camp b.e.t.a. 2019
The third annual Camp BETA was held on September 14 & 15, 2019 at the SIU Touch of Nature Environmental Center. The overnight camp was attended by 26 boys and girls ages 9 - 16 with Type 1 Diabetes. The kids enjoyed all of the staples of camp life including arts & crafts, campfire songs, fishing, horseback riding, and zip-lining!
Volunteers and Touch of Nature staff were excited to see several returning campers, but for many of these children, this was their first overnight camping experience. Even though they only stayed one night, it was clear that the campers had formed a bond with their counselors from the SIU-C Dietetic Internship Program (and students from the SIU-C Therapeutic Recreation and Psychology programs as well) that will last all year!
The camp concluded with two key note speakers and meet-and-greet for the parents followed by a graduation ceremony for the campers. Invited to speak this year were Karla Fehr from the SIU-C Psychology Department, and Lizzie Kurowski, a St.Louis Area Lawyer and Type 1 Diabetes advocate (and a Type 1 Diabetic herself!).
Camp BETA is a collaboration between Southern Illinois Healthcare, the Diabetes Today Resource Team and the SIU Touch of Nature Environmental Center with sponsorship from the Carbondale Lions and Foresight Energy among others. The camp's continued success can be attributed to the hard work of many community members, parents, students, nurses, dietitians and volunteers.
