Where do summer camp horses come from, and where do they go when the summer ends? The year I began my official training as a camp riding instructor, I had an opportunity to learn the answer to this question. The riding director, the assistant director, and the other instructors took me along with them on a trip to the large horse farm that leased fifteen horses to our camp every year. The director drove us all out to the farm in the camp van.

“Wait till you meet these people,” she told me. “They’re a family– about four generations the last time I counted– and they work this farm and lease trail horses to camps and other programs like ours.” “Where do the horses come from originally?”
“They buy and adopt retired horses from riding schools, farms and breeders. They look for the calmest and sweetest horses they can find. And they take on a few bad ones too. Some bitter, difficult ones who have had a hard life.”
“Why do they do that?”
“Because these people have a way with bad horses. I’ve seen a few crazy ones at this place that were completely transformed by the time I met them again a year later.”
“We should take one of those.”
“This time we might. We’ll see.”

We were headed to the farm to select the last of the fifteen who would be ours for the summer. A long truck would deliver them to the camp a few days later.

When we rolled up the winding gravel driveway of the farm, we were greeted by a fleet of tiny Chihuahuas, a frantic rabbit-sized welcoming committee. Then several children appeared. Then finally we met Grandma (She actually told us to call her Grandma, which seemed normal to us– We lived, after all, in a world of camp names).

Grandma was an enormous lady in a mumu who never appeared without a Chihuahua in her arms and who could tell us anything we cared to know about any horse on the farm. She could tell us who was a pacer or a flying lead changer, who cribbed, who had won awards as a cross-country hunter-jumper, who had sustained what injuries and traumas in this life, and most important: who could best tolerate three long months of being kicked in the ribs and jerked around and hugged and loved and spooked by little children.

These would be the first and perhaps only horses some of our campers would ever meet. And having been a camper once myself, I knew what a powerful role these horses would play in their memories of camp as well as their future relationships with horses and large animals in general.

Ten of our horses had already been chosen, but we still had five positions to fill. In addition to sweet temperaments, we wanted horses who had smooth gaits, so we spent the afternoon looking over the available horses and riding them around in a corral.

Grandma watched us from the fence, shouting advice and ordering her sons to saddle up and bring out this or that potential candidate.

It was on that day that we met:

Dancer, an Arabian mix with a showy way of tossing her head. She looked sassy, but was just gregarious and high spirited. She was a beautiful jumper, but Grandma told us if we kept her busy for more than three hours at a time—exactly three hours—she would write us all off and head immediately back to the barn. Which she did. We learned to keep her work days short. She would be a celebrated favorite in our stable.

Chomper, a draft horse of indeterminate parentage. He was enormous (for a camp horse) and white with milky-brown patches all over his body. Later that summer he and I would be leading a group of campers on a trail ride through the woods when he would accidentally bring one of his giant hooves down on a yellow jackets nest. He would control his ensuing panic in a way I would remember—and be grateful for– forever.

Mini, a tiny grey pony. She was adorable but grouchy. Only children could ride her (we were too big), and they would fight for a chance to do so, but she didn’t take any nonsense. She bit. She was so cute that the children didn’t seem to mind.

Beauty, who was coal black, hideous, and charming. He was designed horribly—he had an outrageous roman nose and a sway back and knobby knees like a goofy caricature of a backwoods mule. But his eyes and face were expressive and his patience was inexhaustible. Children, adults, barn cats, and even other horses seemed to grow calmer just being in his company. He had a settling effect, as well, on some of our campers who were especially troubled and hard to reach.

And finally, Merlin. Merlin was a lean, long legged, long necked old gentleman. He had once been white, and possibly beautiful, but he had been burned in a fire. Parts of his back were scarred and bald, and where his coat had grown in, it was thin and grayish with liver spots showing through under his hair. Merlin was my own favorite. Most of the other instructors felt the same way about him that I did.

Put simply, Merlin seemed to love being a camp horse. He loved being where he was. We could not imagine him being so happy in any other setting. He seemed to take to us right away and understood the unique nature of our relationship with him—our human tendency toward powerful and temporary friendships. He loved the woods, and he also loved children. It wasn’t just patience in his case; he actually seemed to find them fun. His ears would perk up when he saw or heard them coming and he would trot over to the fence to visit with them and let them cover his face with the patter of their little hands.

He represented all that is wonderful about the camp horse, an animal quite wonderful even among horses. Everything he did seemed to say, “Take a look at me—I am a horse. Go ahead and touch my velvet nose. We all have these. If you let us into your hearts, we will change you.”

