anyone send their kids to MS weekend camp before?

I am excited to give my kids the opportunity to go to MS Weekend Camp this summer. Basically have all of the information filled in and important ins./shot records attached. Just need to get one form notarized.

My kids are currently 9 and 11, but my daughter will turn 10 in early July (before the camp weekend in late July). She has Anxiety Disorder/OCD, so I was really concerned that she would not want to go. However, it seems that my son is the one who is reluctant to go!

They both watched a video clip from the chapter in the Northwest, just to get an idea of what it may be like, and we showed the camp (online) where they will be staying. They both initially seemed to be really enthusiastic. Now I'm concerned that, if my son doesn't want to go or seems nervous about it, that my daughter will not want to go. He is part of her "safety" net, since they are pretty close in age.

Going to try and see if I can find out if there are any kids in the nearby area (central PA) who have been/are going. I'm hoping that if they can email my son or meet him and talk about it, maybe he will feel more comfortable about it. I truly think it would be a very good experience for the both of them.

Have any of you ever sent YOUR kids to an MS Weekend Camp? Any advice/suggestions would certainly be welcomed!

In an attempt to "bump" this one up, so it isn't lost/forgotten, I am sort of re-posting.

So...anyone?? MS Kids Camp Weekend??? Suggestions?? Advice?? Know anyone in central PA that is also going/has been??? You don't have to list names/addresses/contact info. on here, of course. I think my email address is listed on my account...

Perhaps some of the moderators could help me out with this w/out anyone giving away personal information?

[LisaL77]

I have never heard of the MS weekend camp. My step-daughter is 16 and would not be interested, but I think it's a great opportunity for kids.

[valeriem2220]

I had never heard of MS camp either. It sounds like a great way for the children to get educated and have fun also.
My daughter is 14 and if she weren't so very shy she would probably enjoy something like that.

[lisa1014]

Could you post some information about this camp and if they have them all over the country or what? My boys love to go to overnight camp but I have never heard of this one.

How I Got Information...

I received a postcard-type invitation from the National MS Society (from the central PA chapter). The camp is for kids ages 7-15 who have a parent/legal guardian living with MS. The invitation has the details on it (for this camp), but also says "For more information about this program, to register for this program, or to learn more about multiple sclerosis, visit us online or give us a call" (I think the toll free # on mine is for central PA).

For central PA, the website is pac.nationalMSsociety.org. I'm sure that if you just get on nmss.org (not msworld), you can click on "find your local chapter" and then look under the various links on the left-hand side. That is how I looked for a video or pics of previous ones (but only found it listed as an event).

My dh looked it up online and came across a wonderful video from the Northwest chapter. We used that (and a link to the camp/retreat center being used here) to get our kids excited about it. The video was very nice; wishing central PA had one made, as well. Maybe they will consider making one this summer to promote it better next year. I also did call (the toll free #) and speak with the person who is in charge of our chapter's weekend camp. She was very helpful.

I think you have to have contacted NMSS, at some point, for them to have your mailing address and send upcoming events to you. I also received an invitation to an upcoming local event (special speaker-neurologist- at a restaurant, along with dinner). I invited a friend of mine, who also has MS, to come along with me. She didn't get an invitation, so I'm pretty sure you only receive things like this if you've contacted your local chapter at some time.

Well, I didn't get an answer to MY question, but I hope that I've passed along some information that will be helpful to some of you.

email address in profile, if you know someone going...

Just realized as I was about to log off, that I had a message. Thanks, hunterd, for letting me know about the profile section. It appears that my email address is already listed on there. So...if someone truly knows of any other campers going to the central Pa MS Camp weekend, please feel free to contact me about it via my email.

Otherwise, I'd rather use the message boards for posting information and reading posts. Maybe I'll check out my profile page again, just to see if I want to change my avatar or something.

[ReneeW]

My daughter is going

My daughter will be going this year for hr first time. She is 12. Feel free to message me and maybe they can have a new friend there!