European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 15, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday september 15, 1978 the stars and stripes Page 9 Michael Hooyboer studies yarn in arts and crafts session at Camp Sunshine. Camper Donald Trotter Rolls in a doughnut. Photos for is by Gail Havach handicapped find fun at Camp Camp Sunshine rewards both kids and Counselor by Lucia Guajardo staff writer Heidelberg is special Chil Dren become a special love to Many people once they work with handicapped Young sters according to organizers of Camp Sunshine. Local handicapped children Ages three to 13, with various learning disabilities hearing and sight problems attend a three week summer Day Camp that held its fifth session last july at 130th station Hospital Here. Camp director Chris Scibetta who is also chairperson for the army Community service s exceptional children s program has four assistants. Each Are in charge of one of four activities games music arts and crafts and swimming held each Day at the Camp. Because the Counselor work with a child on a one to one basis each Counselor is assigned a camper for the entire three weeks. We try to match up the personalities of Counselor and campers Lucy Kochik Sunshine project officer said. The Counselor Are a mixture of civilian and military personnel and some Are summer hires while others Are volunteers. Active duty military Counselor Are re leased from their duties on administrative leave. To be a Counselor at Camp Sunshine you Don t need expertise in the area of exceptional children Kochik said. The Only requirement is to want to learn to work with handicapped children. You just need to love and give a lot when you work  however a three Day orientation on behavioural and medication problems unique to the special child is held for Counselor before Camp starts. The 20 summer hires who worked at the Camp this past year were 14 and 15 year Olds and worked real Well Kochik said. The teen Counselor found Sunshine to be a rewarding and growing experience. Many Young people Don t know what they want to do with themselves. Love giving them this Opportunity Kochik said. The campers Are bussed in each morn ing with three adults supervising the ride. Activities Start at 8 30 . And end at noon. Field trips Are taken the first two fridays of the Camp. Counselor keep journals to Mark the Progress of their child. The main goal of Camp Sunshine is to raise the youngsters self image. We try to prevent their feelings of helplessness or humiliation and encourage them to develop individual skills the Camp director said. One Way they attempt to do this is through swimming lessons. The children Are coached through the phases of learning to swim starting with losing fear of the water to diving into the deep end and swimming the Width of the Pool and Back. The camper is rewarded for each new skill Learned with a sea life rating that progresses from Sand Dollar to Sailfish. She said there Are plans to revise sever Al aspects of the Camp. One revision con Cerns defining the criteria for acceptance to the Camp because she has sometimes found children Are referred to us who should t really be  she said there have been problems of having campers with very minor or virtually no handicaps who did not fit in with the other campers and the programs  organizers also plan to expand parental participation in the program Kochik said. Russell Andrews 4, and Counselor Maureen Joyce have got it together together