Advertising and marketing can sometimes get a bad rap. People trying to sell you things you don't need, all those commercials that interrupt your favorite TV show or annoying Internet pop-ups.

Here is the side of advertising few people ever see and I was fortunate this week to experience first hand. This week I was working on a non-profit client who hired our company to develop communications for them. We're not "selling" anything, but trying to help their organization raise funding and be able to help more kids. The company helps at-risk and troubled youth turn their lives around after facing some pretty serious issues. Programs from kindergarden up to 18-20 years old. One of their programs are wilderness camps is rural locations which I visited on Wednesday. I honestly didn't know what to expect and the whole process just surpised me for the good. Hearing the stories of these campers is pretty amazing and makes you think how fortunate you are. One girl was never shown love at home and on every drug possible by the age of 14, another boy was stealing jewerly to pay for food and another boy at age 12 took tried to kill a parent with a knife. And now their lives are being turned around and you can see the difference in them whether they are currently in the program or already graduated.

One employee made a comment that's hard to forget being in Advertising, but just as a person: "Thank you for helping us help our kids." Wow. I didn't even know what to say except we're here to help. These people are the most committed and probably some of the most unselfish people I think I've ever met or talked with. Some give up 2 years of their lives to live in the wilderness only to help these youth get better and nurture them back to recover.

Sometimes we never realize there are people out there who are hurting. Maybe I live in a sheltered world, buti don't think that any my friends are homeless, lacking clothing, in foster homes growing up for most of their lives, or going hungary. This whole experience was amazing and I'll probably never forget it. It makes you be thankful for your life regardless of how bad things may seem...