Paige J.| Eluna Trustees Legacy Fund Scholarship Recipient

Funded by Susan and Erik Hansen, the Eluna Trustees Legacy Fund scholarship is awarded annually to a Camp Mariposa alumnus, mentor, and junior counselor pursuing higher education. Paige shares that she attended Camp Mariposa because of the effect her stepfather’s substance use disorder had on her family. Camp Mariposa gave her a “safe place” to go where she learned the skills that have helped her stay away from drugs and alcohol and inspired her career moving forward. “One of the most memorable lessons that camp has taught me is that the most important conversations a person can have are the ones they have with themselves,” says Paige. “This has taught me to be less critical of myself and taught me to not blame myself because it is not my fault.” Paige served as a junior counselor at Camp Mariposa, which inspired her to become a social worker to help other children whose lives have been touched by a substance use disorder. She is now studying at the University of Central Florida.

Edward M. | The Peter DeGeorge Family Foundation Scholarship Recipient

The Peter DeGeorge Family Foundation Scholarship is available to any current Camp Erin camper or alumnus who is pursuing higher education. Our 2023 winner of this scholarship, Edward, attended Camp Erin in 2022, just months following his father’s death. He and his siblings felt isolated in this experience. Once he arrived at Camp Erin he realized he was not alone: “When we arrived [we] saw there were a plethora of others who were grieving their own loved ones. Witnessing this put into perspective for me the importance of reaching out to support groups and those you trust to aid your grieving process.” Edward says he learned how to communicate his feelings with his family through camp, and has been inspired to help children who grieve face the process. In fact, he's hoping his Psychology major will lead him to a degree “that helps me to professionally aiding children in their grief processes, the way Camp Erin did for me.” Edward began his studies at Ohio University and is majoring in Psychology.