Camp Trios Begins July 20

Trios Health is pleased to share that the “Best Week of Summer” is here! Camp Trios, a three-day summer day camp program for children diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, begins tomorrow, July 20, at the Southridge Sports and Events Complex.

Campers aged 6 to 14 years old will learn how to manage their Type 1 Diabetes through educational, age-appropriate activities led by Trios Health staff members, trained physicians and other healthcare providers. Additionally, mentors aged 15 to 18 years old, will assist the campers. Some of the mentors are previous campers.

This year, Camp Trios will run from July 20-July 22, beginning at 8:30 a.m. each day. Activities are planned for each day, including theater games, time at the Gesa Carousel of Dreams, field trips to the SplashDown Cove Water Park, a gardening activity, barrel races, carb counting activities, bounce house and obstacle course, a country line dancing lesson, and an award ceremony, among other activities. The full 3-day schedule is attached with this press release.

Originally launched in 2012 as Camp KGH, Camp Trios began as a long-term goal to one day have a local camp for the growing number of children diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

“Often we get kids in who have been newly diagnosed and they aren’t sure about what they can do,” said Christy Kuhn, Trios Health Diabetes Education & Nutrition Director. “But when they see all these other kids running, playing, eating and doing all the stuff they want to do, it makes them see that it’s possible.”

Trios Health will be following CDC and Washington State Department of Health COVID-19 protocols for the camp, including screening upon arrival with a daily symptom check and temperature check, requiring the use of masks for all inside activities, sanitizing surfaces frequently and practicing proper hand hygiene. Additionally, campers will be split into small groups and maintain those groups for the duration of the camp.

“We are extremely grateful to be able to hold Camp Trios in person this year and know that we have the proper protocols in place to keep everyone safe and healthy,” Kuhn said.

Goals of Camp Trios are to educate children regarding their diabetes, while promoting independence, self-discipline and responsibility; offer opportunities for children and families to meet others who are facing the same challenges; provide an ongoing network of resources to support children with Type 1 Diabetes and their families; empower children to recognize limitless opportunities when diabetes is properly managed, and build lifelong relationships between the children, staff, volunteers and parents/guardians.

Camp Trios is backed by generous donations from local businesses, corporations, community organizations and community members. The use of the Southridge Sports and Events complex has been donated by the City of Kennewick, and Trios Health Medical Staff and Trios staff are donating their time. Additional donors include Sight & Sound Services, Costa Vida, Tri-Cities Court Club, Subway Tri-Cities, The Pacific Clinic, Roaster’s Coffee, A&A Motorcoach, Snowies Shaved Ice of West Richland, Benton Franklin CO. Fair, Bouncin Bins Inflatables, Columbia Valley Daybreak Rotary District 5080, AXE KPR PSC, Vivid Imagination Face Painting, Gesa Carousel of Dreams, PMP/Sealaska Technical Services, LLC David Kostorowski, and Tri-Cities Community Health – Jim Davis.

To learn more about the mission, objectives, program and activities of Camp Trios, visit: http://www.trioshealth.org/camp-trios.