"But I don't do anything."

That's what Shannon Campagna said when she was told she was Lanc.Moms.com's next Mom of the Month. "Why me?" she asked. "I don't do anything."

Campagna is the mother of five children: Trey, 14; Ashlyn, 9; Garrett, 7 and 5-year-old twins, Calli and Brenna. And, of course, that alone defines her as a woman who does a lot, but Campagna does so much more.

And though she may feel it's just her life; it's just the stuff of her days ... people notice the special touches she adds to everything she does.

Someone who notices Campagna is her next door neighbor, Jacqueline Stein. Stein nominated her for Mom of the Month and wrote: "[Campagna] oves being a mom and has a kind and patient manner for the children. They are all well behaved and friendly." Stein also said that she and her husband enjoy watching all the Campagna children play outside and they especially love all the beautiful flowers that Campagna has planted around their home.

Campagna has always wanted to be a mom. She was born and raised in Lancaster and met her husband, Scott, at Manheim Township High School when they were 16. They dated for 10 years before they married.

After school, Campagna became a flight attendant - another goal of hers. "I wanted to see the world," she said, and during her 13-year career, she did. Campagna looks back on all the exciting travels she made and says "Now the highlight of my day is to go to Giant alone at 11 at night." She quickly adds, "It's good ... but a different good."

Interestingly, both Campagnas have only one sibling. She has a brother and Scott has a sister. They both always wanted a big family.

Campagna says that with her children, "I have every age covered and every sport covered. Trey will be a sophomore, Garrett is going into second grade, Ashlyn will be going into fifth grade. The twins will be going into kindergarten. The children participate in football, lacrosse, swimming, soccer, baseball and field hockey. "Anywhere you go, there is a Campagna
somewhere!"

A typical day this summer for Campagna might include taking Garrett to football camp, taking Trey to baseball practice, getting the twins to friends' homes, getting Ashlyn to swim team ... and all of this will take place before noon. And in the evening there are more activities.

But Campagna's mothering doesn't just begin and end with chauffeuring the kids around. She is always looking for opportunities to "grab the kids to go make a memory." She recently on the spur of the moment took all five fishing. For years she has been taking all five to Hersheypark by herself.

Still Campagna admits that there have been times when the hectic activity wins out. The family recently purchased a fish that died within one week. Since the pet store had guaranteed the fish, Campagna decided to return it. She put the fish in her car and, well, after several days of trips to baseball games and lacrosse practices, she soon noticed a strange odor in her car: the forgotten fish. Campagna recalls it was a situation that was "classic me." And it didn't throw her.

During a conversation with Campagna, you quickly learn that the chaos of having five children with five busy schedules comes almost effortlessly to her. But she doesn't see it as anything other than her life.

And Campagna very easily sees the craziness five active children can bring to a household as a huge blessing. Never far from Campagna's mind is her baby girl, Kelsey, who passed away in March of 1999 at three weeks of age from Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Campagna explains it as Lou Gehrig's Disease in infants. Campagna says because of Kelsey's death, she is able
to "roll with" the chaos and the busyness of her life and her children because it means they are healthy and alive.

While talking to Campagna in her beautiful kitchen on a warm summer's day, watching her children in and out of the refrigerator, thinking of the chaos and, yes, even the dead fish, it's amazing how she can feel she doesn't do anything. She knows every day she has with her children is a huge blessing, and she doesn't waste a moment with them.

More on Shannon Campagna

Campagna hopes to get more involved in raising funds and awareness for Spinal Muscular Atrophy that took her baby girl, Kelsey.

Campagna is very involved in her community. She supports Community Supported Agriculture by purchasing all her fruits and vegetables from local farmers.

Campagna is a vegetarian and she estimates that her family's diet is 90- percent vegetarian.

When she does serve meat she makes sure it is from humanly treated farm animals. She feels it makes a big difference in her and her family's health.

Campagna also recently started a Mom's Group through Highland Presbyterian Church. Moms Part Two is for moms of school-age children. As Campagna explains it, when your children get a little older, it's a whole other ball game. It's a different kind of busy - an emotional busy."
The group is meant to be a support to those mothers in that stage of child rearing.

Campagna loves to read but has no time. So she reads magazinesa, which she loves ... any kind.

Under the encouragement of daughter, Ashlyn, the Campagna family recently rescued a shitsu dog named Maggie. Maggie does have some issues, but the entire family is working hard to help her.

Campagna loves to garden, and the flowers in front of her home are the envy of the neighborhood.

Campagna says she gets together with girlfriends five times a year. She has friends that she has known since the sixth grade, and they get together for each others birthdays through the year.

For Mother's Day this year, Campagna got an iPad. She says, "It is the greatest thing in the world!"

Campagna is also busy planning her Manheim Township's Class of 1986 Reunion this October at Mazzi's Restaurant.

Campagna loves yoga and is considering doing the Hershey Half Marathon.

Campagna admits that she has trouble sitting still and loves the activity. You would think that just chauffeuring her children from sport to sport would tire her ,but Campagna really does enjoy it. "You can call me at 11:30 at night and I won't get mad. I'm awake."

By Maureen Leader
Special Features Writer