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by Tracy L. Carmichael
I have a secret to share with you.
Hidden away under the lush emerald canopy of Charlottesville, Virginia,
our shining city upon the peaceful Piedmont hills, is a most magical
place. A place where people learn to overcome enormous challenges.
A place where special kids can get away from it all at a special camp
to explore their unique world through a fresh lens.
In groups of up to seventy campers, three sessions each year, children
come to Camp Holiday Trails to shrug off the chilling grip of winter
and frolic in the sunshine of an endless summer, seeking momentary refuge
from the strain of living with a lifelong medical condition. Along with
their sleeping bags, sunscreen, and extra socks they bring a variety
of other items — asthma and respiratory ailments, diabetes, cancer,
epilepsy, arthritis, cystic fibrosis, AIDS/HIV, kidney disease, and a
plethora of other hard-to-imagine ailments. They arrive fragile, often
feeling isolated, exhausted by the constant stress one experiences while
learning to care for themselves under such demanding conditions.
For thirty-one years Camp Holiday Trails, operating with grant funding,
private donations, and fees from already cash-strapped families, has
nurtured a joyous “holiday” experience for kids with special
health needs from seven to seventeen. In 1973 several pediatricians from
the University of Virginia, led by Dr. Peter Houck, recognized the need
to integrate children with a variety of medical conditions into a permanent
program where they could participate in a range of summer camp activities.
Helped in part by Dave Goodwin, Camp Holiday Trails acquired seventy-five
acres of land, where miracles are still made one precious child at a
time at the only camp of its kind in the state of Virginia. With a permanent
staff of five, a seasonal staff of around twenty, and the determined
dedication of devoted volunteers, Camp Holiday Trails is where the “magic
of the season” lands when Santa has finally emptied his sack on
that long winter’s night.
This is the quintessential summer camp environment — a 2.5 acre
natural lake with a fishing pier and canoes, a cluster of seven rustic
cabins (air conditioned!), nature trails, and a swimming pool. There
are unusual features too, like therapeutic horseback riding facilities
or the Sport Court. There is also one unusual building worthy of individual
description. MedKorner is the heartbeat of the camp, a twenty-four-hour “mini-clinic” housing
five areas in a 2,250 square foot building designated for medical treatment,
physical therapy, other therapeutic interventions, and sleeping quarters
for medical staff or any camper needing to spend the night.
Under the compassionate guidance of the medical director, a wide array
of professionals assembles each summer to provide the backbone of the
Camp Holiday Trails program. The director coordinates the overall medical
care, ensuring each camper receives appropriate care management. Doctors
generously donating their time are flanked by pediatric residents, medical
students, nurses, nurse practitioners, EMT’s, and psychosocial
consultants generously volunteering their expertise.
Standing behind the medical team is a wide variety of people from the
community collaborating every day at Camp Holiday Trails to make the
magic a reality. Service at Camp Holiday Trails is a dedication born
of privilege and pleasure as evidenced by participation from organizations
like The Kiwanis Club, GE Fanuc, the Knights of Pythias, Martha Jefferson
Hospital, The Senior Center, the public schools, the Scouting organizations,
The University of Virginia Medical Center, and JABA. All these elves
spend vacation time at Camp Holiday Trails, forever keeping the dream
alive.
According to Camp Holiday Trails’ Executive Director Tina LaRoche,
parents of veteran campers, when discussing their child’s time
at camp, often emphasize their “especially transformative experience” at
Camp Holiday Trails. The transformation is holistic, spreading beyond
the children themselves. The families are also cherished in this process.
Often parents and siblings of a child with a chronic medical condition
fall prey to the vortex of the illness. These families are, some for
the first time, able to catch a deep breath and see beyond the immediate
needs of the illness.
In the end, it is the power of the one-to-one human connection that
provides the catalyst for transformation. A three-to-one ratio of
campers to adults allows the holistic approach to pervade each interaction
throughout the day. As the children learn tools for coping, such
as one-day-at-a-time strategies, and are engaged in compassionate
listening, they begin to change. The magic silently leads them to
a new sense of themselves.
Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus. He spends his summers
here in Charlottesville at Camp Holiday Trails with the elves, where
their magic makes every day a holiday to remember.
Originally published in the 2005 January/February
issue of Camping Magazine.
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