When we first met Merlin at the farm, we asked Grandma about him but she couldn’t tell us much. She did not know the details of the fire. She didn’t know very much about his history at all actually—his previous owners had taken him in after he had been abandoned in a field.

But Grandma told us one important thing: “You should probably take that one,” she said. “The kids might find him hard to look at. But you let them work that out on their own.”

We did as she recommended. She was right.

-Erin Sweeney

To have a truly meaningful but extremely fun and enjoyable experience this summer, consider enrolling in a Christian summer camp. These have been known to be one of the most significant experiences a young person can have and is an excellent way to spend the summer with likeminded friends who share your passion and faith. Christian summer camp is a maturing experience that provides an opportunity for reflection and personal growth that ultimately brings young people closer together and closer to God.

The majority of the activities that take place at camp revolve around having fun while fulfilling personal goals and deepening and strengthening your relationship with the Lord. Worship and bible study are significant portions of the camp program and camp counselors and guides are there to share their knowledge and experience with the spiritual lessons learned throughout the day at camp. The bible training received will boost your personal faith while you experience a real adventure through your experiences with your fellow campers. Christian camp challenges you emotionally and spiritually and can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.

Most young people who have attended Christian summer camp have described it as both enriching and peaceful but often the most memorable experiences are fondly remembered as exciting and fun. Realizing your value in Christ by spending time affirming your words and actions is one experience that can have an eternal impact on your life. The lifelong lessons learned at camp teach solid values that serve to reaffirm the value and strength in God’s love and help young people become better leaders and companions. The benefits of bible study and fellowship of sharing the experience with other likeminded peers is the greatest opportunity to grow into a better person while enjoying a fun-filled and spiritually fulfilling summer adventure!

- Valarie Edmon

The year I was ready to graduate (if that’s the proper word) from counselor-in-training to counselor-for-real, I was asked to choose my official camp name within the first twenty-four hours of orientation week. And by asked I mean told, and by twenty four hours I mean within that day’s session of the orientation process.

“You all need names,” said the administrator and her staff. “And soon, so the names will stick. If you don’t have one by the end of the day, we will choose one for you. You don’t want that.”

At our camp, every official staff member had a camp name. The logic behind the camp name concept is sound. Camp can (and should) be a warm and intimate environment, but the close proximity between campers and counselors can sometime lead to conflict. Replacing real names with pseudonyms like “Skippy” and “Bobo” can have the counterintuitive effect of establishing distance and respect. A great camp runs on a perfect blend of fun and boundaries.

I had spent the last several summers of my life at this camp, and many of the reoccurring faces here had names that had become so inseparable from their natures that it was a shock, even at the age of fifteen or so, to be reminded that Skeeter was known elsewhere as Sandra Johnson, or that somewhere out there in another world, Morty and Toostie and Scarfo and T-Bone went by strange names that didn’t fit them at all, names like Steve and Rosemary.

A good camp name will ideally last for years. And just like one of those stick-on name tags, if you press it on and then pull it off and change it a few times, the adhesive weakens and with it goes the whole concept. Like any name, what good is a camp name if nobody can remember it? And nobody can remember it if it keeps changing. The solution: Pick a good one, keep it, and do it early.

With so much at stake, which name would I take as my own? I finally decided on “Blazer”. I was a riding instructor and horses were my area of expertise, so Blazer seemed appropriate. But as soon as I announced my new name with conviction, one of the older counselors threw herself across the table at which I was sitting in the orientation room (also known as the dining hall) and tackled me, literally. (We behave differently at camp than we do in the civilized world. Camp is a different place. Better. But different. I was not successful in fighting her off.)
“You can’t have Blazer!”
“Why not?” I said, from the floor.
“Blazer is my car’s name.”
“Is your car a Blazer?”
“No.”
“Then how about…Tigress?”
“No Tigress,” said someone else. “It’s taken.”
“I thought you were The Shadow.”
“People keep just calling me “Shadow”. It’s not the same.”
“So now you want to be Tigress?”
“I wrote it on my nametag already, see?”

I had a few other choices left on my list, none of which seemed like a perfect fit. Neither did “Misty” (Of Chincotique fame), or “Secretariat.”

Some were too random, some had too many syllables, and some suggested adult films, truck drivers or both.

