Camp John Marc

Camp John Marc is a year-round therapeutic camp located in Meridian, Texas (85 miles southwest of Dallas) for Texas-area children with chronic illnesses/major physical disabilities such as Sickle-cell Disease, Burn Survivors, Heart Disease, Boys with Hemophilia, Muscular dystrophy, Cancer, Brain injuries, HIV/AIDS, Spina bifida, etc.

Information

The 170-acre (0.69 km²) tranquil retreat area in the Texas Hill Country provides 20 wheelchair accessible, air conditioned cabins to fulfill the needs of all campers; lodge-style Dining Hall; centrally located buildings; handicap accessible Challenge Course; Athletic Field; Horse Riding Arena; Amphitheater; Chapel; Archery Range; Swimming Pool; Nature Trails; Sports Barn; Accessible Tree Houses; Fishing Pier; Star-gazing Platform; Covered Wagon camping areas. 2007 marked the completion of the camp's largest building which has been named "The Silo." This building houses a Teaching Kitchen, Library, Imagination room, Costume Closet, screened nature porch with balcony, multipurpose room, and basement for storage. The building's most prominent feature is the silo/indoor rock wall through which campers enter. Construction of the new building has allowed camp activities to continue during unfavorable weather.

Camp John Marc hosts 11 week long summer camps including those specialized for Asthma, Childhood Cancer (2), Heart Disease, Hemophilia, Juvenile Arthritis, Renal Disease, Muscular Dystrophy, Sickle Cell, Burn Survivors, and Spina Bifida. In addition to summer camps, John Marc hosts 28 weekend camps throughout the fall and spring severing youth and families who have a child diagnosed with a chronic medical condition or physical challenge.

Mission Statement

Camp John Marc inspires confidence for life through high-quality camping programs for children, teens, and families. Year round programming and specialized camp facilities are uniquely designed in partnership with Dallas-Fort Worth area pediatric hospitals, community volunteers, and health organizations who are dedicated to serving campers living with chronic medical and physical challenges. The dignity of each camper is nurtured at Camp John Marc as well as in the community through its outreach programs.

History

The idea for a camp for children with special needs has existed since the 1960s, but one of the major concerns was that there was no permanent site to host these camps. This all changed when a generous family donated 140 acres (0.57 km²) in memory of their son, John Marc. By June 1991, just a year and a half after the groundbreaking, Camp John Marc Meyers was ready for its first campers. With nearly 1,000 people on hand.

Nearly 500 chronically ill campers attended eight weeks of organized camping during the inaugural summer. The therapeutic benefits of the outdoors finally became a reality for campers from Children’s Medical Center and Texas Scottish Rite Hospital.

A more in depth history is available on this website.

Camp activities

Daily activities include a ropes course (zip-line, rock walls, and high ropes elements), sports and games, archery, fishing, cooking, starlab,horseback riding, and swimming. Younger (scheduled) campers participate in activities as a cabin, while older (free-choice) campers select their activities on an individual basis.

Projects are an activity that occurs everyday that each camper has chosen. Projects allow for all campers to individually branch out into a unique area of interest and participate in outcome based activity programming. Projects include: karate, basketball, outdoor adventure, pottery, cooking, painting, hockey, cinematography (Lights. Camera. Action!), rappelling, card games, and photography/darkroom.

Media spotlight

Camp John Marc has been featured on KXAS-TV's local portions of the annual Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon.

Tag Line

Inspiring Confidence for Life

External links

• Camp John Marc Official Site
• Medical Missions

Coordinates: 31°34′29″N 97°20′00″W / 31.574809°N 97.333256°W / 31.574809; -97.333256