The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

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SIUC camp provides activities, support for young burn victims

Although head counselor Dana MacCrimmon admits Camp II of Touch of Nature is a slightly less rustic setting than previous years, the site still provided campers with much of what Southern Illinois has to offer.

This does not necessarily mean all campers were particularly interested in the offer.

Despite veteran camper Denise Smallwood's claim that she was not scared of animals, her friend, Jaida Cissna begged to differ.

"Yeah right; if we even see a deer, then Denise is running," Cissna laughed.

"Well you better run 'cause they will," Smallwood replied.

Cissna assured her friend that deer will not chase after her, but Smallwood seemed only somewhat convinced. Even five years of attendance at the camp would not strengthen some attendants' relationship with nature. But this does not deter them from attending Camp Adventure each year, a summer camp experience that is about much more than the nature.

This is the ninth year for Camp Adventure, which provides an outlet for local children who have been burned. The camp caters to children 8 to 18 years who reside in Illinois and surrounding states. According to MacCrimmon, the 11 children attending the camp this year are predominantly from the central and Southern Illinois region, with one child residing in Missouri. Yohann Lobo drove six hours from Schaumberg to attend the camp for the first time Sunday.

The camp was started by retired Carbondale firefighter Dennis Palmer who saw a definite need for a summer camp for children who have been burned. According to those involved with the camp, there are few programs like Camp Adventure in a region where the closest care units for burn victims is St. Louis. The camp was created as a means to take advantage of the aesthetic beauty of Touch of Nature while also providing local children with opportunities otherwise only available up north.

The week-long camp, which began Sunday, takes place annually at the Touch of Nature facilities, giving participants the opportunity to take part in outdoor activities such as hiking, canoeing and caving. Campers spend the week in cabins, and, in addition to exploring nature, explore emotions related to their experiences.

"I like all the counselors and the campers and the fact that you get to be around other people who have been burned," said 13-year-old Carbondale resident Terry Jones. "I just talk to other kids about how they got burnt, how they feel and how we feel about it."

Jones, who has attended the camp for four years, was accidently burned while cooking with his father. Although he said he initially had difficulty discussing the incident, he now has no trouble talking about or showing his scars.

"At first, I was a little scared to show them to anyone," Jones said. "But now, I'm not scared to show them anymore."

Counselors such as Heather Moonier said such improvement is common among campers. She said some children initially have difficulty opening up to counselors and other participants, but most find a level of comfort during their stay.

Counselors said they have tried a number of outlets to assist children in opening up including round table discussions and bonfires. According to Teri Abrams, a licensed clinical social worker and board member of Camp Adventure, the bonfire simply was not popular among campers and the round table discussion seemed to make the male campers uncomfortable. She said counselors eventually found that it was best to let campers decide on their own whether they wished to share their experiences.

"I think the best thing was what Dana [MacCrimmon] did and that was to hook up younger kids with older kids," Abrams said. "Cause if you look at the literature, a camp is not a place for research, it's not a place for pointing the children out. It's a place for the children to feel comfortable.

"You know, if they want to tell you the story [of how they were burned], they'll tell you the story. If they don't want to tell you the story, they don't have to. But eventually, they're going to tell somebody the story."

Abrams has experienced the physical and emotional scarring burns can cause. At the age of 6, Abrams was burnt accidentally while playing with her brother. The event was difficult for both Abrams' brother, who felt responsible for the incident, and Abrams, who had to cope with scars she was not able to hide.

"There are a lot of things that unless you meet another burn survivor, you may just think it's your own inadequacies. Then all the sudden, you meet another burn survivor and they say, 'Oh man, I felt that way, too."

Abrams added the socialization opportunities the camp gives not only applies to campers, but also to parents who might not have been around other parents who have had similar experiences.

She said her brother still carries some guilt related to the incident, despite the fact that they were both children when the accident took place. Moonier said she has found during her three years at the camp that parents' primary concerns exist in emotional concerns regarding their children, as well as financial concerns.

All of the counselors agree that dealing with someone who has been burned is not only emotionally trying, but also a difficult task financially. Because of the financial responsibilities that dealing with this entails, MacCrimmon said they would never think to charge for the program.

Sponsors of the camp, mostly firefighters, contact potential participants via e-mail and also through letters while they are staying at burn units such as the one in St. Louis. The camp is free to all visitors and is funded through charity events such as dinner dances sponsored by the fire department.

Although there has been a slight decrease in attendants from previous years, MacCrimmon and others said they would not think of charging children to attend the camp.

"I just think if [parents] saw the place," MacCrimmons said, "or even thought of it as giving themselves a break while doing something good for their kids, it would make a big difference."