Creating memories at the Center for Courageous Kids
ALLEN COUNTY, Ky. – For 20 years, the Center for Courageous Kids in Allen County has served youth, experiencing some of the most difficult challenges someone can face.
From cancer to physical limitations, they specialize in providing a safe and fun camping experience for everybody.
That experience provides opportunities for those kids to try things that they may not have been able to do in the past.
“They’re going to come and meet new friends, they’re going to be able to try new things and build confidence, as well as just gaining independence by being out being out here without mom and dad. And so coming to camp is a childhood rite of passage, and we want to make sure that every child, no matter their diagnosis, has the opportunity to come and do that. And CCK is a place that that we can provide that service,” said Emily Cosby, communications manager with CCK.
The children are not the only ones who benefit, the parents benefit greatly as well. Raising a child with a serious illness or disability can be taxing on a parent’s mental or physical health, and the time that the child spends at camp gives parents their own opportunity to take some time for each other.
“The summer camp experience for the diagnosed child is really important. But the wonderful byproduct of that is the experience that the parents get to have in respite and rest and time away to devote to themselves that we know it’s a hard struggle for parents to get time alone,” Cosby said.
However, none of this would be possible without the staff. From volunteers, to those who donate, running CCK is not an easy feat. It costs around $5 million every year to provide this opportunity for no cost to the families, and that takes a massive effort to continue to provide just that.
Cosby says, “Our team works diligently with each other, the medical team, the program team, all the way to the dining hall and kitchen team, the facilities team, we try to make sure that every decision that’s made on camp is focused on the child’s experience, so that we can keep them here safely and welcome them intentionally so that every kid gets the best experience possible.”
If you would like to volunteer or are interested in a camp experience for your own child, you can click here.
