By John Koski
Editor
On Thursday, Aug. 15, dozens of area fire trucks, ambulances and other emergency vehicles traveled along narrow country roads to Camp Timber-Lee northwest of East Troy.
The camp was the site of the 19th annual Summer Camp for Burn Injured Youths, sponsored by the Wisconsin Alliance for Fire Safety.
The vehicles initially assembled in a remote part of the sprawling camp, away from the campers and their families.
At 10:30 – amidst heightening anticipation – a cacophony of sirens announced that the annual parade of fire apparatus had begun.
The fire trucks, tankers and ambulances were preceded by about 30 motorcycles, many of them carrying former campers.
As the lengthy parade passed, the scene was filled with smiling campers and their families, which had been invited to the camp for this special day.
Present at this year’s weeklong camp were 65 children aged 7 to 17 from across the state who had experienced a significant burn injury that required medical treatment or hospitalization.
“Activities at the camp enable children to make friends, share feelings, develop self-esteem and learn how to cope with life beyond the burn injury,” said Kathy Meulmans, executive director of WAFS.
“Burns are one of the worst injuries a human can experience,” she added. “Having to reenter society after experiencing a disfiguring burn can be a traumatic experience, especially for children.”
After the initial parade, campers and their families clambered atop the trucks for a second lap around the camp’s grounds. The smiles, it seemed, were even broader.
Adding to the excitement was the arrival of a Flight for Life helicopter, followed a few minutes later by the landing of a Med Flight helicopter.
While at the camp, the children were also able to participate in activities such as fishing, bicycling, arts and crafts, horseback riding and more – including getting to ride on the back of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
“The camp gives burn survivors a family and network of encouragement and support,” said Jeff Gordon, a youth burn survivor who has volunteered at the camp for nearly 20 years after being burned in a house fire when he was only six weeks old.
“It gives campers the courage and perseverance to use their experiences to make positive decisions that will last a lifetime,” Gordon added.
The camp is free to campers through generous donations and sponsorships. According to its website, the mission of WAFS is to promote, encourage and foster fire safety, burn prevention and public fire safety education. The organization supports burn survivors of all ages as well as sponsoring the Summer Camp for Burn Injured Youth.
For more information, go to wafs.org.
