Amputee’s Give It A Go Camp inspires
Young people with limb deficiencies, congenital or acquired, are set to push their boundaries and explore what is possible at the Give It A Go Amputee Youth Camp April 7- 9.
The day camp is part of the Amputees Federation of New Zealand, three-day national conference hosted by the Amputee Society of Taranaki at Novotel hotel.
The camp-goers are guaranteed an unrivalled outdoor experience at the Topec campsite nestled in reserve bushland. Experienced camp staff will guide them through adventure activities, including rafting, abseiling, a bridge swing and a ropes course.
It was a unique opportunity for them to try something new, said the local society’s president Wally Garrett.
‘‘The biggest thing is they will be around others in the same boat who have a mutual understanding. The experience as a whole is a confidence builder.’’
The Taranaki chapter was one of nine under the federation’s umbrella and it was more than two decades since they last hosted the event.
Garrett said they were lucky the region had so much to offer, not just activity and scenic wise, but also in terms of places to stay and go that could cater for a large group of people with specific individual needs.
‘‘That’s why we put our hand up to do it,’’ he said.
As well as the camp the weekend’s line up included an official opening by the Mayor Neil Holdom, followed by a mingle and greet, a tour of Pukekura Park by buggy, a spot of shopping, and visiting the Len Lye centre.
On a more serious note, a presentation from a local pain medicine doctor and a guest speaker from the Police National Dive Squad is also on the agenda. Sunday they will meet and chat with a few of the nation’s paralympians.
The amputee organisations evolved from groups originally founded for soldiers who returned from war. Today they are hubs of support and motivation that provide information, education, and advocacy to amputees on a broad spectrum of amputee issues.
Garret was proud of his involvement in the groups, whose members were of all ages from all walks of life minus a limb ‘‘be it a leg, an arm, a finger, or toe’’, for various reasons including injury trauma, diabetes, congenital and vascular reasons