Camp Sunshine
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Located on the shore of Sebago Lake, Maine, Camp Sunshine provides children with life-threatening illnesses and their immediate families hope for the future, as well as immediate help in dealing with a child's chronic illness. The camp is currently the only program in the nation that aids in lightening the impact of a life-threatening illness on a person's entire immediate family, not just the person with the illness.
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[edit] History
Founded in 1984, Camp Sunshine is located directly off Sebago Lake, Maine — next to Point Sebago Resort. Originally, the camp was opened after Dr. Larry and Anna Gould, owners of Point Sebago, dedicated some buildings and assigned their staff for the camp’s operation four weeks out of every year. Since then, the camp has grown into its own full-time organization. Officially opened in June 2001, the new facilities are built on top of 15 acres of land located off the shore of Sebago Lake. The entire staff, with the exception of a few key personnel, is made up entirely of volunteers. Each session, about 70 volunteers generously give their time to give a week of respite and relaxationg to families with critically ill children.
[edit] Sessions
A Camp Sunshine session, lasting about a week long, helps a group of families with a specific chronic illness. With illnesses ranging from cancer, to blood disorders, to transplant patients, Camp Sunshine is able to help each family by providing services to both the parents and children. Sessions include weeks for children with cancer, diabetes, lupus, fanconia anemia, and more. Camp Sunshine also offers bereavement sessions, for families who have lost a child to an illness like cancer, and in 2001, they offered a session for families who lost a loved one in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Children are assigned to day-camps, where they are able to laugh and play with other children with the same disorder. This helps them discover that there are other people out there like them, forming lasting friendships with people across the United States. Age groups include infants, 3-5 year olds in the "Tot-Lot", 6-8 year olds, 9-12 year olds, teens, and adult groups. Activities range from mini golf, boating on Lake Sebago, rock climbing and challenge courses, and discussion groups.
Parents often get involved with parent-support groups, informational sessions, or lectures by doctors working with the specific chronic illness.
Each night, children and parents are able to come together and take part in a different event. Popular night events include talent shows, dance parties, and magic shows. There is also a parents-only dinner and a bonfire or movie night for the children.
Each session ends with the launch of a "wish-boat" for each family. Wish-boats are built by the children on one day of their day camps. A candle is lit at the center of the boat before it is sailed out into the middle of a small pond. Children, and parents, are encouraged to make a wish as each boat is sailed out.
There is also a field trip thing for children and teens disadvantaged from the Carteret County Parks & Recreation in Morehead City, North Carolina called Camp Sunshine although they do not actually go to camp. This camp has no affiliation to the Camp Sunshine in Maine. There is a camp in Georgia called Camp Sunshine that has a similar program, but this is not the same Camp Sunshine either. Camp Sunshine (Casco, ME) does have satellite campuses in Wisconsin and Arizona.
[edit] Funding
Families attend Camp Sunshine free of charge. Because of the financial burdens of having an ill child, Camp Sunshine takes sponsorships so families can attend free of charge. Camp Sunshine also runs on private and corporate donations, as well as having fundraising events. Fundraising events include Pumpkin Festivals, and "Polar Plunges".
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