THE BURN CAMP BUZZ

December 2001

Mark your calendars now –The Central Virginia Burn Camp 2002

will be held from Sunday June 16^th – Friday June 21^st.

***Please note our new voice-mail phone number ***
(434)263-6566

A Note from the Camp Directors

Camp 2001 is long over – we hope all of you enjoyed camp as much as we did, and had a fun rest of the summer.

We would like to thank everyone who helped make Camp 2001 such a great success. All the counselors and volunteers who gave their time, love and energy helped to make this one of the best years ever.

Also, thanks to the parents of campers who sent their kids to this special camp, and to the kids themselves. You laughed, made friends, learned, had fun, gained skills and confidence, and learned how to adapt to lots of evening rain storms and no running water the last day of camp!!

That’s what this camp is all about, and we hope to see you back again next summer!

Thanks also to our many friends and financial supporters because without you, there would be no Central Virginia Burn Camp.

While we have all been shocked and saddened by the events of Sept. 11, 2001, we have been able to find some comfort in the support we share as a camp family.

Our thoughts are with those who lost family and friends, and with the collective family of firefighters who lost so many of their brothers and sisters.

Within our camp family, we have lost a

step-father, and watched the city where we live or have lived, disrupted.

Dr. Albert Schweitzer said:

“Sometimes our light goes out, but is blown into flame by an encounter with another human being. Each of us owes the deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this inner light.”

Here’s hoping that the Central Virginia Burn Camp has made a difference to those whose lives we have touched, and you will all continue to have you inner light kindled.

See you all in June, 2002

Love, Leslie, Sharon and Tim

HIGHLIGHTS FROM CAMP 2001

The camp theme for the week, “Sports and Recreation”, certainly was a good one! We hope we that we were able to hit upon everyone’s favorite during the week and that you learned some new things.

Lacrosse, soccer, volley ball, tennis, basketball, softball, high and low ropes, horse back riding, and indoor rock climbing, not to mention swimming, swimming and more swimming! Thank goodness for our wonderful life guards!

Scuba diving was a great treat for our older campers.

From what we could tell from the camper (and counselor) surveys, the highlight of the week was our trip to Richmond, thanks to the sponsorship of Saxon Shoes. The lunch cruise aboard the Annibell Lee ship was so much fun, complete with dancing, hula hoops, a conga line, and limbo (how low can you go?…….)!!

Indoor rock climbing at Peak Experience was a great fun, then, we were treated to dinner and tethered hot air balloon rides at the Henrico Fire Department Training Center. Later that week -

seeing Louis Wood, a horse whisperer, was pretty neat. We saw a magic show, and had a wonderful annual variety show. And of course, we ate lots of great food, thanks to the cooking talent and generosity of state firefighter locals.

You WON’T want to miss next summer!!

Thoughts from Tim on the 9-11 tragedy

It's a firefighter's nature to help those in need and to provide a last line of defense when disaster strikes. On September 11^th. New York City's bravest responded to the World Trade Center to assist those in need and over 300 firefighters lost their lives.

I am very saddened by the loss of those heroes, but I'm also comforted with the knowledge that, though they gave the ultimate sacrifice and responded to their last alarm, they saved many of the lives of those they were sworn to protect. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the fallen firefighters.

Their legacy will live on. Their sacrifice was a wake up call to the rest of the country that firefighters everywhere, in every city and community, are heroes. I hope that all firefighters do not let their sacrifice have been in vain.

May all of the fallen firefighters rest peacefully in God's hands knowing they 'did good' and they will not be forgotten.

We at the burn camp are blessed to have many of the same heroes who give unselfishly of their time and energy every year. Firefighters from across the state provide friendship in the form of counselors, food, and in times of trouble, comfort and aid to those at camp. I extend a heartfelt thank you to all of the firefighters who have helped with the burn camp in the past, and for all of those who will in the future.

Tim

NOTEWORTHY NEWS

Big news from Lead counselor Laura Dullaghan – she became engaged this summer. Wedding date TBA !!

The Henrico firefighters’ ice hockey team, lead by our very own Hill Almond, played a game to benefit Central Virginia Burn Camp in Richmond right after camp in June. It was an exciting game, and the firefighters beat the police officers. Camper Joey Dickerson was able to attend, and he was given the honor of waving the firefighter’s flag around the hockey rink with each point scored by the firefighters.
The IAFF camp that was scheduled for 1 week in Washington, DC was postponed until the spring. We hope to be able to send camper Tony and counselor Kim then.

And I quote……..”Camp works” – when quiet, shy campers do not speak up at the first day’s opening circle, but feel comfortable speaking to the group at our closing circle! “Camp works!”. When the campers thank their counselors – “Camp works”! When there is not a dry eye amongst all the staff, counselors, and especially the firefighters because of what the campers say at the closing friendship circle, “Camp works!”. When the campers do not want camp to end – “Camp works!’