Do you have fond childhood memories of going off to summer camp, singing songs around the campfire, swimming in the summer sun, making new friends, and getting away from it all? I know I do! For many summers, I attended a summer camp on the west side of the state, and made many great friends and learned some of the funniest songs. But all of this was years before I was diagnosed with Celiac disease. Had I known then about my dietary restrictions, it would be impossible to go.
Thanks to the
Michigan Capital Celiac Support group and the support of their volunteers & other companies, there is now a camp on the west side of Michigan where one can play basketball, go swimming,, ride horses, learn archery, and many other activities that will create life long memories. And the best part is that all foods are gluten-free, prepared in a separate kitchen space and served ina dedicated cafeteria, so no one has to worry about getting sick. They are careful in accommodating other allergens as well. In this way children are allowed to feel normal again!
As we all know, gluten free foods cost more than regular, and we have been blessed that many companies in the gluten free community have donated food towards our camp. Some past donations came from
Shabtai Gourmet,
Earth Balance,
Pamela's,
Kinnikinnick,
Meijer,
Enjoy Life,
General Mills,
Udi's,
Hawk Hollow Simply Free,
Better Batter, Gluten Freeda,
Celiac Specialties,
Choice Batter,
Think Thin,
Ener-G Foods,
Daiya,
Schar,
WOW, and
San-J.
Also, we were blessed from a donation from the
Tim Horton's in Ortonville, MI. We are incredibly grateful to them and to any other companies who would be interested in donating funds to help provide scholarships.
So have I piqued your interest? Want to know more about this amazing camp?
The camp is June 19-25, 2016 . All registrations are being handled by the YMCA Camp Manitou-Lin. The fee is $587 for the week. There are separate online registrations for males and females. If you need financial assistance, there is a form on the camp website to apply for financial assistance. If you do not have money for the deposit required by the camp,
please contact the camp directly to put your child on the list 1 888 909 2267.
Also, the Michigan Capital Celiacs are now applying for grants. If your child or teen wishes to come and will need financial assistance, please let us know so that we know how much to request. Please email Greta at micapceldh@gmail.com for more information.
Labels: Events, Living Gluten Free
