Young Burn Victims Have Reason to Celebrate at Special Summer Camp

A caravan of fire engines are carrying the campers to a special place in Orange County. What looks like any other summer camp is a special place for child burn survivors.

"It is really rewarding to see to see the faces of the children, their attitudes are excellent," says Rodney Watson, Chapel Hill assistant fire chief. "I know they can't forget what they've been through, but this may help a little."

In January 6-year-old Alex Crenshaw and his 4-year-old brother Donald were severely burned in a house fire in Johnston County . They were treated at theNorth Carolina Jaycee Burn CenteratUNC Hospitals.

Now the brothers are attending Camp Celebrate with more than 100 former patients of the burn center.

"It's great to know that people care, there's hope and that there is promise, says parent Tammy Baker.

"It makes a very clear picture in everybody's mind that works in the burn center of why we do what we do," says Charles Hall, a burn center nurse.

Some kids bear physical scars of the encounter with fire, but the goal of the camp is to reach those with emotional scars, and to let kids be kids again.

This is the 19th year for the camp, which is funded by donations. Camp Celebrate is free to the campers and is staffed by 115 volunteers.