Kids enjoy a week of fun, friendship and support
By Lisa Smith
Correspondent
Every year, Camp Timber-lee in East Troy hosts a camp like no other summer camp. The remarkable program promotes healing, peer support and living beyond the life-altering injuries these children endure.
For 25 years now, hundreds of burn survivors and volunteers make this camp special and life changing for all involved at the annual Summer Camp for Burn Injured Youth.
Kids ages 7 to 17 with burn injuries are able to attend at no cost to them or their families. This year’s camp ran from Aug. 11 to 17.
Campers arrived last week Sunday from Green Bay, Madison, Milwaukee and other areas. Many of these campers have attended before and move into a counselor role as they become old enough. The camp is sponsored by the Professional Firefighters of Wisconsin Charitable Foundation, the cost covered by donations and events held in honor of these courageous young people and their families.
It costs about $100,000 a year to put on camp. The PFFWCF is a continuation of the Wisconsin Alliance for Fire Safety, a public charity working to create a fire safe and burn free Wisconsin by promoting, encouraging, and fostering fire safety education.
This year’s theme for Burn Camp this year was “Show Your Inner Glow” and many of the activities during the week were based on that theme. Camp kicked off Aug. 11 with a glow-in-the-dark celebration with a black light dance party. The camp provides many traditional “camp” activities like horseback riding, swimming, archery, and many other outdoor activities both on and offsite. Burn camp also offers free massages for those interested and therapy dogs are brought in for the week.
Many guest speakers, firefighters and medical personnel are there to connect with the kids and offer support and cheer leading.
Pick up a copy of this week’s edition of the East Troy Times/News to read the full article and personal stories from the campers and staff.
