Camp I Am Me accompanied one young adult and three adult burn survivors to California for the annual Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation’s Adult Retreat and Young Adult Summit during the long President’s Day weekend in February.
The host camp was in a spectacular setting for healing being perched on a bluff, above the ocean, where attendees could hear the sounds of crashing waves during their stay.
Young Adults focused on life skills that included preparing for travel, as well as participating in an etiquette dinner. Their theme was Let Your Light Shine.
The theme for the adults was Love. They learned about the many kinds of love from family to friends, to love of humanity. Most important was self-love which led the way in sessions with topics from relationships, advocacy for self, boundaries, grief and loss, gratitude, shame and vulnerability. Every person had a chance to share their story, and space was held by others who shared a similar life experience.
Both the adults and young adults also had time to walk on the beach, take photos of the local wildlife – seals, and checkout a lighthouse.
We thank our burn community partner AARBF for hosting our survivors in a beautiful, engaging, and supporting environment.