31 for 21 - Day Nine

Camp PALS
Camp PALS West
PALS Tours

and this upcoming year,

Camp PALS Chicago


A flu bug has got a hold of this Momma, but for today's post, I wanted to start my discussion of a program that is beyond amazing.

My daughters met the founding directors of PALS the summer of 2004 when we were at the National Down syndrome Congress's conference in Minneapolis.

They immediately became friends.  Katrina was the first of my children to get involved in the original program that was PALS [Peer Assisted Learning Support] and became the national director of high school programs.

The next summer she began volunteering as a councilor at Camp PALS.

Two years later when she was old enough to volunteer, Greta became a counselor.

Each summer since they are back at Camp PALS volunteering [and it is the highlight of their year]

Katrina began counseling at PALS Tours the year the program began and now does both Camp PALS and PALS tours.

Greta boarded a plane this summer and headed out to California for the inaugural year of Camp PALS West [and had the time of her life]  So she now volunteers for both Camp PALS Original [East coast] and Camp PALS West.

and this past summer my Otto is now old enough to volunteer........

So I had three of my children at Camp PALS.

My heart swells with such  pride and joy.

Next year Emma Sage will be attending Camp PALS as a camper [we go each year to the dance and she gets to be an 'honorary camper' but not next year.....it is the real deal for her.

So please take a moment to watch this video [and when I am feeling better I will write more about Camp PALS, as it truly is an amazing entity [it is like it has a spirit all its own]

Peace and love,  Tara Marie [who is one sick gal]



P.S.watch for my Greta in this one.