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By Richard Lyres
Special to the Rappahannock News
Since 1983, volunteers from Rappahannock County, led by the Lion’s Club with the support of many local businesses and restaurants, join together to put on a “Rappahannock Night” for about 100 children with cancer at a summer camp near Front Royal. Camp Fantastic is sponsored by Special Love, a Winchester organization devoted to making life as happy as it can be for children who are being treated for cancer.
Camp Fantastic—held each year on the spectacular grounds of the 4-H Center near Front Royal high in the Blue Ridge Mountains—provides classes, recreation, theme parties, campfires and other exciting activities for 7 to 17-year-old cancer patients. A full medical staff from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) also are on site to provide medical treatment, medicine, and counseling where needed. Children attending this camp come from Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
What makes this camp unique is its effort to provide children with cancer an opportunity to step back from the seriousness of their disease and enjoy the bonds of friendship with other children who share similar experiences. What makes it fun and “fantastic” are the many activities organized to lighten the kids’ burdens and provide them a brief moment of fun, games, good food, and companionship that might in fact help them recover more quickly. It does wonderful things for the volunteers as well—ask anyone!
The organizers chose a Rainforest-Jungle theme for this year’s festivities. Gift bags with toys and games were given to the children. And dancing by the children and staff counselors went on until the wee hours, thanks to the rhythm and the beat provided by the Blues Fuze band.
Volunteers are always welcome and one can contact the Rappahannock Lions Club for further information. Those who would like to make donations to the sponsoring organization, Special Love, can find a link on their website, www.speciallove.org or write the organization at their headquarters at: Special Love, 117 Youth Development Court, Winchester, VA 22602 l phone
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