"Dreams Can Come True" Weekend Family Camp 2010

April 30^th through May 2^nd  was a fun occasion for over 30 CFA families.  That weekend marked the 10^th Anniversary of our “Dreams Can Come True” weekend family camp.  The camp was started in 2000 by Heather Henderson as part of her Girl Scouts Gold Award project. Heather’s hope was to provide children and families with a true camp experience in a comfortable environment with no one asking questions and no stares.  The camp is sponsored by the CFA and is of no cost to our patients and their families.

The festivities began on Friday afternoon at Camp Adahi as families began arriving for a weekend of archery, canoeing, horseback riding, and arts and crafts. Every family was greeted with a warm smile by Donna Henderson, camp director.    The children enjoyed scaling the climbing wall, bouncing in the Astro Jump, taking a hayride, and petting the chinchilla, lizard, and hedgehog brought by the Chattanooga Zoo.  Several volunteers from New Salem Fire and Rescue came on Saturday with a large firetruck for the children to explore. 

On Saturday night, during the traditional bonfire, Heather and Donna Henderson were surprised with beautiful CFA charms presented by Terry Smyth, Executive Director of the CFA, in honor of their years of dedication to the success of “Dreams Can Come True.”  The camp also offers activities for the parents with a “mom-to-mom” and “dad-to-dad” time where parents get together to discuss their journeys, find support, and provide guidance to new craniofacial families.

Thank you to the Henderson family and all of our wonderful volunteers for making “Dreams Can Come True” family camp a place where families want to return year after year.