Time was running out. If I didn’t have a name soon I’d be stuck with something like “Campo”, or another name apparently pulled from the camp name lost-and-found bin, like the old sweatpants they make you wear at school when you’re caught breaking the dress code.

Eventually I was the only counselor still nameless. All my friends were helping me now. Suggestions came from every corner of the room. Sparrow! Loudy! Lightning! Treefrog! Names for me were proposed and vetoed one after another.

All around me were the faces of my formative years—my family away from home, my girls, my lifelong friends who I didn’t see for nine months of the year and couldn’t get away from during the other three. Their faces come back to me vividly now, and so do their names– Tango. Binky. Mongoose. Wednesday. Moo-moo. Each name a masterpiece, so brilliant and so stupid. All great camp names are a little bit of both.
Also: all great camp names have a back story, usually one that cannot—nor ever should– be explained. This was to hold true in my case.
“Oh my god, oh my god,” said Bubbles, “I have one for you!”
“What?”
“It’s too perfect! I can’t even say it!”

She had everyone’s attention now, which never took her long to get when she wanted it.
She announced my name.
Silence fell over the room for one brief moment.
And then they all erupted. They laughed. They shouted. They voiced their approval. And from that point forward, my name was my name.

Even if I hadn’t wanted it, it still would have been mine. And it would have stayed mine for the next three years. And even after I went off to college and then graduated and then started working my professional way up the ladder in a professional line of business, wearing suits to work every day (very professional), these people would still call me by this name. In letters first, by email later, over the phone, and on the rare but wonderful occasions we still managed to meet up in the world, they would still know me by this name and find it strange to call me by the name my parents had given me.

I was lucky. I didn’t hate it. Not quite, anyway.

In time I found that I actually liked it. Then I loved it. Then finally, I couldn’t imagine myself as anyone else.

Among the things I’ve learned in this life: A nickname, if it’s a good one, is a thing of value. A good camp name is worth more than gold.

- Erin Sweeney

Sending your child off to summer camp should not leave you feeling worried or uneasy. To prevent apprehension, make sure your child knows how to handle some of the most common encounters at summer camp. For some children, summer camp means leaving their homes and embarking on an adventure in the woods. If your child has never experienced nature, they may not be prepared for some of the wildlife or foliage they come across. Teaching your children how to handle general problems while they are away from your care will permit you to feel calm and confident about their stay.

Sunburn: Sunburn is an extremely common side-effect of summer camp. While at summer camp, children may be spending much more time outdoors and in the water than they would at home. Teaching children about using sunscreen will help them from getting a painful sunburn that may potentially make the rest of their stay uncomfortable. A nasty sunburn may result in blisters or infection, so giving them the knowledge to prevent sunburn will mean that they stay safe and healthy. Be sure you pack sunscreen to prevent sunburn, as well as aloe, or another type of lotion to soothe sunburn if they happen to get one.

Water/Dehydration: Children can easily become dehydrated, so it is critical to stress the importance of drinking plenty of water and liquids. Also remind them that while water in a stream, creek, or lake may seem clean, it is better to refrain from drinking that type of water as it may contain harmful bacteria. Give your child a canteen or other water bottle (labeled with their name), preferably with a strap, so that they can easily carry their water with them while they explore, without having to lose the ability to interact with their surroundings.

Poison Ivy, Poison Sumac, Poison Oak: Poison ivy or variations of it are hard to avoid along nature trails. Teach your child to identify each different type of poison ivy (poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak). Most counselors will instruct children about poison ivy and what it looks like, but by showing your child ahead of time, your child may become the “poison ivy instructor” for his or her peers which will help break the ice with other campers. Showing other campers about poison ivy may boost your child’s confidence and enable them to make friends quickly. Pack lotion with your child for them to use if they do accidentally come in contact with poison ivy. (Remember, scratching is bad!)

Snakes: Seeing a snake is a relatively rare occurrence, but for smaller children it is important to teach them to stay away from the snake. Every child should be able to tell a counselor about the colors of the snake. Some snakes are easily recognized by color, as well as certain bands of color indicate whether it is poison or not. If this snake is seen near common areas, such as cabins, dining areas, or swimming areas it is important that counselors know as much as possible about the snake in order to better protect the children at camp.

Spiders: Most children are aware of the existence of spiders, and most do not like spiders anyhow, but it is important for a child to be prepared for spiders in their environment at camp. Children should know to tell a counselor if they are bitten by a spider, or develop any type of rash.

