Texas Lions Camp gears up for fun
Staff, Staff
03-06-2009
While the Lions Club’s programs are usually local organizations and
community members speaking on behalf of a cause, this week’s speaker
was not only well known to his fellow club members, but his topic was
something several in the group are well acquainted with.
Club member Jerry Smith briefly introduced his subject, Texas Lions
Camp, before letting the service organization watch a video on the
camp for physically disabled children.
Located in Kerrville, Texas, Lions Camp is a place where kids from
7-16 years of age with special physical needs can go for a week during
the summer to have fun and learn that they are not alone in this
world.
With testimonials from Lions Club members volunteering at the camp,
camp leaders and campers themselves, the video explained that
everybody is made to feel equal and whole. The children don’t even
realize they are being educated during the day through fun activities.
One mother of a camper said the children are with people who are just
like them and they can feel like a normal kid.
Texas Lions Camp is a place where kids can canoe, ride zip lines, go
horseback riding or do other events for the very first time that they
may have thought wasn’t possible.
“Without that camp, those kids wouldn’t have the confidence that
they do,” Smith said of the camp, which is entering its 60th year of
operation.
Examples of kids with a primary physical disability which qualifies
them for camp include (but are not limited to) amputee, asthma,
blind/vision impaired, burns, cancer/tumor, cerebral palsy,
deaf/hearing impaired, epilepsy, lupus, muscular dystrophy, partial
paralysis and scoliosis. Kids from 8 to 15 years of age with Type 1,
(insulin dependent) Diabetes are also eligible.
This year’s camp’s first of five one-week sessions starts, May
31. When you read this, and think you may qualify, please speak with
your family about going, as it will be great fun. Many applications
are coming in, so sign up soon to get your choice of weeks.
“One of the things that attracted me to Lionism is seeing how
excited (Jerry Smith) was about Lions Camp,” said member Brandi
Anthony.
In 1949, during the era of the polio epidemic when this crippling
disease had taken a toll on many Americans, especially children, Jack
Wiech founded the special Lions Camp at Kerrville out of his
heart-felt belief that “every child had the right to a happy
childhood, no matter their inabilities.”
Wiech carved out that special place of wonderment, deep down in the
hill country, where memories are made, and dreams are fulfilled,
starting first with only a few hundred children. The camp has expanded
in size and amenities over the years, and currently offers numerous
camp activities, staff, housing, food, medical assistance and
counselors for more than 1,500 youngsters who attend each summer.
“These children are handicapped in various ways through no fault of
their own,” Smith said. “And this is a wonderful place for them to
go and experience new challenges and retain life-long memories.”
“Children come from all over Texas to enjoy a magical, fun-filled
week of swimming, horseback riding, canoeing, overnight camping under
the stars, and many other adventures in a safe environment under the
care and watchful eyes of trained camp counselors and staff. They are
able to share experiences with other children with similar
backgrounds. These experiences offer each child a chance to gain
self-confidence, interact and make new friends, and most of all, to
have a lot of fun experiencing memorable adventures. The week’s
activities conclude with a heart-warming award ceremony where
‘everyone’ is an award winner. Most of all, they take home
friendships and memories to last a lifetime.”
2009 Summer Schedule:
Every child attends free, with no charge to their families. All costs
are provided by Lions of Texas.
Time is running out for the best dates for placement at the Lions
Camp. Lions Club members are reaching out to the communities, school
teachers, school nurses, pediatricians and other physicians,
audiologists, rehabilitation centers, churches, PTA, PTO and any other
groups associated with children.
Applicants must be identified, and an application completed by family
and physician, and then mailed to the camp soon for inclusion in this
summer’s events. If the camper’s application is approved, Lions
Clubs arrange for free transportation to and from the camp.
For more information about the camp or to get a complete list of the
diseases that qualify a child, call Texas Lions Camp at
1-830-896-8500.
Applications may be obtained from the Lions Camp by phone or you may
contact Lion Jerry Smith at 972-878-5235.
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