We recently received this kind note from the mom of one of our campers… read on to see what kind of impact Camp Sunshine has had on this remarkable young man.

Dear Camp Sunshine,

The unbelievable profound impact Camp Sunshine has had on these wonderful children I think is underestimated. Josh has been attending Camp Sunshine since he was 4. We went to Family Camp until they finally threw us out after 4 or 5 years (just kidding). It was the glue at the most difficult time in our lives that helped us keep it together. Even my husband who usually is not one for groups of people came to that first camp and couldn’t wait to come back each season. We chose not to participate in the circle groups of parents baring their souls, but never felt like we were lesser because of it. We dealt with it in our own way. We had fabulous weekends making crafts, fishing, panning for gold, fishing golfing, fishing eating and fishing. There was no TV, food was prepared and no clean up was required. Massages, I lived for the massage, thank you for them.

Then it was time to send Josh to summer camp. His first year, while not on therapy any longer, he had about 15 stiches in his head from a horrific fall in a pool in Florida. I worried not for his safety, but for the stiches to bust open and for him to not to wear his ear plugs. As the years progressed I never ever worried about him, I just missed him like a hole had been ripped out of my heart for a week. I had a brief experience of what my life would be like without my child. It was awful. I knew he wouldn’t shower everyday, wore his swim trunks to bed, slept in his contacts one time the whole week, got off the bus wearing a karate suit another year!

Then came Teen Camp. You wouldn’t have thought it would make that much of a difference for a child who has been attending summer camp since age 7, but not so. This second year at teen camp was an amazing experience for Josh. It was the equivalent of an epiphany! He came home from camp so much more excited, with so much more to tell, had so much more fun. He was floating on cloud 9 for a week after. He told me multiple times he wished he was still at camp. It took him a couple of weeks to even talk to some of his regular home friends as he just couldn’t make the connection. He would say they just don’t understand like my camp friends. He really ‘got it’ this year. The connection that these kids have that no one else can understand. They are from all kinds of back grounds, race, religions, interests but they all get each other. They understand without having to explain a thing. He loves these boys like brothers. I quit looking at summer camp pictures at work as I would be in tears – I could feel the love and joy radiate off the screen. The counselors have an amazing dedication and I can’t wait for the time when Josh, Shelby and I will hopefully be counselors ourselves to experience this joy these kids radiate first hand. I truly believe the experiences he has had at camp have shaped him to be the wonderful young man he is turning into. His willingness to except anyone regardless of appearance, background, ethnicity are evident in the recognitions he has received in school. Last year he received the 2011 Citizenship Award, and just this week received the ‘Tiger Award’ for enthusiasm for learning, putting forth the extra effort of doing a great job and demonstrating a willingness to help others achieve. I believe Camp Sunshine has had a very big impact on his life. I thank you, thank you, thank you. While I am so glad to have a cancer survivor, I am thankful to have a cancer survivor who is an amazing person inside and out. Please share this with all your staff, counselors, board members as I want to thank them and believe you all deserve commendation for running a truly life changing amazing program.

Will all my heart,

Sally, mom of Josh

Today’s guest poster, Kelli Hopkins, is a longtime friend of Camp Sunshine. Her daughter, Michala, was diagnosed with angiosarcoma when she was just a baby. Their whole family participates in Camp Sunshine’s year round programs, including our Spa Sydell Nights at Camp Sunshine House.

With joyful tears my heart knows exactly how to express what Spa Sydell night at Camp Sunshine means to our family. Putting it into words may be another story.

Anyone who has a cancer diagnosis in their family knows that it never goes away. With each bump, bruise, cold or cough there comes wonder & worry. No place to escape that wonder & worry? So not true! Camp Sunshine house is just that. An escape. A safe haven. Now combine that with Spa Sydell. What a perfect combination.

Driving the hour there we talk about which services we will choose. We wonder who will be there and of course what we are going to have to eat. The closer we get the more the anticipation builds. We are greeted at the door with smiles and hugs. We are welcomed into this world where it’s ok to put our guard down and be us.

We sign up for services and as we sit down the layers of stress being to peel away whether by another parent, a camp volunteer, the staff, laughter of a child or Sydell herself. I remember the first time I met her. I was so blown away by this tiny beautiful woman. In awe of how she is able to walk around with the huge heart that she has to have to provide all this for us.

As the night goes on and services are being done you hear others or even yourself say oh wow. For those few hours we are inside safe from all that harms, to be comforted and rejuvenated to once again face the world of uncertainty.

As we walk out the door we are standing a little taller, stronger and definitely more relaxed. Thank you Camp Sunshine! Thank you Spa Sydell!!!!

