the "Texas Lions Camp" for children with physical disabilities type 1 diabetes and..

[aHomo4Eternity]

Texas G Drivers Pease support the Texas Lions Camp.

Texas Lions Camp is a residential camping facility for children with physical disabilities, type 1 diabetes and cancer. The Camp is located on over 500 acres in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, and is designed to introduce the "Can Do" philosophy to children dealing with special medical conditions.

Children with special needs from all over the State of Texas are invited to attend one of 9 weeks, which we hope will become one of their life-long childhood memories. A week designed for fun, exploration and challenge.


Providing camping experiences at no charge, to children with medical conditions since 1949. "Children Can...With TLC!™"

http://www.lionscamp.com/

Please if you know any kids between the age of 7-16 with physical disabilities, type 1 diabetes, or cancer please let them know about the camp.

more info on the site, link above.

Thanks,
Wes

[aHomo4Eternity]

Our Mission

The primary purpose of the Camp is to provide, without charge, a camp for physically disabled, hearing/vision impaired, and diabetic children from the State of Texas, regardless of race, religion, or national origin.

Our goal is to provide an atmosphere wherein campers will learn the "Can Do" philosophy and be allowed to achieve maximum personal growth and self-esteem.


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Camp Profile
The Texas Lions Camp is recognized as a non-profit corporation, under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code. The Camp is accredited by the American Camping Association, and is licensed by the Texas Department of Health.

History
The Texas Lions Camp was chartered in 1949 in response to the terrible polio epidemic that forever changed the lives of so many Texas children. Since that time, the Texas Lions Camp has dynamically changed to include children who have all manner and types of physical disabilities, diabetes and cancer. Today, we are serving more children than at anyother time in our history. Over 1,500 children per summer attend Texas Lions Camp.

About Camp
The Texas Lions Camp has been providing free outdoor camping experiences to handicapped children since the early 1950's. While at Camp, campers have the opportunity to enjoy many activities including: swimming, horsemanship, ropes course, arts & crafts, nature studies, animal science and horticulture, music, drama, recreation and athletics, shooting sports and overnight/outdoor campouts.

Opening Campfire
Each session begins with an opening campfire ceremony, where campers are officially introduced to the staff and the Camp rules are explained to campers by the Camp's director. Most importantly, each camper is invited to set a goal for the week, and to purpose to work hard to make their goal come true during their session.

In a ceremony that is rich in symbolism, each camper "blows" their wish onto a stick, and the stick is then thrown into the fire. As each child throws their stick into the fire, several things begin to happen. Number 1, the fire grows, symbolizing that as we work together, our efforts are multiplied and the fire burns brighter and hotter then it would with just a single stick. Number 2, the sticks (goals) are transferred in the smoke to some place on Camp, where campers must work to claim the goal for themselves.