Nocturnal Animals: Children should be taught about which animals they should not see during the daytime, such as skunks, raccoons, and opossums. These animals can carry rabies and other diseases, and a child should stay away from the animal and tell a counselor immediately. Unlike spiders and snakes, a child will be more likely to want to touch or pet this type of animal, so learning to respect wildlife is important.

Ticks: Teach children to be on the lookout for ticks on their bodies while they are at summer camp. Children will spend a lot of time in the woods while at camp, and should be taught a little bit about ticks and how to prevent from getting them. Teach children to wear clothing that covers a lot of exposed skin, as well as that they must tell a counselor immediately if they find a tick on themselves.

Berries/Wild Fruit/Mushrooms: Children of all ages should be reminded not to eat anything they find growing wild unless they are with an adult that says it is okay. Many berries, fruit, and mushrooms grow in the wild, and it may not occur to children that they may be dangerous.

If your child knows the basics of safety, as well as what to expect while at camp, you will be able to enjoy the time your child is away as much as they will. Feeling confident about your child’s abilities will prevent you from needless worrying as well as give your child a sense of security. Knowing that they can handle almost any situation while they are at camp will make them self-assured and more likely to remember what you have taught them about safety.

- Robin Weimer

Camping is something that is part of Christianity’s history. For hundreds of years, religious leaders have utilized nature to challenge and unify christian communities. Often times, community based camps draw not just children, but entire families.

The reason that families are drawn to christian camps is because of the five values around which
they are based. These five values are as follows:

1. A real community can only be achieved through unique experience.

When family members join their church camp, they leave behind the responsibilities and attachments of their daily life. This allows each person to focus on nurturing and growing their relationship with Christ, and this in turn allows them to have a unique experience that is shared with the other people in the camp. Because the temptations of daily life are left at home, community members get to experience a true model of Christian life that they can hopefully bring back and implement in their community and home.

2. People get to improve and focus on bettering their entire person and their whole being.

Most aspects of our life focus on improving only one part of the human being. Schools develop mental capacities and sports develop physical abilities. Christian camps allow people to improve themselves in four different ways- mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially.

3. People are able to build relationships with God and their community members.

Christian camps foster both spiritual relationships and social ones, realizing that each has value. These camps especially catalyze the relationships between campers and counselors. Counselors are roll models who campers look up to and try to emulate their positive behaviors. The relationships built at Christian and church camps follow Jesus’ model of living and experiencing with his 12 disciples.

4. Fond, loving memories are made along with major commitments to positive life goals.

Because the duration of camp is much shorter than the rest of our lives, experiences take on new meanings and levels of intensity. Everything acheived and learned at camp before ingrained in memory as a special experience.

5. People get a chance to develop their leadership skills which they can bring back to the
community.

Christian camps help campers build leadership skills by having them take the reigns on many of their projects. The counselors let the cabins organize and conduct themselves. Many of the activities are camper led and learning is always taking place.

Is a Christian camp right for you or your familY? There are nearly 1400 Christian camps listed on camps.com. Research them online and then have a great time nurturing your faith in a camp
environment, close to nature and, perhaps, closer to your maker.

Click Here to find Christian camps near you.

There is nothing more fun than going off to summer camp to enjoy the great outdoors with new friends. One thing that is often most memorable to young campers is the delicious and fun summer camp food that is served and even cooked together around the fire. Here are some easy and convenient but fun and delicious summer camp food ideas that will make the summer camping experience even more fun!

There is no better way to start out your day at camp than with a hearty and energizing breakfast. One excellent camp breakfast is the classic breakfast burrito. Simply cook eggs and sausage together in a pan and wrap the filling in a large flour tortilla with cheese and salsa. This is one breakfast that keeps the campsite clean and is very filling and packed full of protein. It will keep a camper full for hours while you partake in your summer camp activities! When lunch rolls around, dig into some turkey or ham sandwiches with fruit. Make sure to stay hydrated throughout the day with plenty of water.

Between lunch and dinner, you may get a bit hungry from all the activity of camp. If you need it, reach for a healthy and hearty snack like trail mix, fruit, celery with peanut butter, granola bars, or a small piece of cheese. Keep your snacks light and healthy so that you don’t become sluggish for the evening activities and as the day winds down!

