Family Camp Fall 2011

Horizons in Hemophilia, October 2011 

By Kim Wilson, Camp and Activities Coordinator

It was a perfect September weekend for the 180 family members, staff, and volunteers who enjoyed Family Camp at Camp Twin Lakes.  Families arrived on Friday evening and were greeted by volunteers and staff to assist with luggage and check-in.  After dinner, the families participated in some icebreakers to get to know one another.  From there, families were invited to an ice cream social featuring ice cream, chocolate and caramel syrup, cookie crumbs, sprinkles, cherries, and whipped cream.   

On Saturday morning, we began the day by dividing the families up into age groups for educational sessions.  A nursery was provided for kids up to age 3, while fun on the playground and game time was offered for everyone aged 4-6. Kids aged 7-10 signed up for camp activities such as fishing, nature, paddle boats, biking and archery. 

Everyone aged 11-17 was invited to participate in Mission Nutrition, a fun activity that Deniece, HoG's Health Educator, designed to teach participants about nutrition.  The session included information on how to read food labels and make healthy food choices as well as easy physical exercises to incorporate into a daily routine.   The adults attended a Think Tank discussion led by HoG staff.  The participants were divided into two groups based on their family’s bleeding disorder.  Each group discussed questions such as how to best discipline a child with a bleeding disorder and how to choose an appropriate sport.

Later, Jeff Cornett, HoG’s Director of Research, Training & Advocacy led a session entitled “It’s Your Story to Tell” for everyone ages 15 and older.  The point of this session was to help participants become more comfortable and proficient in talking about their family’s bleeding disorder.  (See the Telling Your Story article in this newsletter.)

After lunch, families had a choice of camp activities including the pool, archery, fishing, arts & crafts, tennis, mini golf, cooking, paddle boats, climbing tower, giant swing, sports, and basketball.  In arts & crafts, families made decoupage containers, flower-topped pencils, and duct tape wallets.  The duct tape wallets were a huge hit!  It was a beautiful day to enjoy the climbing tower and giant swing at camp.  The most popular spot was the pool. The families loved spending the afternoon together and enjoyed the activities. 

After dinner, the families participated in a “Get to Know S’more Party & Hayride” at the ball field.  Camp Twin Lakes has a hayride wagon (no hay!) that hooks up to a tractor.  While some went on the ride, others made s’mores and enjoyed the music provided by a dad who brought his guitar to the campfire. 

On Sunday morning, everyone had breakfast together and the weekend ended with a raffle drawing.  Families earned raffle tickets by participating in the educational sessions and completing the weekend evaluation.  Families shared that they always have a great time and enjoy meeting and sharing with other families.  They learned about the bleeding disorder impacting their family and spent quality family time together.  View additional photos from Family Camp.