Terra West Helps Kids be Kids Again

In its 15th year, Camp Cartwheel is an outdoor, four-day program for critically ill children and their siblings between the ages of 5 and 17.

It is designed to give them a carefree experience, spending days by the lake swimming or canoeing, playing games, doing arts and crafts and making new friends. The camp is located at Torino Ranch in Lovell Canyon.

The program is funded through the NCCF, a nonprofit organization that serves to work with the medical community to provide all manners of support to families whose children have been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. All of its programs, including the camp, are provided free of charge.

Terra West Management Services, a proud supporter of the foundation, has conducted a raffle for the past seven years to benefit such programs like Camp Cartwheel.

"Being at Camp Cartwheel is a time to forget about hospitals, clinics and diseases. It's a time to have fun with their brothers, sisters and other campers. These very special children get to "cut loose" and be kids again!" said a spokesperson for the organization.

This year's camp was located outside Las Vegas in the Springs Mountains and had 135 children in attendance and more than 250 volunteers.

At first glance, Camp Cartwheel isn't different than any other summer camp. Campers and counselors run amok with water guns. Lifeguards watch over the lake. Kids laugh and scream and chase.

There are tie-dyed T-shirts and handcrafted necklaces and strawberry-banana smoothies. Everything can be made into a game.

Our own Joyce Davis and her husband, Tim, volunteered their time by holding a leather craft class in the Arts and Crafts tent. "What a rewarding experience it was to be able to work with these children and see them having such a fun time. At first I was apprehensive about going to camp, for fear it would make me sad, but after seeing firsthand the activities and how much fun these kids have in such a short amount of time, I knew Terra West was donating and volunteering for the RIGHT cause. The most important part of Camp Cartwheel is the confidence and positivity it can provide for the kids who need it," said Davis.

Special thanks to Unique-Scape and Design, Chazell HVAC, One Stop Shop, Jaramillo Landscaping, Nevada Contract Carpet, Hersh Painting, Pacific Sales, Ultimate Pool and Landscaping, Atlas Plumbing, Valley Construction and Maintenance, Kelly's Glass and Mirror, R & M Janitorial, Keystone Carpet Care, City Garage Door and Bainbridge & Little, CPA for taking time from their busy schedules to participate and for their countless years of donations to the Terra West annual raffle.

 

If you would like more information about the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation and how you can participate in next year's Camp Cartwheel, please visit their website at http://www.nvccf.org/camp.

 

Team Terra West makes beaded necklaces during Arts & Crafts at Camp Cartwheel.

 

Team Terra West takes a break for a quick picture at Camp Cartwheel.