501 Creating a Virtual Burn Camp Experience: Growth, Hope, Dream, Inspire

Abstract

\n \n \n Our Burn Camps program has a suite of well-established residential programs. In 2020 we were forced to pivot to a virtual platform. Our goal was to uphold our mission; “to provide children who have sustained a burn injury and their families healing opportunities by offering inspiration, rehabilitation and shared experiences in a safe, nurturing and supportive environment.” Our theme “Always Together” utilized the following program pillars: creating community, growth, inspire, dream and hope.\n \n \n \n Recruitment Campers/Counselors: The 2018–2020 campers were contacted providing virtual camp logistics and application information. Our best counselors returned as our 2020 staff. We built the same cabin groups as 2019.\n \n \n \n Camp leadership team and 2 Psychologists\n \n \n \n The conference center provided ZOOM access for planning meetings and staff training. Four Zoom accounts were used to manage 8 cabin groups.\n \n \n \n A new online application was developed including the following questions: Coping with the pandemic, current social justice issues and access to technology.\n \n \n \n The schedule included 4 live meetings per day for 5 days. We included the anchors of camp: morning exercise, crafts, talent show, banquet, and play day.\n “Camp in a Box”: 125 boxes were designed and sent to campers, staff and donors. Boxes included envelopes for each day of the week, with content specific for each cabin.\n \n \n \n We had 62 campers registered for camp and 35 staff from across the country. Our “Camp in a Box” was successfully sent to 62 campers, 35 staff and 25 donors. We had four Zoom accounts. Each account was managed by a member of the leadership team. There was one primary Zoom account that hosted the large group activities for consistency. Each live activity that was offered was attended by 40–70 participants. Our Zoom calls were a mix of live and prerecorded videos. Counselors filled out a staff survey at the end of each evening allowing the leadership team feedback about the day’s activities and any camper concerns.\n \n \n \n During a time when connection is so important, our community rose to the challenge and supported our campers. We were able to show that burn camp lives inside each of us no matter the location. Our campers and their families were engaged throughout the week and grateful for the opportunity. We learned a lot about running a virtual program and hope to use these concepts even when the pandemic is over.\n