A week away to spread smiles for seriously ill kids

Children with varying degrees of illness are offered the opportunity to forget their worries over a week of fun and education. Photos: Country Hope.

“The fact that at the end of the camp the kids come up and thank you is amazing because I feel like I should be thanking them.”

That’s how Country Hope camp buddy Simon Barton feels after spending a week away with seriously ill kids from across the Riverina region at their annual “Time Out For Life” holiday camp.

Simon has been a volunteer for the organisation since 2009 and says every opportunity he gets to spend with the kids involved in the program, he jumps at.

“It’s so fantastic to take part in the camp, helping the kids have a great time and expand their minds in a fun way is such an amazing feeling,” he says.

“There are so many ways for the kids to experience things they might not be able to in their everyday life; we’ve got archery, rock climbing, BMX biking and heaps more to take care of the adrenaline side of things.”

But it’s not just the thrill seekers who are welcome to the camp.

This year, the camp will be taking place at Valley Homestead, offering attendees the opportunity to unleash their inner artists.

“The kids can spend their time creating a masterpiece of their choosing which will be displayed at an exhibition at the end of the camp which is something we’ve never done before,” Simon says.

Simon says the camp is designed to be like a school camp but better.

“It’s a bit longer than your average school camp, and you get a bit more freedom in the activities you can take part in,” he says.

“You can do whatever you want to do; you just have to run it by your camp buddies first.”

The organisation is aiming to have one camp buddy for each camper this year.

“Since COVID-19 hit we have had a lot of regular volunteers not come back to participate and we really want to get the numbers up again, especially when it comes to males to make sure the camp is as beneficial as possible for both the buddies and the campers,” he says.

The camp has taken kids all around NSW and Victoria over the years since 2003, from canoeing in Barambola to climbing trees in Bowna, it really is a way for the kids to learn new skills and have an all-round great time.

Simon says the only way the kids can enjoy this week away from their lives dealing with endless appointments and medications is by bringing in more volunteers.

“The camp can’t go ahead without people to give up a few days out of their year to help out these kids,” he says.

To register to become a buddy for the Country Hope Children’s Holiday camp, visit Country Hope.