photo illustration by Molly Tumanic

Diverse populations of people travel from all over the globe to central Minnesota.

With different backgrounds, these individuals make their way to the “Land o’ Lakes” with one common interest – altruism.

Included in this group with a mission of helping others are two UW-Eau Claire students. Senior Jennifer Toomey and junior Heather Wallen worked as counselors this summer at Camp Friendship in Annandale, Minn., a seasonal camp operated by Friendship Ventures and designed for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Wallen said helping others was an important part of her personality.

“I think that (helping others) is something that is just kind of my nature,” she said.

As a counselor at Camp Friendship, Wallen had several duties.

A portion of her tasks was office duties. She attended meetings where she and the rest of the counseling staff designed schedules of activities for each week, completed paperwork and cleaned cabins.

Wallen exercised her altruistic talents, though, when it came to the direct personal care that the job required.

“The staff had to make sure that all participants were safe and enjoying themselves,” she said. “Seeing other people happy just adds so much joy to my life.”

Wallen said she remembers a particularly fascinating moment from her summer at the camp that made her not only jovial, but it warmed her heart.

“One of my very shy and quiet campers was grinning from ear to ear and talking more than she had done the entire week because she had shut off the shower all by herself,” she said. “This may seem so trivial to us, but it was a huge accomplishment for her.”

Wallen is no stranger to the realm of volunteering.

“I was a special needs advocate at my religious school for a little boy,” she said, “and am currently a tutor at a local elementary school.”

Toomey also had the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others.

She was a lead counselor at Camp Friendship. In charge of other counselors and caring for campers, Toomey excelled as a role model, said Shannon McGuire, Program Manager of Volunteers for Friendship Ventures.

Toomey described a typical day at camp. It began with everyone rising between 6:30 and 7 a.m. to prepare for breakfast and campers going to bed around 10 p.m.

“There were also a lot of late nights where I wouldn’t go to bed until past midnight and often got up very early,” she said.

Following breakfast, the campers would engage in various activities, including arts and crafts, music, swimming and archery, Toomey said.

After lunch, the counselors held a rest hour for the campers. This was followed by more activities, dinner, an evening program and concluded with bedtime.

Toomey cared for the campers with great conviction, McGuire said.

“She believes in what she does and she works hard for what she believes in,” McGuire said.

Toomey said different individuals at the camp required different levels of assistance.

“We often did a lot of personal care, such as helping them shower; physical care, like moving them from their wheel chair to their bed; and overall care throughout the day,” she said.

Toomey, who is a student coordinator for Peer Diversity Educators, has a history of helping others.

“I’ve been volunteering since I was in middle school,” she said.

She has worked at numerous summer camps. She volunteered at a day camp for Rochester Park and Recreation (Minn.) helping kids with disabilities.

She also volunteered at a one-week camp for individuals with cognitive disabilities with her church for seven summers.

“Last school year, I was a Special Olympics coach for the Eau Claire School District and coached bowling, basketball and track,” she said.

Her experiences in volunteering, especially with Friendship Ventures, have taught her a lot, she said.

“After working with Friendship Ventures, I feel as though I can handle anything,” she said. “I feel a lot more confident about working with people, specifically those with disabilities.”

Wallen’s job as a counselor has taught her a lot about herself as well. She said she felt that she could make a difference in the lives of the campers “even with the smallest things.”

McGuire said she remembers a situation that showed Wallen’s ability for handling difficult situations with ease.

“She had a particularly difficult cabin one of her last weeks as a counselor,” she said. “(She had) a participant who did not get along with a lot of people. At first, it was hard for Heather to understand this particular participant and for her to relate to the camper in this setting, but by the end of the week she was helping others understand this camper.”

Wallen believes everyone should practice their altruistic tendencies, she said.

“Just by listening and giving someone some much needed attention can change their life forever and yours in return.”