Dear friends,
This is the introductory line of a DYF camper’s 4th grade essay. Having attended Bearskin Meadow Camp since the age of 6, Liv is a voice of authority.
In her paper, Liv explains all the reasons she loves camp: It is where she sees older counselors with diabetes, where she can try new and hard things without having to worry about her blood sugar, and “… where kids with diabetes can have fun and not feel different from one another.”
Empowering kids to just be kids is one of DYF’s founding principles. Since 1938, when Dr. Mary Olney took that first group of campers out of the hospital ward and into the wilderness, DYF has been pushing the boundaries of what life with T1D can be.
DYF’s 2022 season provides even more opportunities for growth and adventure. With 21 programs on the schedule, we will welcome more campers this year than ever before. Through every session, participants will learn the invaluable lesson that Liv already knows: with the right support and community, no experience is off-limits with diabetes.
But we need your help! To ensure access to everyone seeking diabetes support, DYF has committed to hold 25% of our 2022 enrollment slots for scholarship attendees. If we reach our goal, we can provide over 200 scholarships this summer that will empower campers like Liv to grow confident with type 1.
Last year, your support enabled 94 participants to attend camp on scholarship. So far, 106 scholarship requests have already been granted for 2022 – a number that increases with every passing day. We need your help to ensure camp is within reach of every individual in need of T1D support.
We need your help to send a kid to camp!
Thank you for your generosity.
Gratefully,
Davey Warner
Executive Director