A Gold Trumpet and Hi-C Fruit Punch – Catching Up with One of Our Campers
We were thrilled when Pierce Cruz, a young man who attended The Salvation Army’s Wonderland Camp for many years before becoming a camp counselor and staff member, recently spoke at our annual golf outing. It was great to hear how this shy young boy has blossomed into a budding Chicago artist, thanks in part to the ways Wonderland inspired and invested in his creativity. Here’s what he shared with our golfers.
My name is Pierce Cruz. I’m from the South Side of Chicago. I currently work as a freelance artist, primarily painting, drawing, and photography, with some miscellaneous mediums in between. I often look back on what made me want to continue my passion for art. I was already passionate about drawing by third grade, but another spectrum caught my interest in the fifth.
It all started with a gold trumpet through The Salvation Army’s Let the Music Begin initiative, which promoted the development and discipline of the mind and souls of many kids in the Chicago Public School system through musical instruction. That integration of music to my school’s curriculum was a stepping-stone for many things to come in my life. One of those was Wonderland Camp and Conference Center.
My first year at Wonderland was in 2007. It was the Metro Division’s Annual Music Camp. I was in the Shagbark Band, the lowest one at the camp. I remember feeling homesick, considering I had never parted from my mom before, let alone for eight days. That first night was hard. I still remember the feeling of consolation from my counselor Chris. It was that consolation that kept me going that week – in addition to the snack shop, pool, and the soda machine that had my favorite drink, Hi-C Fruit Punch.
That first year of Music Camp ended with my receiving a second place trophy for Shagbark Band and the Joshua Lee Olsen Honor Award that was presented to the student who portrayed the attributes of faith, hope, and courage, and included a scholarship to return to camp the following year.
And return to camp, I did. And again . . . and again . . . and again. By year three, I didn’t even hug my mom before getting on the big coach bus to camp. I kept getting moved up a band until I reached the highest one in 2012, which may have been the year the soda machines were changed, to my misfortune.
By 2014, I made the transition from camper to counselor, and right on time to pay for college. I was the Assistant Counselor that year and the Main Counselor for the following two years. All three years were in Spruce, the youngest cabin with 7-8 year olds. I got to witness their over-excitement for the pool and comparing their favorite superheroes, to solving conflicts, finding lost toys, and consoling those that were homesick, much like I once was. Following my graduation from college, I worked as the Creative Arts Manager. By this time, many kids looked forward to coming to camp because of me – and I’m pretty sure also to make slime.
Throughout these past 13 years, I grew not only from a shy little fifth-grader to a shy tall 23-year-old artist, but also as a young man who has influenced so many young lives after being influenced myself from my time at Wonderland. I can’t even count how many people I’ve met and befriended from the many years of being there. That adds to making it feel like a true second home for me. Thank you.
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