TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

A camp that cares a lot

ADVERTISEMENT

By JOYCE McKENZIE

jmckenzie@tampatrib.com

Published: July 1, 2009

UNIVERSITY AREA - Alexis Perdue found it hard to fall asleep at night.

"You're just so excited," said the 11-year-old.

Alexis was relating to her experience last week during Camp Care A Lot for kids ages 8 to 10 with orthopedic disabilities. Provided at no cost to the children's families, the weeklong sleepover was funded by special donors, organized through Shriners Hospitals for Children-Tampa and held at Rotary's Camp Florida in Brandon.

The five-day session featured swimming, fishing, scuba diving, canoeing, archery, arts and crafts and storytelling. Housed in onsite cabins, the children also had continuous access to an infirmary on the campgrounds staffed with Tampa Shriners hospital medical professionals.

Shriners' public relations director Beth Demas said the camp is in its 14th year and draws children from throughout Florida and southwestern Georgia.

"You get to interact with lots of kids, and you're never bored," Alexis recalled of her experience. "The campfire where everybody told their names and a storyteller came was really, really, really fun, but canoeing is the most fun."

With the guidance of an area YMCA instructor, Alexis even learned how to swim, a sensation she said "feels incredible and like there's a whole new world out there."

Demas said while in the pool each child is matched with an adult who is charged with keeping a keen eye on the youngster. A lifeguard is also always on duty.

Kass Pilczuk, a New Tampa YMCA swimming coach, returned for the third consecutive year to give kids who were willing free lessons.

"It's really kind of fun because they want to learn so badly," she said.

Brianna Roberts, 10, of Tampa was one of Pilczuk's success stories.

"Once I got wet I was usually bored," Brianna said "So this being able to swim makes it a lot more fun."

Volunteers who use vacation time to assist with the children and coordinate activities throughout the week include associates from Kohl's department store, Shriners and hospital staff.

"We even have former campers who come back to donate their time as counselors," said Demas, who learned about the Brandon camp as a guest at a Temple Terrace Rotary Club meeting several years ago. "Before that, we held the camp at the hospital."

Alexis' new friend, Leigh Dittman, 9, of Lutz, was among the 20 attendees, all first-timers at the camp.

"Thanks so much to Shriners and to all the other people for giving us this time to meet new friends," she said. "I liked shooting BB guns with Tanner a fellow camper on the gun range, and I also really liked going boating."

With the e-mail addresses and phone numbers she collected, she plans to stay in touch with them and hopefully "arrange play dates."

Camp counselor Lindsay Wagner, a recent Ball State University graduate and a summer intern in the child life department at the Tampa hospital, said she was grateful for the opportunity to help out.

"I think seeing the kids interact with each other and develop friendships is very important," she said. "They have something in common to where they can relate and create lifelong friendships."

Camper Zach Woodke, 10, of Brandon said he didn't know Camp Florida existed even, though it is not far from where he lives.

"I'm glad I found out because camp has been so much fun," Woodke said. His favorite activities were swimming and canoeing.

Isaiah Derisme, 9, of La Belle, characterized his experience as "cool" because he got to do lots of fun stuff.

"I even caught a bluegill, but I threw it back in," he said.

Reporter Joyce McKenzie can be reached at (813) 731-8026.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT