Camp Courage offers opportunities for children with disabilities : article July 27 2011

Mercedes Miller was already in swim garb, waiting outside the cabins to go swimming.

“At first I was nervous — very nervous,” she said. “I didn’t think I’d fit in.”
By day two of Camp Courage, all doubts had vanished, because she was having so much fun.



Ask anybody — counselor, volunteer, camper or visitor — and they’ll say the same thing: The people at Camp Courage become extended family.

The camp is an opportunity for 6- to 18-year-olds with physical disabilities to come to Western Illinois Youth Camp, participate in different activities and all be on equal ground.

New children attended this year, including 13-year-old Mercedes, daughter of John Miller and Kahla Schwalb. Mercedes’ best friend, Kayte Knous, the daughter of J.C. and Loree Coats, has attended for 11 years.

Mercede’s favorite part is the arts and crafts and swimming.

“You have people around all the time helping you,” she said. “It’s nice to know there’s someone there to help you.”

Being away from home for a week isn’t a problem for either of the girls.

“When I was little, sometimes I’d miss my Mom a lot, but I’ve gotten over it,” said Knous, who is 18.

Brandy Foiles, 27, a resident of the Mary Bryant Home for the Blind in Springfield, had her bags packed a week early and was up by 3 a.m. the day of camp.

“We haven’t seen each other for a year,” she said. “I count down the days.”
Foiles isn’t alone, either.

Katy Clark is a fourth-year counselor who made signs for the cabin doors with the children’s names and pictures to correlate with the Enchantment Under the Sea theme this year.

“It’s good to see all the kids and how much they’ve changed and grown,” she said. “I look forward to it every year.”

This year’s camp was dedicated to the memory of Dean Henneberg, 37, of Jerseyville, who died earlier in the year, volunteer Vicky Dover said. He attended Camp Courage since he was 7.

“The kids are dealing with it very well,” Dover said. “They definitely miss him. We know his absence is here.”

A small group met about three weeks ago to hold a ceremony in remembrance of him, Foiles said. It culminated with a dance, because the camp dance was Henneberg’s favorite part of camp.

The camp is entirely dependent on donations from the community, Dover said.

It doesn’t take long to see how important it is for the children, especially when it ends on Friday evening and everybody “goes through a box of Kleenex,” Dover said.

“You come out to this camp as a whole person, but you leave something behind,” she said.“That’s your heart. You love everybody and need that from everybody. These kids need this camp.”

Volunteer David White agreed.

“I’ll definitely be back next year and the year following,” he said. “Spend 20 minutes with them and you’ll find out. You’ll laugh with them and they’ll tease the heck out of you."

# As posted by the Journal-Courier, reporter JAKE RUSSELL, July 27 2011