We have been trying to plan a vacation for when school gets out, and the prices are so high. It makes me think of the families that so desperately need a family vacation to spend some fun time together and relax and refresh. We were that family and we couldn't spend much on a vacation as it was much more vital to spend on Alec's care and needs.
So that led us into Martha's room (the resource room at the Jimmy Fund) and we asked Martha if there were free camps for families. We had already done Camp Sunshine which is a great place offering fun and support with many volunteers. the only thing I didn't love was that the kids go into a group for a few hours of each day. I craved a family vacation and breaking up like this was not something we wanted, but we didn't know it was like this until we were there. It turned out ok and we were grateful for this expense free vacation. So I grabbed the papers for another Camp on Cape Cod. It sounded so nice, and no cost. I called the woman who ran it and she told me that we would go horse back riding one day, and to the Cape Cod potato chip factory on another day, a whale watch, the beach and a lake. She said it was like camping but we had nice cabins but no bathrooms or running water in the cabins.
We thought it sounded great for us because we would be together at all times as a family, no breaking off into groups.
Well, it was run by college volunteers on their summer break who were more concerned with hanging out with each other than making sure these kids and families were taken care of.(it was a camp for families with children with serious illness). When it was time to eat, they rang a bell and you had to go quick because they only made so much which was not enough really and once it was gone ...too bad. Alec was on a special diet and Keith asked the lady who cooked if she could make Alec 2 eggs, she said No, if she did for one she'd have to do for all-- mind you there was only 5 families there. So Keith had to drive to Dunkin's which took him 45 min. because we were so far off into the woods. They knew this and still didn't offer to make 2 eggs. There would be no horse back riding and when I asked the woman who told me there would be, she just said Oh we are not doing that this week.. On the day we were waiting to go to the Cape Cod potato chip factory, they took us to the Library instead. We realized it was because the college kids wanted to check their emails and use the computers. We had to shower and use the bathrooms in a general bath house that were filled with Daddy Long leg spiders. ewww.
Cassidy was wanting to play with the counselers which was cutting into my sacred family time. I did not enjoy this place at all, Keith was making the best of it and Cass thought it was great and Alec loved riding in the bus to get to the lake and library, we did have a nice time enjoying the sunset on the beach. I was disappointed. One of the other families said they had gone the year before and it was great, but it was run by a different lady, they agreed that it was lousy this time.
Nicole encouraged me to tell Martha, so other families don't have the same experience as us. I felt ungrateful if I complained as I thought it was mainly me that had a bad time, and it was free...beggars can't be choosers. So I didn't tell Martha. Then one day I was talking to a Mom from Billerica, her son was also a patient at the Jimmy Fund. We were talking about vacations and I told her not to go to Dream Day Camp and she said she knew because they went there and it was awful. She said she was praying the whole time to get her through it! She said she wanted to come home so bad but stayed for the kids. She did complain to Martha and told her how awful it was. I was relieved to know it wasn't just me and next time at the clinic I told Martha how awful that camp was. She said she stopped referring families to it because so many people complained that it was terrible. I should've listened to Nicole and told her right away, but at the time I just didn't feel right complaining about a free vacation. If nothing else it makes us laugh when we talk about Stupid Dream Day Camp, and how they took us to the Library-- how ridiculous.
It also makes me want to help families have a special vacation together who other wise could not afford it.
So if there is anyone or if you know of anyone who has a vacation home, or a time share please consider offering it to a family that desperately needs it, family time is precious and priceless. I can contact Martha who can select a family in need. We have a family that is near and dear to our heart who are Jimmy Fund family, I don't know but I'm sure they would love it.
So that led us into Martha's room (the resource room at the Jimmy Fund) and we asked Martha if there were free camps for families. We had already done Camp Sunshine which is a great place offering fun and support with many volunteers. the only thing I didn't love was that the kids go into a group for a few hours of each day. I craved a family vacation and breaking up like this was not something we wanted, but we didn't know it was like this until we were there. It turned out ok and we were grateful for this expense free vacation. So I grabbed the papers for another Camp on Cape Cod. It sounded so nice, and no cost. I called the woman who ran it and she told me that we would go horse back riding one day, and to the Cape Cod potato chip factory on another day, a whale watch, the beach and a lake. She said it was like camping but we had nice cabins but no bathrooms or running water in the cabins.
We thought it sounded great for us because we would be together at all times as a family, no breaking off into groups.
Well, it was run by college volunteers on their summer break who were more concerned with hanging out with each other than making sure these kids and families were taken care of.(it was a camp for families with children with serious illness). When it was time to eat, they rang a bell and you had to go quick because they only made so much which was not enough really and once it was gone ...too bad. Alec was on a special diet and Keith asked the lady who cooked if she could make Alec 2 eggs, she said No, if she did for one she'd have to do for all-- mind you there was only 5 families there. So Keith had to drive to Dunkin's which took him 45 min. because we were so far off into the woods. They knew this and still didn't offer to make 2 eggs. There would be no horse back riding and when I asked the woman who told me there would be, she just said Oh we are not doing that this week.. On the day we were waiting to go to the Cape Cod potato chip factory, they took us to the Library instead. We realized it was because the college kids wanted to check their emails and use the computers. We had to shower and use the bathrooms in a general bath house that were filled with Daddy Long leg spiders. ewww.
Cassidy was wanting to play with the counselers which was cutting into my sacred family time. I did not enjoy this place at all, Keith was making the best of it and Cass thought it was great and Alec loved riding in the bus to get to the lake and library, we did have a nice time enjoying the sunset on the beach. I was disappointed. One of the other families said they had gone the year before and it was great, but it was run by a different lady, they agreed that it was lousy this time.
Nicole encouraged me to tell Martha, so other families don't have the same experience as us. I felt ungrateful if I complained as I thought it was mainly me that had a bad time, and it was free...beggars can't be choosers. So I didn't tell Martha. Then one day I was talking to a Mom from Billerica, her son was also a patient at the Jimmy Fund. We were talking about vacations and I told her not to go to Dream Day Camp and she said she knew because they went there and it was awful. She said she was praying the whole time to get her through it! She said she wanted to come home so bad but stayed for the kids. She did complain to Martha and told her how awful it was. I was relieved to know it wasn't just me and next time at the clinic I told Martha how awful that camp was. She said she stopped referring families to it because so many people complained that it was terrible. I should've listened to Nicole and told her right away, but at the time I just didn't feel right complaining about a free vacation. If nothing else it makes us laugh when we talk about Stupid Dream Day Camp, and how they took us to the Library-- how ridiculous.
It also makes me want to help families have a special vacation together who other wise could not afford it.
So if there is anyone or if you know of anyone who has a vacation home, or a time share please consider offering it to a family that desperately needs it, family time is precious and priceless. I can contact Martha who can select a family in need. We have a family that is near and dear to our heart who are Jimmy Fund family, I don't know but I'm sure they would love it.
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