Nurturing Belonging and Celebrating Community with Children Impacted by HIV/AIDS with Patty Hillkirk

The summer camp experience affords such a meaningful experience for so many children. Camp Dreamcatcher creates a fantastic camp week specifically for children infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS. We sit down with Patty Hillkirk, the camp’s Founder and Executive Director, to learn about how she is spearheading efforts to organize and run the weeklong camp, held in August every year. We talk about how the camp is run, partnering with other local organizations, and supporting young people and empowering them to lead. Patty walks us through how Camp Dreamcatcher has delivered such a lasting and valuable effect on the lives of so many young people for 30 years.

Links

Camp Dreamcatcher

• Website: campdreamcatcher.org
• LinkedIn: inkedin.com/company/camp-dreamcatcher
• Instagram: instagram.com/campdreamcatcher
• Facebook: facebook.com/therapeuticcamp
• Patty Hillkirk on LinkedIn
• Over the Edge fundraiser
• Volunteer with Camp Dreamcatcher: campdreamcatcher.org/get-involved/volunteer

Camp Dreamcatcher Videos

• Video library on the Camp Dreamcatcher website: campdreamcatcher.org/about/video-pictures
• The story behind the founding of Camp Dreamcatcher as shared in Patty’s TEDx Talk
• Hear about the Wish Log ceremony from two campers (jump to 1:14)

HIV/AIDS Resources

• HIV/AIDS information on the Cleveland Clinic website
• HIV/AIDS information on the May Clinic website
• HIV and AIDS information on the John Hopkins Medicine website
• HIV/AIDS information on the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) website

Supporting Organizations

• Longwood Rotary Club
• Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania
• Lincoln University
• Philadelphia School of Massage & Bodywork
• AHHAH (Arts Holding Hands and Hearts)
• Avon Grove High School
• Kennett Lions Club
• West Grove Fire Company (EMTs in West Grove)
• PayPal
• Morning Star Foundation
• Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
• St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children
• Philadelphia Avengers
• Johns Hopkins Medicine

Additional Organizations

• Pennsylvania Gestalt Center
• Center for Relational Practices
• Friendship Bench
• Family Promise of Southern Chester County
• DeafCAN! of Pennsylvania
• Kennett Area Community Service (KACS)

Related Episodes

• Managing a Local Accountancy Firm with Kathy Wileczek

Transcript

The full episode transcript will be posted as soon as it is available.