CNIB Lake Joe is lucky to have long-time volunteers, but not many are like Jess Bailey. She has been volunteering at CNIB Lake Joe for most of her life!
Jess first came to CNIB Lake Joe in 1994 as part of a separate group that was hosted at CNIB Lake Joe. She was less than 10 years old at that time and fell in love with the locale. She remembers becoming pen pals with a Lake Joe counselor and made a best-friend-for-life with a girl named Katie. Life at camp was awesome and she didn’t want it to end.
When Jess was about to age out of the children’s program she was attending at Lake Joe, she decided to become a volunteer. She wanted to keep coming back each year and, as a young volunteer, she joined our team to help guests with their baggage, assist in the tuck shop, and lend a hand wherever she could.
And she hasn’t stopped. Twenty-three years later, Jess reports having done everything at CNIB Lake Joe – in-person and online – except for lifeguarding and driving the boat. Affectionately known as “Drummer Jess”, she loves running drum circles for the guests. “When we’re drumming together, you feel the bass and get to share your energy back and forth,” she explains. “There’s a call and return back and forth that builds momentum and really brings members of the group together.”
Making guests feel included and involved is something that Jess takes very seriously. “I pay attention to people who are new or shy to welcome them and make sure they’re having a good time,” Jess declares. She recalls one guest who was new to CNIB Lake Joe and dealing with a significant, sudden vision loss. During that week she saw him totally open up to meeting new people and becoming comfortable in the community. “That’s the magic of camp, the energy of camp!” Jess explains. “Meeting new friends, saying hi to old friends, and participating in new activities. I learn so much from the guests.”
Jess is excited to get back to camp this summer to do some wakeboarding in the new water ski boat – something she first learned how to do at CNIB Lake Joe. She’ll be bringing new skills this year as she’s been studying American Sign Language and getting her boat license. In the meantime, as an active member of the Kitchener Pioneer Lions Club, she has helped to launch a virtual Lions Club specifically for people with sight loss.
When she’s not volunteering at camp, Jess has been geocaching (something she’d like to try with guests at camp), getting ready for the dragon boat season, and biking – last summer she rode 1,000 km on her bike. In the photo above you see her putting her talents to work getting the tandem bikes ready for campers!