Camp Sunshine has a Teen Council that helps us makedecisions and plan certain aspects of camp and other programs. To join the Teen Council, teenage campers must write an essay about camp. Today, we’d like to share with you one of these essays by Justin Markowitz of Cabin 14!

Camp is a unique place.  From the waterfronts to the dining hall, to the playing fields, Camp offers a unique atmosphere.  Camp Sunshine, at a glance, is like any other camp – with boys and girls running around participating.  But, at a deeper examination, Camp Sunshine is so much more.  I used to see Camp as the above description; however, as I have matured, my view as well as changed.  I no longer see Camp as the playground I formerly had.  Camp, to me, is a place to help others and even yourself.  Camp provides the setting for campers to confide in other cancer patients and survivors, and is the basis for growth and development of strong and supportive character.

Camp is the opportunity for children (who can rarely leave their house for anything but chemo) to get out and have fun.  To see kids in such a condition having fun makes Camp worth it in itself.  The opportunity to attend Sunshine is truly a privilege for me.  The fact that for an entire week campers have everything free of charge is an inspiring and touching notion.  Overall, to me Camp is one of the most special places in existence.  Camp Sunshine allows you to act like yourself without judgment, to help those in need while giving back, and even help some less fortunate than most.  Camp is a great place, and I would be honored to be a part of Teen Council and make it even better.

Campers and volunteers enjoy a training day with the FBI

Today, the adventure continues with a thrilling visit to the FBI, Carmine’s Italian Restaurant, and the Marine Barracks Parade.

It’s Friday, May 6th …and that means only one thing on the Camp Sunshine D.C. trip: A day of action & adventure with our friends out in Quantico, Virginia at the FBI Academy. We begin our day with a ‘briefing’ in the Admin Conference 1 in the academy training center… and by briefing I mean an introduction to our hostess for the day. A longtime Camp Sunshine friend and former volunteer, Lisa welcomed us and gave us a rundown of what our day would include.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) would be playing as our collective instructor & demonstrator for the day. So our motor coach was escorted deeper into the Academy’s training ground. As we lumbered through the areas where new recruits would perfect their firearms training and passed the hangers where the tips of specially outfitted “huey” helicopters peeked out – teasing the adventure-hungry campers & counselors alike, we finally arrived to the HRT training facility on the grounds. We were greeted by another set of FBI agents, broken down into three smaller groups and accompanied off the bus. As the three groups stand together for a short while outside the bus, the sound of a jet engine and the thumping of those helicopter blades we saw earlier perked our ears and turned our heads.

In a matter of moments we had a FBI “huey” hovering 40-some-odd feet of the ground directly ahead of us with a small team of HRT agents repelling by hand & foot down ropes to the grass-covered berm graded to simulate a number of surfaces that HRT agents would expect to find in the real world. Oh… and these five agents were not alone. A four-legged agent by the name of Billy was harnessed in and enjoying the ride down with his handler, FBI Special Agent …oh wait. I can’t give you his name. That’s classified. Not really. This blogger is suffering a memory lapse at the moment. At any rate, Billy, the HRT canine is specially trained to bring down suspects and other armed or unarmed ‘‘bad guys” with his incredible speed, agility and, of course, BITE! We enjoyed a nice demonstration of just how quickly Billy accomplishes his duty while another HRT agent, dressed in a well-constructed canvas & wool plush-like suit ran for his life. “Get him, Billy!” we all shouted as commanded by Billy’s handler. Within seconds, our lovable, huggable HRT canine had wrestled his “target” to the ground. Awesome!

“Awesome!” was a sentiment that would echo around amongst the three groups that day as each division of our large group was invited to take part in three separate activities before we would break for lunch. The FBI, and the HRT guys especially, allowed us to take turns on their climbing wall housed in one of the helicopter hangers.
Another activity they had arranged for us was a small paint-ball range where three stations were set-up to replicate three of the possible positions from which agents in the field would need to engage their targets – crouched behind cover (like a dumpster or small wall); prone or lying down on your stomach (minimizing how much of your body is exposed to enemy fire); AND “in the open” because sometimes the terrain & environment gives you no other choice but take on the enemy without protection.
And finally, the HRT agents allowed each camper to take on the paper terrorists in a maze of rooms while armed with a modified M4-Commando sub-machine gun and a magazine full of “Simunition.” This was a ballistic-fired paint pellet that gave the agent/camper a closer feel for the weight and ‘action’ of a firearm in close-quarters room-to-room raid combat.

