My name is Eric, and I’ve been coming to Project Avary since I was 9 years old.  My first memory of Camp Avary was being scared and not knowing what to expect.  But when I got off the van I felt welcomed.  I was surrounded by people I could talk with.  I didn't have to worry about hiding anything.  At home, most of the time no one was there.  Or sometimes there were so many problems going on it was hard to talk about anything.  But Avary was different.  Everyone had open ears.  And it was fun!  There was always something to do, like crafts and swimming.  I remember my first ski trip with Avary.  It was just for the teenagers, and made me feel like I was growing up and had more responsibilities.  

A few years ago I started to get into some trouble.  I slipped up, doing some things I shouldn’t have been doing.  I got locked up.  I knew I had messed up and thought about Avary a lot.  After I got out, I found one of the counselors’ numbers and called.  Avary was willing to give me another chance.  It helped me get my head back into something positive.  Now I’m a junior counselor.  It feels good to be working with kids just like me, to be able to know what they’re going through and to be a big brother to them.  Avary is not like other programs; it’s like family.  Everyone knows each other, and everyone looks out for each other.  In the rest of the world, growing up with your mom or dad in prison can make you feel alienated; at Avary, you find kids with the exact same problems, and you can relate.  Avary is special because it gives the kids who don’t have a chance an opportunity to make something of themselves.                              

~ Eric E.