August on the Vineyard has a particular kind of blur to it, especially if you work for a nonprofit. Our calendars are packed, our days are long and our brains are holding so much. We are working nonstop and squeezing every last drop out of every opportunity to share about our causes and raise the funds needed to carry on each of our spectacular programs for another year. Many others across the Island are in the same position, and feel for themselves the heft of this responsibility.

But, in the middle of all that Tasmanian-devil-ish blur, recently I caught myself feeling especially grounded by the generosity unfolding around me. A slew of new volunteer counselors arrived at camp for orientation brimming with enthusiasm and fresh energy, friends were hanging up posters across the Island for our upcoming road race, a local nonprofit partner was dropping off donated veggies, and as I was multitasking emails and nursing my three-month-old baby, I received a text from my board president — a photo of two people hugging.

There are truly so many people who make camp possible (in fact, I have been told by the papers that it’s simply too long a list to publish!), but there are two people in particular I’d like to thank for their recent fundraising efforts, and they happen to be the two hugging in the photo I mentioned — Alexander Campbell and Mike Sisco.

Alexander has signed up for the 5K for Jabberwocky (happening this Saturday, August 15 at the FARM Institute), and has been garnering sponsors to support his efforts around the course. Alexander is a proud member of the Vineyard Independence Partnership, a nonprofit for people with and without disabilities, and a friend of camp. His goal is to complete the course in under an hour. Go Alexander!

Mike Sisco created a brand new and full-blown fundraiser for camp this summer — the first annual Jabberwocky Mini Golf Invitational. Inspired by his mom’s commitment to helping people with disabilities, he has been working tirelessly for months alongside the Steere family to get the course opened in time for the event (which opened the day before — phew! And congratulations!). Over 50 local businesses sponsored and participated, creating a cherished new tradition. Mike, I am so grateful to you and your family for the immense accomplishment of this event, and I hope you felt all the joy there that day!

At Camp Jabberwocky, fundraising is what allows us to remain tuition-free for campers and their families. It allows us to keep our facilities safe and functional, and quite literally keep the [stage] lights on. It is something I think about constantly, and I’m so grateful to be surrounded by a community that shows up and works together to create a summer of magic for our campers. So, my wish for each of us, at least for the rest of August, is that we slow down enough to notice the incredible good unfolding around us constantly. How lucky are we!

Hilary Dreyer is the executive director at Camp Jabberwocky.