In the crisp fall air, the children’s laughter blossomed. 2025-10-27

In September, when the autumn weather was especially memorable, a very special volunteer activity was held at “The Dreamping,” an outdoor leisure space located in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province. Smilegate Foundation hosted the volunteer program “Water Fun Campnic: A Day of Spreading Laughter,” together with children and youth from Smile House.

“Water Fun Campnic” was held with the aim of allowing Smilegate Group executives to directly participate in volunteer service to embody the sincerity of social contribution and strengthen the connection between donors and beneficiaries. Here is a look into the site, filled with children’s lively laughter and joy.

Water Fun Campnic: A Weekend Worth Waking Up For

At 10 a.m., the children who arrived at the campnic site were full of anticipation and excitement. The moment they stepped out of their vehicles, the sounds of laughter and chatter made the venue even more lively. One child, holding a friend’s hand tightly, looked around continuously and exclaimed, “Wow, this is so cool!” while another gazed at the swimming pool with sparkling eyes. Their faces lit up with smiles as they received various Smilegate IP goods prepared as commemorative gifts.

In the excited atmosphere, the event officially began under the guidance of Jeon Seong-youn, Team Leader at Smilegate Foundation. When he greeted the children by saying, “I hope you take home wonderful memories filled with laughter and excitement today,” they cheerfully replied, “Yes!” Oh Chang-jong, CEO of “Children’s World Big Smile,” the organization operating Smile House, said, “The children usually wake up late on weekends, but today they woke up at dawn, waiting for the water leisure activities,” and expressed his gratitude by saying, “Thank you to the volunteers for creating an unforgettable time for the kids.”

Joyful Connections That Began Through Play

At 10:30 a.m., the children and volunteers participated in recreational activities to get to know one another. In groups, they gathered and introduced themselves by saying, “Hello! I’m ___!” The children grew closer to the volunteers, calling them “aunt” and “uncle.”

During the recreation, various games such as “Group Rock-Paper-Scissors,” “Apartment Game,” “Chain Talk,” and “Team Bingo” were played, and with every win or loss, children’s cheers and sighs filled the venue. Voices like “Wow, we won again!” and “So close!” rang out, and whenever a winning group was announced, children smiled brightly with joy. Those who received prizes happily shared them with friends, saying, “Let’s use this together,” and “I picked this one,” filling the space with laughter.

At lunchtime, a barbecue party was held. Participants enjoyed cooking tomahawk steak, pork belly, sausages, and kimchi stew provided to each group. As the meat browned over the charcoal fire, the children excitedly said, “I want to eat it soon!” After tasting a bite, they gave a thumbs-up, saying, “This is really good!” Volunteers smiled watching the children enjoy their food. Through the delicious meal, the bond between the children and volunteers grew even closer.

Slicing through the waves on an exhilarating boat ride!

At 1 p.m., the main water leisure activities began. As the moment for the highly anticipated experience arrived, the children put on life jackets and waited with excited, eager eyes, asking, “When is it our turn?” Volunteers guided them to ensure they could board the jet boat safely.

When the jet boat finally sped across the Bukhan River, smiles filled with both tension and excitement spread across the children’s faces. Those on board raised their hands high and shouted, “Wow! It’s so fast!” and “I want to ride again!” They also enjoyed a variety of water rides, while volunteers helped ensure they could have fun safely. For some experiencing water leisure activities for the first time, they shouted, “This is more fun than a water park!”

At the water slide and pool, children’s laughter echoed with every splash. When one child slid down and shouted, “I want to go again!” everyone nearby burst into laughter. Volunteers waved at the children in the water and helped them safely climb back to the slide, enjoying the time together.

On one side of the event venue, traditional games were held with snack coupons as prizes. With demonstrations from volunteers, the children immersed themselves in jegichagi, ttakji, and gonggi. Those who participated gathered closely and happily enjoyed their snacks.

Today’s Shining Treasures — Our Smile House Friends

After enjoying exciting water activities, the children and volunteers gathered again to wrap up the day. To preserve the memories, each group took part in a selfie mission. The children struck playful poses, held onto each other’s shoulders, and laughed together as they captured their memories.

The volunteers shared the message, “The true treasures we found today are the Smile House friends,” and gifted personalized presents the children had hoped for. A child who had recently lost their earphones regained their smile upon receiving an even better pair, and all the children, holding different gifts, expressed joy by saying, “I really love this present!” and “I’m glad we all got one!”

Refined Options

After the event ended, the children expressed their gratitude to the volunteers with longing on their faces, saying, “Let’s play together again next time!” and “It was really the best!” The volunteers also shared their feelings, saying, “The time spent with the children gave us even more strength.”

CEO Oh Chang-jong said, “The children always look forward to activities with Smilegate. They feel comfortable with the volunteers like uncles and aunts. The volunteers not only care for them but also give them great strength to build confidence and move toward their dreams.”

This volunteer activity, filled with the children’s and volunteers’ bright smiles, offered the children a joyful and new experience and reminded the volunteers of the meaning of social contribution. Smilegate Foundation will continue to provide diverse opportunities for children to grow healthily and strive to create a better world for future generations.