Most evenings at VAMPY are full of various fun and memorable optional activities that the kids get to choose from. However, a couple nights of camp we have special presentations and events.
One of these that has been particularly popular with campers is the General Dan Cherry talk, which took place earlier this week. General Cherry was a fighter pilot who shot down another plane in combat during the Vietnam war and, through a series of incredible events, was able to meet and befriend the man he shot down decades later. He wrote a book about the experiences and now travels around telling his story.
General Cherry’s story is one of friendship and forgiveness and was a fascinating experience for the campers to hear. Following his talk, General Cherry generously answered a number of questions posed to him by inquisitive campers. As a counselor, I was both proud and impressed with how well the kids behaved and how respectful they were when asking questions.
Thanks to The Center for Gifted Studies, each of the children will be able to take home a copy of General Cherry’s book, entitled “My Enemy, My Friend.” So far, the kids have thoroughly enjoyed flipping through the book during their free time.