After a long morning of training for roles in an action movie, the FBI Academy then hosted us in their own cafeteria for lunch…and while cake and/or soft-serve ice cream might have satisfied the end of a mid-day meal, the real dessert was outside the commissary and over in the firing range. Campers & counselors alike were treated to a firearms exposition on the four weapons most commonly associated with general field work as an FBI agent. We actually were able to fire 30 rounds with one of the four weapons, a modified H&K Mp5 9 millimeter. As each camper left the ‘classroom’ area with their ear-cover & eye protection on properly to enter the firing range, they were greeted by one of five FBI agents specially trained in these firearms. Some left the room with looks of slight nervousness, but came back from the range with grins from ear-to-ear. After unloading over 900 rounds (that’s fancy for “Bullets”) into the poor unsuspecting cardboard targets, there was time for a quick photo with our FBI friends from the range, then it was back onto the bus – bound for the hotel.

Brief ‘down’ time awaited us before heading out to Carmine’s for a family-style Italian repast. Incidentally, it was voted “Best Dinner of the Whole Trip” by at least five campers & ALL FIVE male counselors …at last count. While we’re not exactly Zagat-paid critics, satisfying the varied tastes of our small army of young cancer survivors & chaperones was a tough mission; accomplished. With super fresh ingredients and authentic home-made dishes like the pomodoro & chicken marsala not to mention a garlic bread so good, it’s probably used as the currency in some small Italian villages near Trieste – needless to say, Carmine’s hit the spot.

After rolling out of the restaurant – almost literally – we made our way to the Marine Barracks of D.C. for the parade they host each Friday night in the summer months. We were seated directly on the lawn, no excuse me, the “parade deck” for an incredible view of the show. The President’s Own Marine Corps Band as well as the Commandant’s Own Marine Drum & Bugle Corps performed with incredible marching precision & musical virtuosity. A concert division of these bands took center field (?) and performed some amazing John Philip Sousa marches and to ensure that the threatening skies would hold back their shower, since we were outdoors, this division of the bands played brass, woodwind & percussion version of the show tune, of sorts; “Don’t Rain on my Parade” from Barbara Streisand’s motion picture, Funny Girl.

Musicianship is one thing, but these guys -meaning the Marines- are the ones for whom the phrase “military precision” was coined. For up next was a 30-minute display of just such exactitude with the U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Patrol (SDP). This is the world famous white gloved, rifle spinning team of gentlemen who complete complicated marching patterns all while manipulating & twirling their glistening firearms in perfect synchronization. Oh and this was fascinating to find out, they truly are the Silent Drill Patrol because the execute all these moves in perfect silence with out uttering a single command or following a cadence. the only thing you hear is the rhythm of the rifles noise as they whipped from one position to another while under complete control of the officer. It was a truly patriotic and awe-inspiring parade.

It was in a far less synchronized marching pattern that we all returned to the bus to call it a night and rest ourselves for our appointment at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue the following morning.

Part Four, the final installment, takes the campers on a tour of the White House, to the Vietnam Memorial, the Museum of Natural History, the Hard Rock Cafe and Ford’s Theatre!

Today, Vinnie recounts meeting with lawmakers, touring the Capitol, and visiting several monuments… along with that visit to Hamburger Hamlet!

7:30 a.m. Thursday morning came almost a little too quickly.

…but, we’re here to take as much in of our nation’s capital as we can so, after a continental breakfast, it was onto the bus and off to the capital.

We arrived to the steps to the Senate side of the Capitol and were met not only by Kate from Senator Chambliss’ office, but also by an 11Alive news crew covering the latest developments and to land some time with our senior Senator from Georgia. Our Atlanta news crew took the opportunity to get some on-camera comments & insights from our own Clint Tyler about what Camp Sunshine.

Clint recalls how neat it was to be interviewed on the steps of our nation’s capital, “You know you’re important when the press wants to speak with you before speaking to a Senator.” Soon thereafter, Senator Chambliss welcomed us with some remarks about his work on the “Gang of Six” and as Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee and, of course, how he and his colleagues plan for and look forward to hosting Camp Sunshine each year in D.C. We then sat for some photographs with the senator and were introduced to Representative Robert Woodall from the 7th congressional district in Georgia.

Our official tour of the Capitol was next. It was after getting through security and navigating a circuitous route through some of the back hallways of the Capitol that we rendezvoused with our official United States Capitol tour guides. For this blogger, what came next was nothing short of inspirational. A 13-minute motion picture vignette & narrative served to acquaint foreign visitors with and reaffirm for us citizens, the strength of our nation’s principles & ideals of a representative & deliberative democracy.

