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Perryville camp allows every kid to be a kid

Posted at 12:15 PM, Oct 14, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-15 05:36:53-04

PERRYVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) — Perryville's Camp Horsin' Around is known as the premier adventure camp for kids with special needs, and to live up to their name they are always looking to enhance the camper experience.

"This camp is so special," said Gloria Samaan, a former camper. "The kids... you know they get to be kids."

While the camp was created for children with comprised health and special needs, the goal is to make sure those challenges are the last things the kids are thinking about.

"It's good to get your mind off it and their minds off of it and just have fun while you can," said camper Payton Zulager, who has been at the camp for 13 years now.

There is a Band-Aid Barn equipped to do complex treatments and chemotherapy, but beyond that, the camp is always busy working hard to provide kids with unforgettable experiences.

"We did a shaving cream fight that was fun....tubing, I love tubing," Zulager said.

Since 2015 they have served more than 1,000 campers every summer, adding on more and more attractions like a pool, rock climbing wall, archery and swinging bridge.

"I can't really have a favorite memory," Samaan explained. "Everything is awesome, it's hard to put it into words."

Currently, the camp is working to provide more rainy day activities, and with no government funding they rely heavily on donations to make sure every kid truly is a happy camper.

"A place where kids could come not as patients but as kids," said the camp's executive director, Julie McAllister.

The camp's big fundraiser, Camp Out 2019, is Thursday, October 17 at Fasig Tipton.

For tickets, how to donate or to learn more head to their website.