Young burn victims attending this year’s “Camp Courage” in Prescott will be greeted their first day of camp with a new pair of athletic shoes, thanks to a generous donation from Kitchell.
The company purchased, sorted and labeled 96 pairs of shoes for the campers, mostly teens, who attend the annual camp. Many of the children are from backgrounds in which new athletic shoes are a luxury. The camp is offered through the Arizona Burn Foundation, part of the Arizona Burn Center at Maricopa Medical Center.
“It’s difficult for us as builders to deal with the intense summer heat in Phoenix, but for burn victims the effects are much more profound, because their skin suffers heightened sensitivity to sunlight,” said Kitchell CEO Jim Swanson. “It’s great that these young kids can go to cooler climates, escape the heat, and just be regular kids.”
Camp Courage gives young burn survivors strength and confidence to face an often unaccepting world, helping their scars “disappear,” if only for a short time. Campers reunite with friends, and make new ones with those who share similar experiences of physical and emotional scarring resulting from severe burn injuries. The program offers activities such as hiking, horseback riding, archery, canoeing, fishing, arts and crafts, rappelling and more. The majority of the children who attend camp are from Arizona. This year there are also four children from Calgary, Canada and two from Hermosillo, Mexico as part of the Sister Cities program.
Kitchell’s focus on safety is built into its culture and values, and the opportunity to make sure the camp attendees had safe footwear was a natural fit. Company representatives loaded the supply truck with the shoes, sunblock and lip balm prior to the kids departing for camp.
The Arizona Burn Center is a nationally and internationally recognized center of excellence providing comprehensive and individualized care for patients and families who suffer from burn injuries. It is Arizona‚s only nationally verified burn center, which means it has met all the requirements to be called a burn center and offer the best and most progressive burn care available in the United States.
