It's All About THE FUN! 

SUBMITTED BY FACES CAMP

After moving from California to Colorado just six months before, eight-year-old Shane and his dad, Shaun, flew across the country last July to attend FACES Camp right outside of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Shaun agreed to be the boys' cabin counselor for the inaugural week of camp for kids with facial differences, and Shane was one of the youngest campers. Some of the FACES campers brought siblings or friends with them, and the camp ran simultaneously with a typical summer camp group. Shaun noticed that the FACES campers were quiet and kept to themselves when they arrived. But as they realized that they were accepted by everyone there, they began to develop more independence and self-confidence. Shaun recalls that, "By the end of the week, the FACES campers were more interactive and playing with all the other kids at the camp." He continues, "They were all talking about coming back the next summer and seeing each other again."

FACES Camp is the brainchild of camp director, Ashley Rhodes, and sponsored by FACES: The National Craniofacial Association. Ashley was born with Crouzon Syndrome and has a son with the same facial anomaly. After college, while she was working at FACES, Ashley formed close relationships with many of the kids and parents that FACES serves, including then four-year-old Gracie Holland who was born with Crouzon Syndrome, like her. Twenty years later, when FACES began to develop the idea for a summer camp, Gracie jumped at the opportunity to help! She was one of three counselors with a facial difference.

ALL SMILES: Opposite page, left to right: Camp counselors M.E., Gracie and Wesley with Camp Director Ashley Rhodes (back row) and FACES camper Olivia. Above, left to right: Campers Brody and Shane with boys' camp counselor Shaun.

Gracie recalls her experience as a counselor with excitement. She took advantage of the leadership training offered by the camp property, which took place six weeks before FACES Camp. She found it to be beneficial and shared what she learned with the other FACES Camp staff members. Gracie says, "I think I have always been a follower, not a leader. I have never been in a position of leadership before camp. As a counselor, I was able to make decisions based on what I knew was best, and I didn't have to ask anyone else. Coincidentally, while I was at camp, I received a job offer to lead an after-school group at an elementary academy." The headmaster at the school was impressed with her willingness to be a camp counselor and her exposure to children with special needs. "When I was growing up, there was no camp like this," Gracie says. "I loved the fact that kids were able to have a camp experience that has nothing to do with medical stuff. It was all about the fun." She continues, "When the kids realized that they could do things that they have never done before, they came out of their shells. And, as they watched the counselors, they saw that they can be leaders, too." Gracie states that "it was a blessing and an honor to be part of something as extraordinary as FACES Camp," and concludes, "I'm definitely going to be a counselor again!"•

FACES camp will take place this year from July 26th through July 31st. For more information and to register, or go to FACEScamp.org

ABOUT FACES CAMP:

FACES Camp is located on 170 acres of beautiful North Georgia woodlands on top of Lookout Mountain. Our summer camp experience provides cabin living, cool evenings around the campfire, creative counselors, new friends, talent/skit nights, and a close family-like atmosphere. Our program features traditional summer-camp activities with an emphasis on nature, outdoor adventure, noncompetitive sports, and more.

FACES Camp is designed for children with any type of craniofacial anomaly such as Cleft Lip and Palate, Apert syndrome, Crouzon syndrome, Pfeiffer syndrome, Treacher Collins syndrome, Goldenhar, etc., as well as accident/burn or disease. The purpose of the camp is to help children with medical needs foster independence by engaging socially with other children experiencing similar medical issues.

Cabin living, cool evenings around the campfire, making new friends, talent/skit nights, drama, dance, arts and crafts, traditional summer camp activities with an emphasis on nature (ie. archery, canoeing, ropes course, zip line, rock/wall climbing, fishing, swimming, etc.), outdoor adventure (field games, hiking, puddle jumping, creek stomping), horseback riding, sports (basketball, volleyball, swimming), and more. Visit facescamp.org to learn more.