Woman's Day: Page 28
Kristian Schmid from Sea Patrol spent time at a Camp Quality
weekend, where children living with cancer, and their families, get
a break from their daily routine.
"As actors, one of our jobs is to take people out of their
everyday lives and transport them somewhere else. Camp Quality does
the same thing. They take people going through tough times who have
a lot to deal with and give them some respite. It's brilliant. I
had an amazing time just playing and hanging out with the kids.
I was more excited than they were! The only camp I've ever been
on before was when I was at primary school. It rained the whole
time and I got stung by a bee so it wasn't great. If every camp was
like this I would have been very happy! The children are obviously
delighted to be there, and I loved the way so many the official
volunteers to the men who ran the jumping castle who had given up
their own time to help out.
It shows that charity isn't all about giving money.
As well as being able to help out the charity, I think it can
really lift your spirits as well. Making your life about other
people for a while is more rewarding than your life being about you
all the time. Dedicating my life to my wife Deborah and son Leo, 16
months, makes me happy, but to be able to expand that to the
broader community makes it even better."