoors, his unit of young campers and especially the relationships he developed with his fellow counselors. My dad enjoyed UniCamp so much that he returned the following year as a head counselor. That summer at camp, he met the love of his life.
My mom, whose camp name was Fawn, was a volunteer counselor of the older boys’ unit in my dad’s session. My parents first became good friends up on the mountain at UniCamp. They then fell in love in the city when they returned to UCLA. Even though they both attended UCLA, my parents tell me that they would have never met if not for UniCamp.
Their experience inspired me to volunteer for camp because I saw firsthand the lasting friendships that form through UniCamp. My mom is still friends with many of her fellow UniCamp counselors. My dad asked Tree to be his best man at my parent’s wedding and Big Foot is my godfather. With so many lasting friendships and treasured memories, my parents say that UniCamp was one of their most amazing and valuable experiences at UCLA. Even before I joined UniCamp, I knew that Woodsey magic was real.
Compiled by: Amanat “Chewie” Bal – UCLA ’18
Fawn’s parents met at UniCamp and say that it was their most valuable experience at UCLA.
