Local nonprofit shares storytelling with past and present generations with 'Grand Camp' program

HADDONFIELD, New Jersey (WPVI) -- Students in Haddonfield are the first group to try out the newest program designed around connecting lives both young and old.

By listening to stories of elders in the community, children gain a better appreciation for older people around them.

This is a program part of a local nonprofit started in 2009: The Best Day of My Life So Far.

Founder, Benita Cooper, created the organization based on having conversations with her grandmother and noticing her wisdom.

From there, Cooper went on to create social settings for seniors who may not normally have those opportunities.

This was all with a goal to provide them a platform to share their life stories.

"This is something we've always believed in from the beginning, is that storytelling is the key to building genuine human relationships," said Cooper.

Amidst the pandemic, Cooper saw not only seniors with a lack of social settings, but everyone.

"The concept of social isolation...still feeling the after-effects of it, especially our youth," Cooper said.

With the "Grand Camp" program, students are prompted to seek social interaction with seniors to build their listening and storytelling skills.

Grand Camp is new to The Best Day of My Life So Far, with its first implementation at Haddonfield Middle School's "Gifted and Talented" program.

"What I love most about what we're doing is that we are getting back to the basics of genuine human interaction. There is nothing more rare in our busy world," said Cooper.

For more information on The Best Day of My Life So Far and Grand Camp, check out their website.