By Kathy Kraemer

Preparations for Camp Brainstorm start early at the Epilepsy Foundation Central & South Texas. It is a year-round process to recruit more than 65 children with epilepsy, plus volunteer counselors, and volunteer medical staff. Historically, the process of recruiting enough male counselors has been more difficult than identifying enough female counselors.

This year, I decided to ask my partner’s sons to participate as volunteer counselors. Josh and Caleb are both Alamo Heights High School students.

After I asked them to help, Josh, a junior, thought about it and said, “Yeah, I mean I really don’t know what I need to do but as long as someone is there to show me I don’t see why not.” Caleb, a sophomore looking forward to a low key summer, looked at me for a moment then shrugged his shoulders and said, “I really won’t know what to do.”

I told them that volunteer counselors receive training on what to do and, at the end of the week, receive a document verifying their 120 hours of community service.

Having attended Camp Brainstorm four years in a row as a staff member, I also told the boys how special an experience Camp Brainstorm is and how fun all the activities are. Counselors participate in activities alongside the campers, helping them when needed.

I also told them that they would have little to no internet service or reception on their phones so they would be out of touch for most of the week. But, I also let them know that they would be so busy they would not even really have time to be on their phones anyway. Josh was already on board but Caleb took a little more persuading before he reluctantly agreed to be a counselor as well.

On Monday, June 17, I woke them up at 4:30 a.m. so they could get showered and ready to meet the bus at 5:00 a.m. We met the bus and with backpacks, pillows and suitcases in tow. They signed in and met some of the other counselors while they shared breakfast tacos and off they went.

When the boys returned on Friday, June 21, even though they were exhausted, they couldn’t wait to talk about their experiences at camp.

Josh had a child in his cabin who experienced nocturnal seizures, which was normal for that child. Josh and one of the experienced counselors in that cabin timed the length of the seizures to ensure none of them lasted more than five minutes. The child’s seizures affected Josh’s sleep, making him sleep more lightly because he wanted to be there for the child.

Both the boys just went on and on about how amazing the kids in their cabins were.

“The boys in my cabin were great!” Josh said as we drove home. “They were pretty good about listening and everybody helped each other out.”

“I had the much younger kids, they were a little harder to calm down,” Caleb said. “Getting nine kids to shower and get out fast is not easy.”

“You got a dose of your own medicine!” Josh told Caleb teasingly. Caleb tends to linger in the shower at home.

Usually, Josh and Caleb would end up arguing about a jab like that. But, this time, their mother and I were surprised to find it didn’t seem to bother Caleb. Both boys laughed and went on with their conversation. 

Their mom and I were blown away. They were talking to each other instead of shouting at one another. Neither of us had ever heard them have such a long conversation that didn’t end in a fight.

“So, do you think you’ll go back next year?” I asked gently. “Oh, for sure!” they responded in unison.

The brothers came back more mature and with a better respect for one another as leaders. Both look forward to being counselors throughout the rest of high school and through their college years. To suggest a potential volunteer counselor, email Camp@EFCST.org.

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