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WBZ Cares: Boston Family Thankful for Camp Harbor View Programs

BOSTON (CBS) - Each month, WBZ Cares highlights a worthy non-profit organization and tells the story of what that organization does for the community.

This month, WBZ Cares focuses on Camp Harbor View, a summer camp on Boston's Long Island that provides underserved youth in the city with unique experiences meant to build confidence and broaden horizons.

For the Arteagas family, Camp Harbor View has been a family affair and a Godsend.

Both Leah Arteaga and sons have both benefited greatly from the programs offered through Camp Harbor View over the past decade.

"Both of my older brothers went before me. So like I was just meant to go there," said 13-year-old Ginacarlos Arteaga.

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Arteaga is attending the 4-week day-camp got the third year in a row, following in the footsteps of his siblings. For mom, Leah Arteagas, she says the camp and its staff have been a Godsend.

"Honestly, it's been made a tremendous impact on my children's lives. Here's the truth. I believe that when you set the bar high, kids will achieve."\

Giancarlos has been earning merit wristbands for mastering some of the core values the camp teaches. Things like courage, community, respect, and responsibility.

He says that the rock climbing challenge was the hardest wristband he had to earn.

"The rock climbing wristband was courage because the rock wall was very hard," he said. However, the most important lesson he has learned so far has been: respect."

"Respect. Every single day we talk about respect. And that you respect everyone. It doesn't matter if they have a disability, their skin color, just respect." Leah says camp counselors and staff have an enormous amount of patience with the kids and that's taught her a valuable lesson as well.

Leah says camp counselors and staff have an enormous amount of patience with the kids and that's taught her a valuable lesson as well.

"I need to learn how to pace myself," she said "I need to learn how to be slow to speak, quick to listen, and slow to react. And to have more patience in waiting to get a resolution to a problem, as opposed to jumping in. patience is something that they have learned and that they have taught me."

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Ginacarlos Artegas (Photo Credit: Artegas Family Photo)

When Giancarlos first started camp, he had a tough time connecting with kids his own age, not so anymore because he has made new friends. He says that has been his most favorite thing at Camp Harbor View.

 "I was just meant to go there," he said.

Leah says that she is fortunate for all the experiences Camp Harbor View has offered to her children, especially for Giancarlos.

"From the bottom of my heart, I'm so grateful for Camp Harbor View. To put him into a camp that taught him so much and that gave him so much and inspired him and helped him become the man he is today," she said.

For more information about "Camp Harbor View," visit:  campharborview.org or the WBZ Cares section on the CBSBoston.com during the month of July.

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