'Happiness Fairy' Won't Let Pandemic Stop Summer Fun

BEL AIR, MD — Once upon a time, a terrible pandemic swept across the globe, halted daily routines of families and tried to steal summer fun from children, especially those who need happiness the most.

But the pandemic was no match to the Happiness Fairy: Grace Callwood, 15, founder of the We Cancerve Movement, Inc.

She concocted a plan in May 2020 that quickly attracted other teens and youngsters who believed in bringing happiness to children who need it most. Together, they sent up good vibes and sprinkled merriment everywhere, and in about a month, they had covered the cloud the pandemic set over summer camp plans with a simulated ray of hope the pandemic cannot block: Virtual Camp Happy.

Today, Virtual Camp Happy is live on the We Cancerve Movement, Inc.’s website.

“When children come to Virtual Camp Happy, I want them to feel welcome and not have to worry if they can afford it or if they have the right materials or if they’ll be able to participate,” said Callwood, a rising high school sophomore. “This camp is free and is made specifically with homeless, sick and foster children in mind but is available for any child with Internet access.”

Camp Happy began in 2015 as a free summer enrichment day camp for homeless children and expanded to foster children in 2019. To date, the camp has served more than 100 youth in Baltimore and Harford Counties onsite at three homeless shelters and a foster care group home. In a virtual space, the camp is available to any child whose summer camp plans have been affected by COVID-19 or to children simply looking for additional fun to supplement their summer schedules, Callwood said.

“This year, we’re focused more on sensitive language because we’re expanding our reach to children in hospitals. We’re also including activities that require very few and commonly-used, inexpensive items. We also included many alternatives for children who may not be able to go outside because they’re sick or in the hospital. We considered activities for those children who may not have a printer at home because they can’t afford one,” she explained.

Virtual Camp Happy activities are simple and fun enough for a child to do with little to no adult supervision, she said, and a number of projects can be done independently.

Nearly a dozen youth from throughout the greater Baltimore area are helping Callwood build the virtual camp experience.

Theo Rose, a rising sophomore enrolled in Harford County’s Global Studies International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme at Edgewood High School, recruited younger siblings to help him film tutorials such as how to make windcatchers and origami art. He even included a mini puppet show to spice things up for camp participants.

“It has been an extremely inspiring experience seeing and also personally contributing to virtual Camp Happy,” said Rose, 15. “Volunteering to make these videos for the kids has helped me to stay focused on a task to get it done and not give up.”

Garrison Forest School Rising Senior Carly Baker, 17, agrees.

"It’s good to know that I can help give kids a summer experience. I remember as a younger child that summer was a precious time for me," she reflected. "Now with COVID-19, many kids have had their summers taken away. I want to give them an outlet to be able to have a somewhat normal summer, even if the experience is virtual. And making videos for them, where I have to make the craft myself, is so much fun for me."

Baker introduced some of her passions like yoga, American Sign Language and learning to speak Mandarin chinese, in this year's program.

"I want [these children] to see what is possible even when everything in the world seems like it’s not functioning properly; to be open minded and find the good in life," she said. "I also hope they experience a fun summer full of cool crafts and fun snacks."

Happy Campers, as camp participants are called, select from an initial three-week's worth of daily experiences which align to six enrichment categories: outdoor play, active play, S.T.E.M., arts & crafts, snack time and journal writing. The Camp Happy Committee plans to add more daily experiences throughout the summer.

Later this summer, the Virtual Camp Happy model will be incorporated in the “Think Big!” summer program at Hall’s Cross Roads Elementary School in Aberdeen and Magnolia Elementary School in Joppa.

“I’m very honored and excited to have Virtual Camp Happy be part of enrichment programs of two schools in our county that have identified a need for programs like Camp Happy,” said Callwood. “It’s always amazing to me to establish partnerships with adults who believe in me and the Virtual Camp Happy committee. I’m determined to make the schools, the parents of these kids and the children all proud of the experience they get with us.”

For more information about We Cancerve, contact us at www.wecancerve.org/contact