Challenge Camp 2011

ROTARY CHALLENGE CAMP

Monday16th May to Friday 20th May 2011

Fifteen Rotary International Youth Exchange Students were matched up with nineteen physically challenged local students – and sent to camp for 5 days of challenges and fun.

Campers included those with impaired speech, hearing or sight, and those with muscular and neurological disorders.

The camp was based at Vaughan Park in Long Bay and many of the activities were run next door at MERC. Off-site activities included Rock Climbing; 10 pin bowling; a visit to the Hot Pools and a trip to see the Wheel Blacks practise – and have a go themselves.

The camp was funded by the Rotary groups of Districts of 9910 / 9920 and was, once again, a huge success for everyone involved – including the Rotarians from Waitakere Rotary who were priviledged to run it this year.

We received some absolutely positive feedback about the camp – from both the campers and the IYE students.Several of the IYE students said it was one of the highlights of the year – and the campers were just buzzing.

Amongst our emails were:

Congratulations to Waitakere and Alan in particular for what looks like a spectacularly successful Challenge Camp. This has to be one of the best projects Rotary does, I really hope it keeps going.

Cheers

Toni Alexander

Just a few lines to thank you very much for having Alex at this year’s camp. I have never seen him so exited before – couldn’t stop talking about all the things he did at camp. He loved it, and said he wanted to stay another week!

Thanks for sending the disk with the photos – great to see him participating and doing things he’s always been too scared/unable to do. Just goes to show that he can do these things with help – especially from ones his own age. Seeing other kids trying with their disabilities is encouraging too.

Who decides who attends these camps? is there a possibility he could go again?? He never wants to do anything twice, but is asking if there will be another camp?

Many thanks to all those who give their time to make this all possible and successful.

Kind Regards

Rolien

I hope you have recovered from the Challenge Camp week.

Our students didn’t want to come home!

They had such a good time.

…

Thanks Alan

Jude [Homai]

And a little history…

Waitakere Rotary have now organized the annual Challenge Camp three times in 1982, 1994 and now 2011