For nearly three decades, children from Pennsylvania and surrounding states living with or affected by HIV have been traveling to Camp Dreamcatcher in Kennett Square to play – all free of charge, writes Colin Deppen for The Morning Call.
Here they can ride boats and horses, race go-karts on sprawling campgrounds, swim, attend concerts, make crafts, and more, all while bonding with each other and camp volunteers.
Taj Brown, a counselor, has been there since the beginning.
“I went the first year, and it was incredible,” said Brown. “I experienced a community of volunteers from every walk of life … everyone sort of drawing on their areas of expertise to create a world where these kids could really just be normal kids.”
Since launching at the height of the 1990s stigma surrounding the virus, the camp has supported thousands of children and, in some cases, has been a part of families for generations.
“We have the children and grandchildren of some of our original counselors,” said Brown. “There are also kids who were there in our first years who are now counselors themselves.”
Read more about Camp Dreamcatcher in Chester County in The Morning Call.
______
