A Much Needed Respite
“Our family lost pretty much everything. Our house flooded. We still can't live there for a few more weeks. We had about a foot of water in the house, then mold set in on what we tried to save. The roof had holes so bad you could see the sky from the living room. We lost every piece of furniture we owned, almost everything except most clothes and the things hanging on the walls is gone. My boys had to throw everything they ever knew to the curb. My younger kiddo is now in weekly therapy.”
- Camper Mom
Last year in Florida, one of the deadliest hurricanes in years ravaged South West Florida. 149 people lost their lives as a result of the storm, hundreds were left homeless and displaced, while others lost everything, furniture, clothes, toys, and personal items. The storm left a tremendous scar not only on the landscape of Southwest Florida but on the hearts and minds of children and families.
Trauma, especially experienced during childhood, if not addressed leads to chronic stress. That chronic stress carries over into lives in a real way. Lack of sleep, medical challenges, constant anxiety, and relationship troubles can manifest themselves as a result of unaddressed trauma.
Camp President and CEO Dan Jurman recently addressed trauma and its impact on children at a gathering of camp professionals at Camp Boggy Creek: “Your ability just to enjoy life, so the things that used to make you happy don't anymore, are all parts of unaddressed trauma experienced as a child or an adult.” At Camp, our mission goes beyond providing life-changing camp experiences for children with serious medical conditions. We seek to break down barriers, we seek to allow light in, and we seek to create a safe environment to let them simply be kids. That applies to all children, the seen illnesses, and the unseen illnesses.
Smiles, Smiles, and More Smiles.
On March 27, 31 beautiful families made their way to Camp Boggy Creek to enjoy a weekend of fun, rest, play, togetherness, safety, and the love that is Camp Boggy Creek. Some had lost everything, some had lost family members, and some lived through the chaos and aftermath and just needed to get away from it all. We amassed a team of amazing mental health professionals who were present 24/7 to the families and their children if they wanted to talk. We also provided very intentional programming to help children and families process what they were going through. We were beyond humbled to be able to provide this weekend, and thanks to a grant from Universal Studios, Florida, the families did not incur ANY expense.
“I tell the family when we enter your camp all the time I am on holy land. I am not joking, for me, you guys, all staff at camp, all your volunteers, and everybody there are angels put on our path.
Yes, I am grateful that in my life angels were always put on my path to help us thru...the medical team, Dr. Gallant which I will love forever, you guys at camp, and everybody there, are angels that were put on our path in one of the most difficult times. So thank you for everything you do...for embracing us as your family because for us you are family and not sure my words are enough to express the gratitude we feel. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
- Hurricane Relief Family Camp Weekend Family
What Happens After Camp?
When campers leave Camp Boggy Creek, we encourage them to bring and spread the spirit of Camp to their local community. This is our hope, this is our dream.
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.
So many people did so much to make this happen, again, a huge thank you to Universal Studios, Florida. Thank you to our mental health team, thank you to our staff and volunteer team, and thank you to all of the families who were here, your presence is what makes Camp a place of love.
Pictured above, our mental health team:
Left to Right (Top): Matt Altizer (Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern), Brad Gillespie (Nationally Certified Counselor), Nishika Mistry (Child Life Specialist), James Rujimora (Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern)
Left to Right (Bottom): Amanda Bonnell (Licensed Mental Health Counselor), Sarah Clode (Licensed Mental Health Counselor), Heather Summers (Registered Yoga Teacher), and Kristen Nardolillo (Licensed Clinical Social Worker)