The Texas Lions Camp in Kerrville is a summer camping facility dedicated to serving children
from the state of Texas who have physical disabilities and diabetes. The programs which are
available at the camp are designed to help campers learn to make social adjustments, become
more self-confident, and develop a positive self-image. The Lions Camp is accredited by the
American Camping Association and licensed by the Texas Department of Health.
WHO MAY ATTEND
Children who have physical disabilities, including vision and hearing impairments, and who
are between the ages of seven and 16 are eligible to attend the camp. Some of the qualifying
disabilities include absence or amputation of limbs, albinism, arthritis, asthma, blindness or
visual impairments, birth defects, burns, cancer, cerebral palsy, progressive muscular atrophy,
cystic fibrosis, deafness or hearing impairments (hearing loss of 60 db or more), dwarfism,
epilepsy, Erb's Palsy, heart condition, hydrocephalus, Legg Perthes, Lupus, multiple sclerosis,
muscular dystrophy, phocomelia, polio, rickets, scoliosis, sickle cell anemia, speech impairment,
spina bifida, spinal cord injury causing paralysis, partial paralysis or muscle impairment.
A special, educational camp is also offered for children between the ages of eight and 15 who
have type II diabetes and who are insulin dependent.
HISTORY
In response to the disabling polio epidemic that swept the country over four decades ago, the
Lions of Texas conceived and constructed the Texas Lions Camp. With the approval of its
charter in April 1949, the camp enjoyed a fruitful period of building and planning at its 504
acre site in Kerrville. On Sunday, June 8, 1953, the camp was formally dedicated "to the
perpetual use and enjoyment of the handicapped children of Texas." That summer, 236 children
were introduced to the joy of summer camp.
Over the years, the Texas Lions Camp has grown to provide camping to over 1000 children
every summer. The camp offers six one week camping sessions for children with physical
disabilities and a 3 day day camp. Two sessions are offered for children with diabetes. The
camp supports over thirty buildings to facilitate the administration of its programs. Since
opening in 1953, the Texas Lions Camp has been instrumental in the maturation and social
development of over 50,000 children with physical disabilities.
Texas Lions Camp : Facts and History
GOALS
The goal of the Texas Lions Camp is to create an atmosphere wherein campers will learn the
"can do" philosophy and be allowed to achieve maximum personal growth and self-esteem. At
camp, children who have physical disabilities and diabetes can learn to become more independent,
productive adults.
PROGRAMS
The Texas Lions Camp offers exciting camp programs in an encouraging atmosphere that is
designed to accomodate campers who have special medical needs. While at camp, children
challenge themselves as they participate in activities such as arts and crafts, nature studies,
field sports, horseback riding, swimming, and overnight camping. All of the activities are
provided in a beautiful outdoor setting spanning hundreds of acres of hills and woodlands in
the Texas Hill Country.
In 1971, the Texas Lions Camp began offering a program specially for children who have
diabetes. This special camping session is a medical education program that focuses on teaching
campers to care for their special health needs. A medical team of physicians, nurses, and
dieticians joins the camp staff to help children learn to control their diabetes by eating properly,
monitoring their own blood sugar, and giving their own insulin injections. Parents are
also offered a special day of instruction to update them on the latest information regarding
diabetes management.
SPONSORSHIP AND FUNDING
The Texas Lions League for Crippled Children is a nonprofit organization recognized under
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code, and it is entirely supported by the efforts of
Texas Lions and other caring individuals throughout the state. The facility in Kerrville has
served as a worldwide model and is one of the largest summer recreational programs in the
United States that is available to children with disabilities.
For more information, contact your local Lions Club, or call the offices of the Texas Lions
Camp at (830) 896-8500. Eligible children attend the summer camp at no cost to themselves
or their families.

[ZIG35]

This is AWESOME what you're doing and providing for the children!!!

I was just in another thread where you had posted a comment and noted that you stated you're in El Paso, TX. Is that so or did I make an erroneous assumption? If so, I'm out here too, and would very much want to be a part of supporting this program on a more direct level.

[aHomo4Eternity]

^^^ Would you like to join the "Five Points Lions Club"?

Send me a PM so i can get you any info you need/want

[GEE35FX]

Good stuff for the kids Wes

[Convert35]

I've had type 1 diabetes for about 12 years now, I've never been to Texas Lions Camp, but I've heard of it. I always went to Camp Sweeney instead. But anyways

[aHomo4Eternity]

^^^

[GreenGoblin]

This is a very nice cause Wes, glad to see you working with them to make a difference.

[aHomo4Eternity]

Yeah it really is, when kids first go to the camp they are sad because most have never been away from home but at the end of the week they dont want to leave the camp. They have so much fun making friends and it helps build their self-esteem. most of the last year campers cry at the end of the week knowing they wont be going back, i always tell them they can be a camp counselor (sp?) when they are 18 and most do

[aHomo4Eternity]

Bump

[GEE35FX]

ity-bump You go Wes

[aHomo4Eternity]

Originally Posted by GEE35X

ity-bump You go Wes

Well its my mom im just helping out.


i had so much fun at that camp, i cried like a baby my last year

[aHomo4Eternity]

Bump

[FinallyGotaG]

I got a hundred bucks to donate. I saw on the donation site that $100 was a membership or something?

[aHomo4Eternity]

Originally Posted by FinallyGotaG

I got a hundred bucks to donate. I saw on the donation site that $100 was a membership or something?

Sent it to me

ill find out how you can donate and send you a PM