Teen Retreat 2010

Horizons in Hemophilia, February 2010

By Kim Wilson, Camp and Activities Coordinator

Thanks to the people who use the HoG pharmacy, grant funding from Speedway Children’s Charities, and support from CSL Behring, Hemophilia of Georgia was able to host 28 teens and 9 adults for our annual Teen Retreat held January 16-18, 2010.  The retreat was held at Camp Will-A-Way in Winder, Georgia.

This year the teen retreat was all about youth leadership development.  We invited Pat “Big Dog” Torrey to lead the teen retreat.  He is known in the hemophilia camp community as an exceptional speaker, teacher, and group motivator.  He designed a program to teach leadership qualities, characteristics, and actions to teens in an unexpected and fun way.  The weekend began on Saturday, when Pat Torrey led the discussion on topics such as taking positive risks, getting out of your comfort zone into your growth zone, and occasionally stepping out into your danger zone.

In honor of MLK, Jr. Day and the National Day of Service, we planned a service project with Camp Twin Lakes.  The project was a way to honor and observe MLK, Jr. Day, as well as a way to give back to Camp Twin Lakes, where we have camped for 16 years. This was also a way for Camp Wannaklot campers to provide a camp experience to campers who have another type of life challenge. Camp Wannaklot has benefitted from the hours of labor of other volunteer groups and this was our chance to pay it forward.  Our campers painted the inside of a cabin and painted carnival games. 

Overall, it was an incredible weekend of fun, adventure, and the occasional trek out of our comfort zones.  Mark your calendar for next year’s teen retreat, January 15-17, 2011.