Camp Kesem — a nationwide week-long experience for children who have had parents affected by cancer — will have its inaugural session in Oregon this summer, thanks in large part to a $10,000 grant from the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s Livestrong Community Impact Project.
“Kesem means ‘magic’ in Hebrew,” University sophomore Lauren Foote said. “We’re a ‘community-sponsored organization’ from Livestrong. We, along with 11 other campuses, were able to start a new branch of Camp Kesem.” @@http://uoregon.edu/findpeople/person/Lauren*Foote@@
In order to start a branch of the camp in Oregon, the Hillel group had to enter a competition run by Livestrong between 40 schools. The contest winners were chosen based on the number of votes their proposals got, and the top 12 schools were awarded the opportunity to start their own Camp Kesem for the upcoming summer. @@http://www.campkesem.org/site/c.jvI0ImN0JuE/b.2466361/k.BD89/Home.htm@@
“We all reached out to family members and people we knew,” University sophomore Dana Helm said. “We made flyers and had a table in the EMU for people to vote. I know as soon as people hear about camp, it always hits home with them.” @@http://uoregon.edu/findpeople/person/Dana*Helm@@
Since receiving the grant, the students have been hard at work recruiting campers both online and at local elementary schools, as well as going over the logistics of putting on a week-long overnight experience.
“There will be some board members there, but the camp is run by students,” Camp Kesem Board Member Suzy Sostrin-Rainer said. “We are there to support the students and facilitate anything they may need from community members.” @@http://www.linkedin.com/pub/suzy-sostrin-rainer/1/133/b81@@
Hillel’s Camp Kesem will be the only one for many children — the next available campsite will be run by the University of Washington. Held at the YMCA’s Camp Collins site in Gresham, the camp will primarily involve outdoor gambits such as horseback riding and archery, as well as more serious activities for the campers to help them cope with the added stress in their lives. @@http://www.campkesem.org/site/c.jvI0ImN0JuE/b.7727515/k.6ECD/University_Of_Oregon.htm@@
“We have an empowerment ceremony at the end of camp,” Helm said. “No campers are forced to say anything, but any camper can go up and share their story, whether about themselves or their parent’s cancer.” University sophomore Emma Patrick also explained that there’s a personal connection for many of the Hillel students involved in Camp Kesem. @@http://uoregon.edu/findpeople/person/Emma*Patrick@@
“Over half of the students that we have involved in Camp Kesem have a parent that’s had cancer,” Patrick said. “We know what struggles and difficulties are involved with that – we know it’s easier to communicate with people who have had similar challenges and obstacles.”
University Hillel receives grant for children’s camp
Will Rubin
April 14, 2012
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