CAMPS WEEK REACHING NEW HEIGHTS!

I was approached by Sue Donoghue with a request to support both Felix and Ollie (Year 8) during their time at camp. Care had to be taken as both students required medical assistance for Cerebral Palsy.

This meant engaging with our medical staff at the Health Clinic and their parents to understand concerns, medication requirements and ensuring they were provided with the best support during camp.

What were your thoughts and feelings about heading into camp this year?

I felt very nervous in the lead-up to camp because I hadn’t been on a camp since Year 4. I thought I might not be able to do the things that other kids could do and be left out. I was excited about being away from my parents and my annoying but cute little sister.

I was nervous but as I learned more about camp, I was excited to have new experiences and wanted to go.

What was your favourite activity at camp? M

My favourite activity at camp was the zipline because it was so much fun. I loved going really fast and taking my hands off the ropes pretty much the whole time.

Learning how to throw a boomerang was my favourite activity, and surprisingly, it came back to me!

What was the hardest thing you tried? What challenged/motivated you?

The hardest thing I tried was the log climbing activity. The climbing part was really challenging because my left side is weaker. But I thought, ‘I’m only here once so I might as well do it.’

The hardest thing I tried was the hiking, but I wanted to prove to people that I can do anything they can. And now I’m going to climb Mt Kosciusko with my family to raise money for the Cerebral Palsy Alliance.

Once on camp it was clear there was no challenge too daunting for either of them. Harnessing them up, we climbed trees, flew across flying foxes and built sky-high in a crate stacking activity.

The cultural immersion was fantastic, learning to throw boomerangs, understanding the use of different tools and being a part of an amazing experience that offered something special for everyone.

We interviewed both Felix and Oliver about their camp experience at Coolendel.

– Melissa Kenney, Services Manager and Boarding House Supervisor

What’s the funniest thing that happened at camp?

The funniest thing that happened at camp was when Mrs Herse rode her bike into a bush and then picked herself up and kept going.

The funniest thing that happened was that I fell in a mud puddle and got unbelievably muddy.

What do you think will stick with you? M

Ziplining and the exhilarating feeling it gave me.

My favourite memories from camp were getting to know everyone better and realising that I climbed a mountain.

How were you brave? M

I was brave on the first night when my friend Ollie couldn’t come to camp and I had to sleep by myself in a tent.

I didn’t need to be brave because I had people around to help me.

What new activities do you want to try at camp next year?

I tried everything but there was no canoeing and I really want to do that next year.

Next year I want to try climbing because I need to be a little bolder.

FELIX’S PARENTS – FIONA & KIT

Like so many other kids, Felix has missed out on going to camp for the last couple of years due to Covid. Felix deals with a chronic liver condition and mild cerebral palsy so there has always been a lot of extra medical appointments and therapy for him. In fact, we think the last camp he attended was in Grade 4! So this camp was a really important one for lots of reasons. It would be the longest time he’s spent away from his family. And as a young teen, there has been a growing need for Felix to assert his independence and a sometimes unhealthy reliance on screens that we aim to break.

We hoped the camp would assist in both these areas and it did! More importantly, we wanted our son to be both safe and happy at camp. Felix has always loved sports and physical activity so we knew he’d get a lot of that!

But his mild disability means that some activities like bike riding and climbing would be extra challenging for him. It was great to have a chat with Alex Thompson and Mel Kenney, who reassured us that Felix would be given every opportunity to participate and that all his medical needs would be met. We really appreciated the fact that Felix’s own bike was taken to camp for him to use by Kevin.

There is no doubt that Felix’s camp experience provided him with a wonderful break from regular school days, from the screen and from his family! He returned with new confidence and was obviously proud that he’d been able to take part in every possible physical challenge. We also feel the experience helped him appreciate that he can start taking more steps towards independence.

OLIVER’S PARENTS - KIMBERLEY AND MARK

We expect Ollie to go on camp, just like every other student. In primary school, Ollie was extremely nervous before camps. He would then always have a wonderful time on the camp. We have learned to support him though his nerves and just get him to camp. Once he’s there, we trust that he will enjoy himself.

This year we had to take him in to camp as he woke up with a cold on the first day and we couldn’t send him on the bus. After giving him time to recover, Ollie and Mark (Ollie’s dad) left at 5:30am on the Wednesday morning to drive to camp and to leave Ollie to join his group for the hike and overnight camp. We think camps are too important for developing independence and for making friends to miss out on. Ollie came home more confident and has loved giving a speech about his camp experiences to Sheaffe. He enjoyed making connections on camp to staff and students.

After doing the hike on camp with his group, Ollie has signed the whole family (Joey year 8 and Ned year 5) and us (Kimberley and Mark) to climb Mt Kosciusko with him and raise money for the Cerebral Palsy Alliance. Now I (Ollie’s mum Kimberley ) have a February 11, 2023 deadline to get fit enough to climb a mountain too!

The Krazy-Kosciusko-Klimb is 10 – 12 February 2023. Scan the QR Code to visit Ollie’s fundraising page and make a donation.