Hemophilia of Georgia’s Teen Retreat: Asheville, NC
By Kim Williams, Camp and Activities Coordinator
A group of HoG staff members, volunteers, and teens arrived in Asheville, NC for a holiday weekend spent serving the local community and developing their leadership skills.
Upon arrival at Camp Grier, we settled into our cabins, and then met up for our first educational session. Deniece Chevannes, HoG’s Health Educator, designed a session based on NHF’s Steps for Living program. Through a variety of activities, teens discussed disclosing their bleeding disorder diagnosis to friends and to someone they are dating. They also discussed healthy boundaries and respect in relationships.
We enjoyed free time, playing basketball and field games before dinner. After dinner, our Leaders in Training conducted video interviews about living with a bleeding disorder with teens who volunteered. We roasted marshmallows around a campfire and took in the wonder and beauty of the millions of stars and constellations that could be seen so clearly.
On Sunday, Michelle Putnam, HoG’s Associate Director of Research and Advocacy, led the teens in a session about our rights, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and the Civil Rights movement, and the importance of advocating for your health.
On Sunday afternoon, we boarded the bus to see some of the sights in Asheville. We enjoyed a tour of the Biltmore House, a bus tour around the historic sites, and dinner at one of the local eateries.
On Monday, as participants in the MLK Day National Day of Service, our teens participated in two different service projects. The first group served at Eliada Homes to create simple no-sew fleece blankets for Project Linus clients, math skills flashcards/games for Buncombe County School elementary students, and handcrafted cards of encouragement for local Veterans and homebound seniors. The second group served at Brother Wolf Animal Rescue folding laundry, washing out kennels, sweeping, mopping, and exercising the animals.
Everyone had a wonderful time on the Teen Retreat. The teens wish to thank Hemophilia of Georgia for continuing to provide fun and educational events for them. We would also like to thank our sponsors Baxter International Inc., Biogen Idec, Novo Nordisk, and the Virgil P. Warren Foundation for funding the Teen Retreat.
