The four families of challenged children who recently attended Canterbury Hill Camp in Ontario, Canada, have returned to the Island following a successful educational trip.

They were part of a pilot project at the camp that will open the doors for many Bermudian families in the future. In fact, near the end of the recent camp, Marni Williams-Oram, a Canadian working in Bermuda for the Chew family in St. George's caring for their three-year-old daughter Coral and the person who arranged for the unique opportunity for local families, had a meeting with the camp director.

It was at that meeting that the director approved for a ten-family camp to be held next year, to be followed in 2003 when major renovations are completed at the camp by 20 families attending.

"During the conversations with the families who attended the camp this year, we have come up with a few changes on improving the camp experience for next year," said Ms Williams-Oram.

"First, we would like to have three families from Canada/US and seven from Bermuda next year and ten for 2003. This will help with networking and expanding to an international level. Secondly, we have been approved to add a few days on the end of the camp venture for family outings. Next year we plan on Niagara Falls and Marineland on the first day and the Lion Safari on the second day. Also we hope to fit in some sightseeing and shopping outings."

This year's camp was a total success, according to Ms Williams-Oram. It began with a grand welcoming where Canadian native children danced, drummed and sang for the families and other campers and a native elder blessed the families during a native ceremony. Government officials were in attendance as well.

"All of the adults took part in workshops on the subject of the challenged and were very excited to return to Bermuda with a new outlook and fresh ideas for the challenged in Bermuda," said Ms Williams-Oram.

"There were guest speakers on the subjects of group homes, health care, education, special needs workers, organisations and working together as a group to make life for their own families as well as others in Bermuda a little brighter.

"Each guest speaker received a token gift from Bermuda, which had been donated by many businesses and individuals residing in Bermuda. This was an added touch to thank the speakers and they were very pleased to receive such a nice gesture."

There were also donations from Canada which worked in a slightly different way. There were sleeping bags donated for use from Scouts Canada and bike helmets for all of the children from Bermuda as just an example. Every day there were surprises for the families at the camp, all by donation.

The families also took part in the usual camp activities of swimming, archery, hiking and camp fire. They took part in camp activities with other groups of campers (day campers and leadership training campers) at times during the week.

The families were housed in two cabins, which had three bedrooms with four beds in each, a common room and a large washroom with showers. All the campers ate together in a large dining hall.

During the week the families taught the Canadians how to play cricket and the afternoon before leaving the camp they played a cricket match with their hosts. The players included the challenged children in wheelchairs.

Ms Williams-Oram is hoping to register a non-profit organisation in the very near future so as to assist in helping with fundraising for the camp and to offer as much assistance as possible to other families with challenged children.

Anyone interested in volunteering a little time to improve the lives of the families of the challenged in Bermuda are urged to contact Ms Williams-Oram at mugnorthrock.bm or 293-3918.