Login with FacebookThe Great Outdoors
It's that time of the year! As spring rolls in, many outdoor and nature-based organizations are rolling out their programs.
A fan of Audubon Canyon Ranch in Stinson Beach, CA recalls "the childrens' bonding with the natural world and becoming joyful amateur naturalists. Many of the children who come to the Ranch have very minimal exposure to natural settings. The place is a revelation to them."
And a very adoring life-long client and later supporter of Whole in the Wall Gang camp in Connecticut shares his experience: "As a camper, I fished; I canoed; I made beads; I put on plays; I climbed a rock wall; I wrote poetry; and I did all of that in a supportive, safe, respectful, and loving environment. These experiences were, of course, great fun. But they were also so much more. They offered a sense of normalcy. I too have ridden horses. I too know how to canoe. I too have a drawer full of arts and crafts projects. While, perhaps for some children, these are just summer distractions, they gave, to me, a sense of being “normal.” As a child, I spent much of my time around doctors or hospitals. And during much of my remaining time, I was around those who had never had such experiences, a constant reminder that I was “different.” But for a short time each Summer, I enjoyed what everyone else seemed to take for granted."
And it's not just the kids that are having fun, volunteers are too! Dr. Chip, a volunteer doctor at Camp Odayin, a camp for kids with heart disease confesses: "I can tell you that I will keep going back every year. It is always the best 3 weeks of my summer!!"
by Halle
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