Camp Angel

This weekend (Friday, July 10 to Sunday July 12, 2009), I was privileged to be at the Camp Angel summer camp. This is a summer camp run for children between the ages of 8 and 12 years old, that come from families touched by cancer. These kids have a sibling, parent or grandparent that has or has had cancer. The purpose of the camp is to provide them an opportunity to get away from all that 'heavy stuff' and hang out with kids who have experienced similar situations and just have fun.

The camp is one of several run by the non-profit organization Angel on my shoulder, formed by Lolly Rose (shown standing behind Mr. Chuck in the picture) after she lost her husband to cancer and saw the effect it had on her grandchild. You can learn more about this organization and its camps and other activities at http://www.angelonmyshoulder.org/.

I really enjoyed the experience. Ostensibly, I was asked if I would like to come and be the camp doctor. Jonathon Forncrook, my program director, had been going for the past 10 years and this was to be his last camp before he moves away to California. I had never been to a summer camp in the U.S. before and I was curious on several levels: how are summer camps run here? how are they different from back home? what kinds of medical care is involved at a camp? what makes a camp for kids with cancer in the family different from any other summer camp?

We left on a Friday morning and made the two and half hour drive up to Camp Luther in Three Lakes, WI. Once we arrived, it was only about half an hour before the bus bringing the campers -- 42 kids in all, would arrive. The groups were divided into 2 girl teams (the bunnies and the foxes) and two boys teams (wolves and bears). Each team had several counselors assigned to them. Each team stayed in a different camp -- the fort, the towers, the treehouse and pioneer city (wagons). Each of these camp sites were creatively constructed and looked like loads of fun.

We had a pizza party that night preceded by some icebreaking events. The Northern Lights Harley biking club came over with their bikes and allowed the kids to get pictures. The next day was spent mostly in water activities, with a ride on a pirate ship, run by the Strauss family in Eagle River, cayaking, fishing, swimming, tubing and such. There were crafts (face painting, rock painting, hair braiding and other such stuff) and a special DJ in th evening for a dance.

Medically, it was quite uneventful (thankfully): just the usual scrapes, bruises, some blocked ears after swimming and some sensitive stomachs. Homesickness was admirably managed by the counselors.

This was my first camp experience and I doubt it will be my last. I plan to go back next year. This organization also has a really crazy event called the polar plunge (read about it on their web site). I'm thinking of doing it!

The only sad event was that this was Jon Forncrook's last camp, after 10 years of service. From the sentiments he stirred up among the kids and volunteers, he will be missed.