E pluribus, unum … “Out of Many, One”

We then began our tour of the Capitol – beginning with an elevator ride up a few levels to start us out underneath the nine-million-pound cast iron dome of the rotunda. No, seriously. Among the amazing facts our guide shared, the first few of impressive measure were the engineering statistics of the construction and reconstruction of the Capitol. Ah, and did you know this? the “Freedom” statue atop the dome weighs 15,000 pounds.

For its seeming brevity, it was quite an in-depth tour that culminated in a rare & intimate audience with Senator Chambliss for lunch. While Senator Chambliss hosted us, other distinguished members of both the House & Senate dropped in to visit, share some of what they’ve been working on and taking questions from the campers. Representative Lynn Westmoreland & Senator Johnny Isakson were two of our delegation who paid a visit during our lunch.

With 30 full stomachs, next stop: the Supreme Court building. It was about 3:30 p.m. when we were ushered into the courtroom and seated in the gallery for the Supreme Court of the United States for a 30-minute overview of the Supreme Court room, the building and the justices. We learned that, due to the overwhelming consideration and deliberation that takes place, the 9 justices sitting on the bench of the highest court in the land is only able to take on or issue verdict on only 80 or so of the 8,000 cases that are elevated to their court each year. Another fun fact: the Supreme Court is NOT ACTUALLY the highest court in the land. There’s a full size basketball court built immediately above the very courtroom we visited.

The Jefferson & FDR Memorials were both stops that would help round out our first full day of sight-seeing in our nation’s capital. Our tour guide’s unmatched mental repository of interesting tidbits included the interesting efforts the sculptor, Rudolph Evans, took to accurately capture the detail in, among other things, Jefferson’s calf muscles. Jefferson was known for having quite fit calf muscles – an attribute that was admired among the ladies of 1780’s early America …as well as in Paris, as Jefferson succeeded Benjamin Franklin as ‘America’s Minister’ to France.

The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial was a fascinating combination of a stoic stone edifice & an inviting arboretum while leveraging both the calming & raging powers of water in a handful of hydro-features throughout the single-level outdoor exhibit. These four thematic yet dramatically different water features were meant to convey and evoke the emotional climate of his terms as United States President – from the solemness of the Great Depression to the fury of the foray thrusting the U.S. into World War II.

A fun & loose dinner at the District’s own Hamburger Hamlet gave us just the fuel we needed to take in some of those monuments & memorials we missed on night one. An evening stroll through the Korean War Memorial as well as nice long visit to the Lincoln Memorial capped off a whirl wind day of unique access & inside glances of Washington D.C.

In Part Three, Vinnie takes us on an adventure with the FBI in Quantico, Virginia! Please be sure to check it out!

Today we begin a four-part series of blogs by former camper and current Camp Sunshine volunteer, Kevin “Vinnie” Skelly, who spent last week touring Washington D.C. with a group of Camp Sunshine junior and senior campers. Thank you so much to Vinnie for sharing his experience with us!

The sunshine of an early Wednesday afternoon in May helped welcome 20 campers & 10 counselors into the skies and escort us from Atlanta to Washington D.C.

Camp Sunshine’s annual trip for teens to our nation’s capital was underway. We 30 ‘Sunshiners’ landed at Ronald Reagan International Airport around 6:30 in the evening, just as showers had left the area and the colors of a late spring afternoon were emerging in the greater Potomac area. Another example of how Camp brings the Sunshine wherever it goes.

We were greeted by our long-time Camp friend & D.C. tour guide, Linda Mason. Arriving to our hotel, we had just enough time to grab a pizza dinner and drop our luggage in the rooms. Linda and our bus driver, John then endeavored to show us a few significant monuments at night. Crossing the Potomac River from Rosslyn, Virginia, we were greeted by a gracefully lit Lincoln Memorial directly ahead of us. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts drifted off to our far left as we joined Independence Avenue to take in evening glances of the George Washington Monument on a first of what would be several passes by for our trip.

Motoring further east on Independence Ave, Linda drew our attention to just some of the Smithsonian Museums that flank the National Mall. National Museum of African Art, The Air & Space Museum and the National Museum of the American Indian were just a few that we got a glance at during our evening jaunt. The first evening in D.C. wrapped up with an attempt to see the World War II Memorial that would have to be rescheduled due to some heavier than planned for tour bus traffic. It was back to the hotel for some much-needed rest.

…at this point we’re hoping to sleep fast & sleep well because our Thursday morning meeting with Senator Saxby Chambliss would be here before we know it.

Join us tomorrow for Part 2, when the campers visit the Capitol, several monuments, and Hamburger Hamlet!