Westborough – Through the generosity of the businesses and players who supported its Tricentennial Tennis Tournament last June, the Westborough Lions have purchased a one-week, overnight campership for a Westborough child to attend the Barton Center for Diabetes Education in N. Oxford, Mass. during the summer of 2018.
The child must have Type 1 diabetes, be between the ages of 6 and 16, and must qualify for financial assistance to attend. It is a wonderful opportunity, Lions Club members stated, for a child with diabetes to enjoy a week of summer camp supervised by experts in diabetes management, and to meet other kids sharing the same challenges and to make friends for life.
If the child is a girl, she will attend Camp Clara Barton. There, days are filled with sports activities, arts and crafts, swimming, talent shows, casino nights, Hike to Heck (a mudhole), campfires, an occasional outdoor overnight, dances with the boys from Camp Joslin, diabetes education game shows, boating, hiking, and so much more. Clara Barton Camp sessions are set amidst a beautiful campus featuring beautiful, modernized log cabins that encircle the Barton pond, a state-of-the art health care and conference center, a high and low ropes challenge course (age appropriate), hiking trails, swimming pool, and the historic Clara Barton Birthplace.
If the child is a boy, his days will be filled with sports activities, arts and crafts, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, Hike to Heck, campfires, an occasional outdoor overnight, dances with the girls from Clara Barton Camp, diabetes education, and hiking. Campers are encouraged to participate in both active and less active sports/programs, so they have a well-rounded experience. Camp Joslin is located on a beautiful wooded setting which includes a 20-acre pond, pavilion, 10 camper cabins, health care center, 2 recreation lodges, hiking trails, athletic fields, weight/conditioning room, and a dining hall.
Diabetes education is integral to the camp program and includes formal and fun education sessions and active use of “teachable moments” by staff. Special guests, including professional athletes and performers, many with Type 1 diabetes, are also frequent visitors to the camp.
If your child lives in Westborough, would be interested in attending Camp Joslin or Camp Clara Barton this summer, and might qualify for financial assistance, please contact Lindsay Charest at the Barton Center directly: [email protected], or 508-987-2056 ext. 2003.
To learn more about the Westborough Lions Club, visit westboroughlionsclub.org.
