"Sheriffs’
Camp provides an environment where people actually care about them,
talk to them like human beings and they actually feel like they belong,”
said Deputy Sheriff Ron Bill, of the kids who attend the camp. “When I
think of Sheriffs’ Camp these words come to mind; self-esteem,
structure, respect, discipline, motivation, rewards, consequences and
accomplishments.”
Bill,
a veteran of both the Sheriffs’ Camp and the Broome County Sheriff’s
Offi ce, has also worked as a counselor living in the cabin with the
kids. “Working as a counselor gives you a whole different perspective
for the kids,” Ron Bill said, of his volunteering to work as a camp
counselor. “You watch the kids grow for that whole week then at the
Friday night campfi re you listen to them thank you and they are
hugging you and crying because they found a friend and they found
trust.” “Your heart goes out to these kids that represent all walks of
hardship,” says Deputy Bill, explaining his motivaton and commitment of
so much time and effort to the Sheriffs’ camp. Deputy Ron feels
strongly that the lessons provided by the camp’s structure is something
that the kids can take home with them.
“In
talking with a lot of these kids, it’s very easy to see who runs the
house and unfortunately, it is not the parents,” Bill said. “It’s
really sad to think that a nine year old has to be the parent and wants
no part of it, but has no choice because Mom and Dad don’t want to
bother being parents.”
A
boy from Broome County, who could be described as a borderline juvenile
delinquent, was selected to go to Sheriffs’ Camp. Ron Bill had made a
mental note to keep a close eye on him. He developed a dialogue, but
they were clearly butting heads. The boy explained to Deputy Bill that
at home he did what he wanted, he was the boss and he told his parents
what to do. Well, Deputy Bill made it very clear that wasn’t the way it
was at camp, and if he didn’t straighten out, there would be
consequences.
All week
he kept reaching out to the kid with positive thoughts and an open ear.
He didn’t know if he had reached him until the Friday night campfi re
when he came up to Ron and gave him a “Yogi Bear bear hug” and thanked
him.
A couple of years
ago this same boy, now well mannered and groomed came up to Ron Bill,
though Ron didn’t recognize him, and asked if his cousin could go to
the Sheriffs’ Camp because when he was young he had attended the camp
and it had “saved his life.” Ron asked him who he was. “I almost
started to cry when I found out who this young man was,” Bill recalled
with enormous pride. “I grabbed him and we hugged. He told me he was
going to college to be a Doctor.”
Editors Note – The cousin is now also an alumnus of Sheriffs’ Camp
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