Full time BOLD & GOLD staff gather for dinner at a long table during Harvest Session at Camp Colman in Washington

Welcome to the Winter Season at BOLD & GOLD! Since the summertime, our sites have been wrapping up their program operations, stowing gear, and convening for our annual Harvest Session (a community gathering during which we reflect and share ideas for the coming year).

Part of our practice at Harvest Session is to look back at the previous summer’s successes to learn what we do well, and how we can improve our programs. And what better way to learn about our impact than directly from our participants’ stories? This summer we asked participants across the country to share stories with us in a National Storytelling Competition. Below are submissions from participants of our LA and Seattle programs, Ben Kuo and Heather Duong. Ben and Heather, thank you for sharing with us!

Do you or someone you know have a BOLD & GOLD experience to share, or something you’d like us to hear about our programs? Email us at boldgoldnational@seattleymca.org to share and learn ways to stay connected with the BOLD & GOLD community. 

BEN KUO

Ben Kuo holding a snowball during his Base Camp Adventure Trip on the Valentine Lake Trail in Mammoth Lakes, CA.

I am Ben Kuo and I joined the Bold & Gold camp 7/23 - 7/28, different from other teammates, I flew all the way from Taiwan to Los Angeles for the camp, and it was actually my first time to live in a different country and to meet with people from USA.

Going on a YMCA trip is like going on a big adventure with a bunch of cool people. We all come from different places, but we become friends fast. The YMCA is all about being together and helping each other.

During the trip, we did lots of exciting things. We went on hikes, played games, and did stuff that sometimes felt hard but made us feel proud. We helped clean up places we visited, which showed us how important it is to take care of our surroundings.

The YMCA trip wasn't just about fun, we also learned interesting stuff. Our leaders taught us about nature and why it's important to be responsible when we travel. We talked about things like how to grow as a person and be kind to others.

As the trip ended, I realized it wasn't just a regular vacation. It changed me in a good way. I made friends I'll keep, and I learned that when we work together and care for the world, we can make things better. The YMCA trip was like a mix of adventure, learning, and friendship that made me learn to appreciate the nature, I would definitely hope I can come back again!

I know that getting input from others helps people make better decisions and I know it means that we might avoid missing important things in our work. I appreciate all those reasons. Recently though, the main thing I have appreciated about hearing from others when involved in a project or process, is how I get to know those people better. When we’re working on something together, the way we think and operate isn’t theoretical, it’s our values in action. We all show glimpses of who we are in creating things together – opportunities to see and be seen. I feel honored to work with this community – because of what we do and the amazing people I have seen you to be through that work. Thanks to everyone who has shared their input. I see and appreciate you.