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Burn Camp 2007 By Roger Burnard

Each year at Burn Camp something happens that reaffirms the idea that Burn Camp is something very special. Several issues back I told you about Emily a little girl who first came to camp when she was seven years old. That was six years ago. You may recall that Emily had been burned very severely over much of her body, face, arms, hands, and legs. In fact she lost the first two joints of her fingers and most of the thumbs of both hands. She was so traumatized that first year that she rarely left the lap of one of the counselors. Just imagine being burned like that and having to go through the hell of the treatments, and being so young that you could not possibly comprehend why grownups were doing all these things to you, that made you hurt even more.

During her second year at camp, I got her to put on an arm guard and finger glove.  I said I would hold the bow and pull the string and she could help me aim. When she thought we were on target she would tell me to “fire.” This was our routine for the next five years.  It was the same this year, that is until Wednesday.

As we were about to pick out her bow Emily said, “I would like to try to shoot the bow by myself.” I literally felt my heart skip a beat.  A big lump formed in my throat. I helped her select a bow, a light weight one that I hoped she could pull.  It was one with a small enough handle so that she could grip it with the stubs for fingers that she has on her left hand. She faced a similar problem with the loss of fingers and thumb on her right hand. Just imagine what she was going through.

As we walked slowly toward the shooting line I said a quiet prayer, “God, I hope we can make this work..” She pretty much knew the routine. She had heard me say it over and over for the last five years… bow in your left hand, handle the arrow by the nock, place it on the bow with the cock feather away from the bow, etc., etc., etc.

Gripping the bow was a challenge for her, as was picking up and controlling an arrow. (Remember she had only stubs where whole fingers are supposed to be). She dropped the first arrow.  She leaned over, picked it up, and tried again. Her first shot was way off target.  Emily is right handed, the left eye dominant.   Undaunted she picked up another arrow, loaded it, and shot again. Still off target but better. I stood beside her helping position her arms and helping with how to hold the bow. Then one of her arrows hit the target butt. Joy and pride in her success welled up inside me as I watched her trying so hard.

Then with the next arrow…bang…..she had hit her first balloon, and she had done it “all by herself.” I could not help myself.  I shouted YEAH!!!!! We hugged each other.  I told her that I was very proud of her. She went on to shoot arrow after arrow.  As I said before, “she did it all by herself.”

The Northwest Burn Foundation calls Burn Camp, “Camp Eyabsut,” which is an Indian name that means “to rise above anything.” Emily had just done that very thing.  In the face of incredible adversity, she had succeeded.

So you see my fellow TBW members, there is more to Burn Camp and what we do than teach archery. I try to impress on the kids that if they just keep trying, they can do far more than they ever thought possible. Archery is one of the tools by which this is done.
At a special luncheon given in honor of supporters of the Burn Foundation and Volunteers, TBW was presented a plaque in recognition of our 17 continuous years of teaching archery at camp. I have been told that when asked, “What is your