Burn survivors from across the province are enjoying summer camp - and lots of water fights - at Paradise Valley's North Vancouver Outdoor School this week.The British Columbia Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund has been helping survivors ages six to 18 for the past 20 years. The camp is set up to build long-lasting friendships between campers and counsellors, who are made up of firefighters, doctors, nurses and adult burn survivors.Brackendale's Haley Auld, 14, has been attending Burn Camp for the last nine years. At 17 months, she accidentally pulled two cups of hot water over her face, arms and chest. Although she was too young to remember receiving second-degree burns on her face and third-degree burns on her chest, she still bears the scars from the worst burns on her chest.She sees how the camp brings kids who have experienced similar traumatic experiences together. "You definitely meet a whole new crowd of people that you'd never meet if you didn't come here," she said. "It's a bonding experience even though you didn't experience it together. You all know what it's like. Some kids are teased so then they have each other to comfort. It's like a family."Auld's favourite part of camp is the river rafting on the Elaho River. The 73 campers are also treated to ATV rides, kayaking, waterskiing and a skit night to name a few of the camp's activities. And, of course, there are the water fights."There's always water fights," she laughed. "You're never dry."Burn Camp Director and Burnaby firefighter Heather Wilson has been with the camp for the last 11 years. She said once a kid comes to camp they return year after year until they reach the age eligible to become a councilor. "A lot of it is that the healing that goes on is being with other people who are the same, who have gone through the same experiences. They don't have to worry about the stares and for one week they can just be themselves." About 40 counsellors and support workers run the Burn Camp and all activities are donated. Although the activities are directed toward the campers, the councilors themselves find that they receive their own personal reward. "It's an amazing circle that happens because as firefighters we go to calls and sometimes they aren't very good," said Wilson. "They'll take the people away who have been burned in a house fire and they go in the ambulance and we never get to see what happens to them. So this type of a thing is really almost just as therapeutic for us because it helps us complete that circle. We see the kids thriving and smiling and happy and having a good time. They carry on."
