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>> THIS SUMMER A VERY SPECIAL CHILDREN'S CAMP IS MAKING DREAMS
COME TRUE FOR MANY KIDS IN NORTH CAROLINA.
HEATHER BURGISS RACES ON DOWN TO RANDLEMAN TO VISIT THE VICTORY
JUNCTION GANG CAMP FOR CHILDREN WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES.
IT'S A CAMP INSPIRED BY NASCAR'S PETTY FAMILY, WHERE CHILDREN
HAVE A WEEK WHERE THEY ARE FREE TO BE THEMSELVES.
>> IT'S THE SEVENTH YEAR OF CAMP FOR EMILY HILLIARD.
>> YEAH!
>> I LOVE HORSES.
I'VE ALWAYS WANTED A HORSE OF MY OWN.
>> FOR EMILY, THE VICTORY JUNCTION GANG CAMP IN RANDLEMAN
IS A SAFE HAVEN OF FUN WHERE SHE FEELS COMFORTABLE AND KNOWS HER
FRIENDS UNDERSTAND WHERE SHE'S COMING FROM.
>> I CAN BE MYSELF.
NO ONE REALLY CARES THAT WE'RE DIFFERENT HERE.
AND WE CAN DO THE ACTIVITIES THAT EVERYDAY KIDS CAN DO.
LIKE THEY FIND A WAY FOR US ALL TO DO THEM, AND THAT'S REALLY
COOL.
>> SINCE 2004, THE NONPROFIT VICTORY JUNCTION GANG CAMP HAS
SERVED UP LIFE-CHANGING CAMPING EXPERIENCES FOR CHILDREN AGES 6
TO 16 WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES.
>> THIS IS PROBABLY THE ONE WEEK OUT OF THE WHOLE YEAR THAT I CAN
FEEL LIKE OTHER PEOPLE CAN RELATE TO ME.
LIKE PEOPLE CAN RELATE TO ME WHEN I'M AT HOME, BUT PEOPLE
REALLY CAN'T, BECAUSE THEY NEVER KNOW WHAT IT'S BEEN LIKE.
AND I LIKE TO MAKE FRIENDS WHO KNOW WHAT THAT'S BEEN LIKE.
AND IT'S KIND OF HARD TO DO THAT BACK HOME.
>> EACH WEEK IS DISEASE SPECIFIC, AND THE CAMPERS COME
FREE OF CHARGE.
>> A LOT OF THEM THINK THEY'RE THE ONLY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WHO
HAVE THAT AFFLICTION.
WHEN THEY GET HERE, THERE'S ANOTHER 120, 125 KIDS JUST LIKE
THEM.
SO I THINK THEY JOIN THE WORLD, OKAY.
AND THEN WHEN THEY COME HERE, THEY DO THINGS HERE THAT THEY'VE
SEEN THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, SEEN PEOPLE DOING ON TV, THAT
THEY'VE NEVER DONE.
>> NASCAR RACING LEGEND RICHARD PETTY HAS A LOT RIDING ON JUST
HOW MUCH FUN THESE KIDS CAN HAVE.
THAT'S BECAUSE THE CAMP BEGAN AS A WAY TO HONOR HIS GRANDSON,
ADAM, WHO BEFORE HIS TRAGIC RACING ACCIDENT, WANTED TO
CREATE A CAMP IN NORTH CAROLINA TO HELP CHILDREN IN NORTH
CAROLINA.
>> IF HE HAD STAYED, SOMETHING WOULD HAVE HAPPENED.
SO IT'S REALLY ADAM'S CAMP FROM THE PETTY STANDPOINT.
>> THE 86 ACRES FOR THE CAMP IN RANDLEMAN WERE DONATED BY THE
PETTY FAMILY.
>> I THINK IT JUST OPENS UP A WHOLE NEW WORLD.
WHEN YOU REALLY GET DOWN TO THE WHOLE DEAL, THEY'RE HERE FOR A
WEEK, AND THEY ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF IT, AND IT'S SOMETHING
THEY'LL NEVER FORGET.
BUT I THINK THE BIG PART, AFTER TALKING TO A LOT OF THE PARENTS
AND A LOT OF THE DOCTORS AND NURSES AND STUFF, IS WHEN THEY
GET BACK HOME, THERE'S A DIFFERENT WORLD TO THEM.
>> AND FOR MANY, A NEW WORLD OF FRIENDSHIPS THEY NEVER THOUGHT
POSSIBLE.
>> SOMEHOW IT JUST WORKED OUT WITH ME AND ERIC.
>> 13-YEAR-OLD JACKSON MET HIS BEST FRIEND, ERIC, LAST SUMMER
AT VICTORY JUNCTION.
>> I THINK IT REALLY JUST STARTED WHEN I KIND OF REALIZED
THAT HE WAS A CHILD WHO NEEDED MORE ATTENTION, AND IT KIND OF
GOT TO ME, SO I KIND OF TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO MAKE THAT WEEK
THE BEST WEEK THAT HE HAD.
>> THIS SPECIAL FRIENDSHIP CONTINUES OUTSIDE OF CAMP, AND
JACKSON EVEN VISITS ERIC DURING HIS DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS IN
CHAPEL HILL.
ALTHOUGH ERIC IS NON-VERBAL, THE BOYS SEEM TO HAVE A
COMMUNICATION ALL THEIR OWN.
>> HE GIVES ME LITTLE FOOT SIGNALS, HAND SIGNALS, BIG
SMILE.
SO A LOT OF IT IS JUST SIGNALS TO EACH OTHER AND JUST KIND OF
HIM LETTING ME KNOW HOW HE'S DOING AND HOW HE'S FEELING.
>> THESE CHILDREN, THEY HAVE SUCH ENDLESS LOVE AND COMPASSION
AND INSIGHT INTO LIFE THAT WE DON'T HAVE.
AND THEY LITERALLY OPEN OUR EYES.
>> COUNSELORS ARE MIXED IN AMONG MEDICAL STAFF, AND THE RESULT IS
A FUN-FILLED EXPERIENCE WHERE EVERYONE TAKES PART IN MAKING
THE DREAM OF SUMMER CAMP COME TRUE.
>> WE GET IN THERE.
WE PLAY WITH THE KIDS.
WE WANT TO HAVE FUN JUST AS MUCH AS THE COUNSELORS AND KIDS DO.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK MOST OF THE TIME IT'S MORE OF A RUSH FOR
ME THAN EVEN THE KIDS.
>> FROM CLIMBING TOWERS -- >> WE DID THE ADVENTURE TOWER
YESTERDAY, AND WE GOT TO CLIMB TO THE TOP, AND THAT WAS REALLY
COOL.
IT'S A 55-FOOT TOWER.
THAT'S ONE OF MY OTHER FAVORITES.
>> -- TO ARTS AND CRAFTS, COUNSELORS ARE ALWAYS MAKING
SURE THERE'S NEVER A DULL MOMENT AND THAT EACH ONE IS MEMORABLE
AND LIFE-CHANGING.
>> BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE, CAMP ALWAYS LEAVES A
SPECIAL PLACE IN YOUR HEART.
LIKE YOU ALWAYS FEEL LIKE NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, CAMP IS
LIKE A SAFE HAVEN HERE, AND YOU CAN ALWAYS BE A KID AGAIN AND BE
THAT WILD, CRAZY SELF THAT YOU NEVER THOUGHT YOU COULD BE.
>> FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WAYS YOU CAN VOLUNTEER OR HELP MAKE
CAMP A REALITY FOR A CHILD, YOU CAN LOG ON TO
victoryjunction.org.