“Sometimes giving is just being present,” says Tim Warner. For the last two years, Tim has spent a few weeks of his summer serving as a camp nurse at Luther Springs. A cardiothoracic pre-op nurse back home, Tim has a lot of experience being present and relating to people in anxious situations. “There is a lot you can do to help people with their fears and anxieties just by being with them and talking with them,” Tim says. “Knowing that has really helped me at camp.”
Since Tim takes paid vacation time to be at camp, he has chosen to donate the stipend he receives for being camp nurse back to Luther Springs. “I thought about what I could do for Luther Springs, something significant that camp needs. I knew that golf carts are always needed, especially for the camp nurse. So I bought a golf cart, fixed it up a bit, and brought it to camp.” The golf cart is now available for camp nurses to use in the summer and staff to use year-round.
When Tim isn’t riding the new golf cart, he is likely to be riding a motorcycle. An avid biker, he is a member of a motorcycle club called The Punishers. “The club name is kind of ironic,” assures Tim, whose club nickname is Hobo. “We’re really about serving the community and bringing awareness to those in need.”
This summer Tim had a special opportunity to help someone in an anxious situation while serving at Luther Springs. When a Luther Springs counselor ended up in the hospital with appendicitis, Tim jumped into action. “The counselor had to stay for a few days in the hospital by herself to recover,” Tim recalls. “I knew it would be stressful and I wanted to do something to lift her spirits. So, I put a message out to The Punishers club asking if anyone in the area could visit. It turns out two members of the group worked at that hospital and several others were in the area. They all stopped by to see the counselor so she knew there were people who care about her.”
At Luther Springs, Tim gets to see first-hand the power of camp community. “As a camp nurse, it’s really rewarding to see the fellowship among the staff and campers,” Tim says. “They work together, play together, and sing together. Being at camp reinforces my passion for being with others and giving to others. Camp rejuvenates me to give even more.”