Dinner is a fun meal that’s to be shared with your fellow campers and camp leaders. A great way to share the cooking with the whole group is to cook dinner together over the campfire. A classic meal cooking method for campers is preparing a meal in aluminum foil. You can make astoundingly tasty camp meals this way. You can place a meat of your choice into the aluminum foil with some hearty veggies and potatoes seasoned to taste. Just seal the edges of the foil leaving enough room for expansion from the steam and place your foil-tented meal over the fire for 30-45 minutes. When your food is ready, peel back the aluminum foil and enjoy!

A list of summer camp food would not be complete without mention of dessert, every camper’s favorite meal! The most famous classic campfire treat is of course the s’more. To make the perfect s’more, roast your marshmallows carefully and patiently over the fire being careful not to burn them. If you like your chocolate fully melted, break it up into smaller pieces on your graham cracker before adding your roasted marshmallow. When you do, the heat of the marshmallow will melt the chocolate and delight your mouth with the gooey sweetness! Now that’s how you end your delicious summer camp food day!

- Valarie Edmon

As an Episcopalian priest become funeral director, I have been privileged to attend a camp for children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling or friend. Children grieve differently and that grief is not always recognized, acknowledged and supported. Camps for grieving children provide a safe place to grieve by talking about the deceased, engaging in projects and activities that the children and deceased might have done and by forming talking circles where campers may share memories and stories of the deceased. Individuals who are experienced in working with grieving youth are available at specific times or as needed to listen, console, counsel, and support a grieving child.

The support that the children receive is not clinical and formal. When a child asks to speak with a counselor or simply finds a counselor and begins her/his story, the counselor works toward a relaxed and affirming atmosphere. Some of the children find the death of a sibling frightening, and wonder if they too, might die during their youth. No promises are made while much hope is offered. Children with this fear may be asked what they think about death, what they would like to know about death, if they would like a special counselor to join the session while they talk about death. This places the camper in control of the experience and allows them to take in more than if they were not able to make decisions regarding how and with whom their feelings are shared.

Most of these camps are not grounded in a religion or theology; however, children do raise questions regarding death and specific religious traditions. One nine year old girl was distraught because one of her best friends was a Conservative Jew and was buried in a Jewish cemetery only a few blocks from her home. Her parents, who practiced a traditional form of Christianity, told her that as a Christian she may not enter the Jewish Cemetery. So, we discussed how we can pray anywhere for anyone or anything. I then asked Jean if she would like to pray for her friend right now. She began and as she spoke, tears rolled down her cheeks. She held my hand and wished her friend peace and hoped that she had found friends in heaven. I asked Jean if she thought her friends might be playing with the angels and she replied that she thought so, especially if they had beautiful curly hair and halos.

Not every child could or would speak specifically about their loss. We honored the various places where they were in grief and remained available to be with those who wanted or needed us individually. During activities, we found that homeruns, tennis wins, dances, and other events were dedicated to the deceased. Often our nightly campfires were surrounded by quiet time of remembering and then several favorite songs of campers and/or those they had shared with the deceased.

We staff folks believe that each and every child left camp changed and better able to handle the grief that they bore. We, too, learned much from the courage and sharing of the campers.

- Claudia Windal

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite places was my Portuguese grandfather’s vegetable garden. I have vivid memories of picking tomatoes and green beans, and sitting down for a snack at a wooden picnic table under his grapevines. I also remember sitting beside my great grandmother on the back stoop in the late-afternoon sun shelling peas and shucking corn. Those seemingly mundane tasks made such an impression on me that still, today, thirty-odd years later, when I shuck corn and shell peas I think of my great-grandmother, and when I see a bunch of grapes I think of my grandfather and long for grapevines of my own.

Today I run a cooking and gardening summer program in Falmouth, Massachusetts, and over the years I have learned that teaching a child about growing food is as essential and natural as teaching him to walk. In both cases, all it takes is a nudge and before you know it he’s off and running, exploring new worlds.

I often ask my students to tell me what they know about growing food. Most think berries grow on trees—not surprising since they only see them in plastic packages in the grocery store—and most have no idea how to use a potato peeler, because their parents buy mashed potatoes premade and frozen. I’ve sent kids out to the garden to find zucchini and they’ve come back empty-handed, embarrassed because they don’t know what zucchini looks like. Most profess to hate vegetables.

