Melissa Felinski of Sunrise, Jessica Sperry of Weston, and Kristen Banyas and Tara Bloss, both of Plantation, recently served as volunteers at a Muscular Dystrophy Assocation camp in Central Florida.
"It makes a difference that you impacted someone's life like that, and it makes you feel good about yourself," said Bloss, 17, a cadet for two years. "With just five days out of your life, you made an impact and a friend for life."
That friend was Dayna Braun, 9, who cried when she had to return home from her first trip to camp.
"I was sad because I didn't want to leave camp, and I didn't want to leave Tara," said Dayna, a Hollywood resident who has spinal muscular atrophy and uses a wheelchair.
"She did a lot of stuff with me. She helped me take a shower and helped me do other things. My favorite thing is when we went swimming together."
Dayna's father, Darren Braun, said she had the time of her life.
"She got to be one of the girls," Braun said. "It's all she has talked about since she got back."
During the weeklong camp, Bloss realized that her problems are small compared to those of children who have muscular dystrophy.
"There's been a number of times that something has gotten me down for the day, but then I see a little girl like that with all these problems and she is always positive," said Bloss, who will be a senior this fall at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale. "It always puts [a positive] outlook on life and you realize its trivial compared to what she goes through everyday."
Forty-six children and young adults from South Florida with all types of muscular dystrophy spent the week at Rotary Camp Florida in Brandon, near Tampa. The camp was one of several that is offered each summer at the Brandon location. Donations to the MDA pay for the program. The campers, who range in age from 6 to 21, do not pay.
Campers canoed, rode horseback, swam, did arts and crafts, attended a dance and participated in other daily activities.
Volunteers at the camp are essential to its success, said Jennifer Vargo, the camp's director.
"If I didn't have the girls, then we wouldn't be able to have all the campers we have," she said. "We would have to turn kids away if we have no counselors.
"For campers, it's a week that they describe as close to Christmas. They just get love, attention and it gives them their whole world."
The four fire-rescue cadets decided to become camp volunteers after another cadet volunteered last year. All of them said they want to return.
The cadet program, created in April 2001, combines classroom education and hands-on experience in teaching about fire-rescue and emergency medical services for ages 14 to 20. The program also encourages cadets to participate in community service projects.
Sperry served as a floater at the camp, helping where needed.
"A floater was a unique position, and you got to deal with most of the campers, and got to experience more things," said Sperry, 18, who will be a senior at St. Thomas Aquinas. "I would help with lifting them out of their wheelchairs, into shower, a bed or the pool."
Campers and counselors made tie-dyed shirts and also had a dance complete with a disco ball.
"I loved the dance the most. It was good for the campers-- at home they don't get to normally do those things," said Banyas, 18, a fire-rescue cadet for three years. "When they are at camp they are not thinking about, wow, I have a disease."
Banyas found that her compassion for the campers did not overwhelm her.
"I thought it would be harder and that I'd feel sorry for them, but I didn't. I had fun the entire time and I kept smiling," said the cadet, who plans to attend nursing school at Broward Community College this fall.
Felinski, a cadet for two years, said she didn't know much about muscular dystrophy but found the children to be not that different from other youngsters.
"They are totally regular kids who want to have fun, and they live a hard life depending on other people to help them out with everything they do," said Felinski, 18, a graduate of Pembroke Pines Charter High School who will attend the University of Florida this fall.
"Some missed their parents, but many told me that they can't wait for the camp [each year]. I had a week in someone else's shoes and I learned that I should not take things for granted."
