Auckland Northland

When A Soft Toy Goes Missing: How CQ Came Together For A Camper

2 September 2025

News

One of the things that makes Camp Quality so special is how the community pulls together to make wild and magical things happen for one another. When one of our campers lost her soft toy, here’s how everyone across the country worked together to turn this upsetting moment into something she’ll remember forever.

From a young age, Alexis became very familiar with hospitals, cancer treatments, and difficult recoveries. Through it all, her beloved stuffed monkey, Theresa, never left her side. Theresa was always there with Alexis, through every challenge and adventure, and even attended camp with her. At one point, a toy-sized Camp Quality t-shirt was put on Theresa and she never took it off – a constant reminder of all the fun she had at camp every year.

One day about four years after her first camp, as Alexis’ mum Kristen explained, ‘Theresa went on an adventure of her own.’ It was heart breaking when everyone realised that she was missing for good.

While another lookalike monkey was relatively easy for Kristin to find, another mini CQ t-shirt was harder to come by.

Luckily, the Auckland/Northland committee made it their mission to make it happen. They contacted National Administrator Julie to help them source a CQ Buddy Bear t-shirt in another region. Then, our sponsor Aramex raised a helping hand. They picked up the bear and got it straight up to Auckland to Alexis.

When Alexis saw the bear – and the shirt that she could put on the new Theresa – she was so excited. It was like magic, and all to give Alexis a big smile!

As Kristen explained, Camp Quality has always gone the extra mile for her daughter (as we try to do for each and every camper!). Kristin remembers how helpful and supportive Ghissy, Auckland’s Camper Registrar, has been through the years, even pulling some strings their first year to get Alexis matched with a companion last minute so that she wouldn’t miss out on camp.

‘Going to camp,’ said Kristen, ‘has given Alexis somewhere that she can just be a kid like everyone else, where she isn’t seen of as different, and where everyone else really understands what she’s been through.’

That experience hasn’t just brought endless laughs and smiles; it’s also secured her life-long, true friendships, and a community to call home.