In my classes I’ve discovered that allowing kids to grow some of their food empowers them to try new things. Our garden is diverse. We grow tomatoes, beans, eggplant, squash, greens, lettuces, cucumbers, peppers, herbs, and edible flowers, but we also have many varieties of the same vegetable. This year we have a dozen different tomatoes, ranging in color from pink to dark purple. One summer a favorite was the tiny Ground Husk Cherry, which grows in a papery skin, like a tomatillo, and has the most amazing flavor overtones of peach and mango. On a dare they tried mustard greens and loved them. Now they claim mustard greens give them energy. To prove it, they rip leaves from the plants, eat them, and race around the garden.

Gardening with kids is easy because everything they grow gives them a thrill. It doesn’t have to be perfect. If your family is new to gardening, start small. Plant a little herb garden and let the kids use fresh herbs when you cook together. Some of our most popular are chives, pineapple or chocolate mint, and any kind of basil. If you want to try something bigger, create a themed garden—pizza gardens are always popular (tomatoes, basil, oregano, onions, and garlic), but I also like an international garden that incorporates food plants from all around the world and uses flags as garden markers. It’s a great way to learn about other cultures and branch out to new cuisines. No outdoor space? Don’t despair! Do some container gardening. A Salad Bowl Garden is easy and fun. Poke some holes in the bottom of a large plastic bowl, and plant four or five different varieties of lettuce. Instant mixed greens salad–colorful and tasty!

I know firsthand that kids will try new foods if they’re given the opportunity to learn about them first. Take some of the pressure off your dinner table and do something fun in the garden. More importantly, get out there and make some memories with your kids!

Chef Lisa Holmes
The Childrens Culinary Academy
Tel. 774.392.1711
www.childrensculinary.com

Books by Lisa Holmes
Bitter Harvest
In Mother’s Kitchen
Lunch Lessons

Camping can be lots of fun, but sleeping on the hard cold ground in your tent can be a trying affair. Luckily, there are some tips that can help make your tent sleeping experience much more bearable and enjoyable. The first thing that your tent is supposed to protect you from is the weather. Make sure you are prepared for the type of weather that you are likely to experience while camping. This means getting a tarp for rain and buying a sleeping bag that is appropriate for the temperature of your camping destination. This will help keep you warm in cold weather and cool in hot.

While sleeping bags are padded for comfort, it would be wise to invest in a sleeping pad that will further protect your back from the hard ground. Almost as important as your sleeping pad is finding a good place to camp. A level ground can make all the difference between comfort and pain, so make sure there is no debris under your tent and that the ground is flat. Another element that tents are supposed to protect you from are bugs. Make sure to keep the doors to your tent closed at all times. However, tents can get stuffy and cramped inside, so leave the vents open to allow airflow.

Sleeping in a tent doesn’t have to be an unpleasant experience and can actually be quite comfortable if you prepare and plan ahead.

The early 1980’s brought about a life changing discovery for persons living with Hemophilia. Rather than using Cryoprecipitate to slow and stop life threatening bleeds, condensed and “powdered” clotting factor was available and working as well as the Cryo. Cryo needed to be kept frozen and then thawed slowly when needed. This meant that it might take up to an hour before a bleed could be treated making permanent damage from the bleed a reality for many. As an RN working at a camp for boys and young men living with Hemophilia, this discovery was well received.

The first year that we used “Factor” an increased number of boys wanted to learn to start their own IV’s. Yes, both Cryo and Factor are administered intravenously. By the end of our two week session, an eight year old was the youngest to successfully start his own IV’s. We supplied tourniquets with Velcro in order to make tightening the tourniquet easier. I instructed most of the boys showing them how to palpate and find veins, cleanse the skin, insert the needle and begin the infusion of the clotting factor.

Our approach to living with Hemophilia was to make caring for bleeds a normal part of day to day life. Once the boys adopted an attitude that this is how they would be living their lives and grew confident initiating care (increasing to self infusion) the easier it would be for their parents to lighten up on their natural reaction to treat the boys as if they were fragile and incapable of caring for themselves. Our goal was to have the boys move from fear to living their lives fully. The campers were instructed to let us know when they were having a bleed so that we could monitor the seriousness and initiate further treatment if necessary. We did not interfere with the self care the camper had initiated unless questions or concerns arose.

Understandably, parents of boys living with Hemophilia want to keep them in bubble wrapping and safe. The self sufficiency our boys developed assisted greatly in changing over protection to more appropriate concern and protection. The final day of camp was spent with the boys and their parents together with demonstrations of what they boys had learned and the sharing of special projects and awards. These courageous boys and their parents and siblings all left camp will the ability to meet new challenges and to live life to its fullest.

- Claudia Windal