Has it truly been a week since we left Camp CARE? I still find my thoughts and heart up on the mountain with 177 awesome campers and 95 incredible staff members and our friends from Camp Lurecrest. It was such a fun week watching everyone escape from the world of cancer – even for a short while. I’ve just started to look at the pictures and videos of the week and am in awe of the super powers that you see in each one!
Each year camp is different in some way or another! This year was a little different as the stark reality of childhood cancer kept trying to infiltrate the place where we try to escape it! There were reminders each day that real super heroes live in the hearts of children fighting big battles! With each reminder came a super power presence that described the hope that these kids are not in the fight alone!
We experienced a team of superheroes that united each day to ensure each of these kids had a great week at camp! We had a few campers that were not feeling well, and our staff did all they could in their power to keep them at camp. There were the early morning wake up calls to get a camper up and off for radiation treatments to turn around and get right back to camp fun! The un-traditional wake-up call with the local fire truck and real-life superhero team that welcomed campers to the polar bear activities! Visits from Hometown Heroes who competed at incredible dodge ball games! Cabins wearing bandanas to show support of a camper losing hair! Campers learning to “fly” with the greatest of ease! Taking part in the Panthers Play 60 and learning fun skills! Roller skating and being treated to ice cream from our new friends at Piggy’s Ice Cream shop! Experiencing catapult craziness and the infamous superhero training academy! Rockwall, archery and comic book art?? Yep, at Camp CARE we did all that and more.
We had superheroes working in Charlotte and Lake Lure to get one of our campers to camp for three days, but turned into three hours and his brother requesting everyone sing the “Fight Song” for him to show we stand united in his fight! The medical staff that visited camp for a day to see their patients away from the hospital. Our friends from Flashes of Hope to capture the look of Camp CARE bliss on the sweet faces of each child! How about our friends from Little Smiles and the Girl Scouts that had the most awesome superhero capes for everyone! Or the Girl Scouts that greeted our campers with a special care bag as they boarded the buses??? Buses? All the phenomenal energetic volunteers that came out to help the camp departure and arrival go without a hitch?? Or the really cool pillow cases from Conker Cancer??? Staff from the past that came to help in any way they could! Transformation Station was staffed with so many wonderful volunteers helping to transform our campers into whoever they wanted to be for the dance! Modern Salon was back to make sure everyone was styling. Or the volunteer that came for two hours and instead stayed the entire day. Then there was staff that conquered their own fears and read stories or sang for the remembrance service. Let us not forget the dads that left their own families on Father’s Day! Or those behind the scenes, doing the jobs that no one ever knows about!!
Our gratitude runs deep to each and every one that made 30 Years of Super Heroes a true reality for these amazing kids! Thank you seems like two small words, but has two very large meanings – SUPER HEROES!
As we celebrate our freedom this 4th of July, let us continue to celebrate these kids fighting big battles! Until there is a cure – there is Camp CARE!
Love to all,
Carrie Keuten
Executive Director
Camp CARE
