Let’s take it back to our elementary-school years…. For many of us, a summer would not have been complete without a week or more spent in camp. What was not to like about being away from home and being around kids who were just like you? And from that most memorable summer camp experience, we left with much more than we came with: a few fond memories, lasting friendships, and invaluable life lessons that have molded us into who we are today.
For children facing serious illnesses, disabilities, and other life challenges, summer camp gets a little more complicated. Actually, a lot more complicated. Their complex and sometimes life-threatening medical needs require not only a fun and recreational space, but also a medically supportive environment with access to the appropriate healthcare professionals for their needs.
It wasn’t until the creation of Camp Twin Lakes that the state of Georgia was able to host camp programs for children with serious illnesses, disabilities, and life challenges. Camp Twin Lakes provides summer camps and retreats at three fully-accessible and medically-supportive campsites, daycamps, and hospital-based Camp-To-Go programs. Twenty-one years later, it has become a national model for camps serving special populations.
“We make life better for those who make lives better.”
A little more than a month ago, one of our Soliant nurses reached out to us with a cause that is near and dear to her heart. Jill, a Soliant ICU RN, saw an overlap between our rapidly growing team of internal colleagues, the increasing need for volunteers at Camp Twin Lakes, and our mission to “make life better for those who make lives better.”
On Monday, September 8, 2014, ten Soliant Nursing colleagues paid a visit to Camp Twin Lakes and volunteered their time for various activities like cleaning, painting, landscaping, construction, and other beautification efforts around the campsite. In a way, they were able to relive that remarkable childhood camp experience, only this time it was in hopes that Camp Twin Lakes’ children can make their own fond memories in the weeks to come.
Soliant colleagues routinely participate in various volunteer engagements throughout the year. Some of our community service initiatives include collecting goods for Toys for Tots, conducting food drives for various causes, helping build homes for Habitat for Humanity, and serving meals at homeless shelters. But when one of our very own nurses reached out to us about a cause she felt we were aligned with, we knew it was something special, and that we had to do our part to help.
See more photos from Soliant’s Camp Twin Lakes Volunteer Day on our Facebook page!
Click here to learn more about Camp Twin Lakes and how you can help this important cause.
