Sarah Holub, health and wellness director for the YMCA, said the mission of the YMCA is to bring all individuals together through a shared passion, regardless of age, race, walks of life or ability. She said she believes the partnership is a perfect fit for the organization.
“The YMCA promises a commitment to nurture and strengthen the foundation of community and ensure that each individual has access to the essentials to live a healthy life. Here at the Huntington YMCA and the Phil Cline Family YMCA, we couldn’t be more excited to partner with the iCanShine organization and the College of Health Professionals,” Holub said. “Hosting this camp will allow the community to have access to a wonderful facility that offers numerous programs and services to individuals of all abilities.”
The continuance of this camp is so important, as it can be life changing for children with regard to gaining confidence and becoming more physically active, according to the camp’s director, Dr. Elizabeth Pacioles.
“We’ve struggled with funding in past years and we were thrilled when the YMCA stepped in to offer their facilities at a special rate,” Pacioles said. “However, we still need corporate sponsors to assist with the payment of the equipment usage, T-shirts, lodging costs for our iCanShine staff, etc. We would love to see continued support from our community to help make this camp available for our kids.”
iCanShine is a national organization that works with local organizations to host camps in individual communities. Staff members travel the country conducting the camps, and have an average success rate of more than eighty percent. Participants attend one 75-minute session each day for five consecutive days.
To be eligible to register for the camp, potential participants must be at least 8 years old and have a diagnosed disability. They must have a minimum inseam of 20 inches, weigh less than 220 pounds and be able to walk without assistive devices. Teens and adults may participate as well. The deadline to register is Friday, May 19.
The registration fee is $100, but scholarships are available. For more information on registration or volunteering, visit www.marshall.edu/lttw. For more information on Marshall’s College of Health Professions, visit www.marshall.edu/cohp online. To learn more about the Phil Cline Family YMCA, visit www.huntingtonymca.org.
For more information on the camp or to inquire about scholarships, contact Pacioles by e-mail at caseyel@marshall.edu or call 304-696-5831.
Individuals interested in helping to defray the costs of the camp through financial donations may contact Rick Robinson, Director of Development with the Marshall University College of Health Professions, at 304-696-7081.
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Photo: Marshall University’s President Jerry Gilbert (left) rode alongside Larissa Lipscomb and iCanShine bike technician Clayton Whale during the 2016 Lose the Training Wheels Bike Camp. Corporate sponsors and volunteers are needed from the university and surrounding Huntington community for the 2017 Lose the Training Wheels Camp. For more information on this year’s camp, visit www.marshall.edu/lttw.