Camp Sweeney



Camp Sweeney, in operation from 1950, is a summer camp located in Gainesville (Texas, USA), primarily for children with type 1 diabetes and sometimes their siblings. Since its establishment in 1950, Camp Sweeney has served more than 20,000 campers irrespective of race, religion, sex, nationality or financial constraints. Many kids first came to the camp when they were aged 6 and continued to come repeatedly until they became 18.

Charity Navigator describes the mission of Camp Sweeney in these words: "Opened in 1950, Camp Sweeney is regarded as one of the largest and most effective diabetes educational facilities in the world. Camp Sweeney offers the only 3-week residential diabetic life skills training program in the United States. Camp Sweeney has provided a positive turning point in the lives of more than 20,000 children. Campers learn to recognize and treat the early warning signs of dangerously high and low blood sugar levels. By coaching the skills necessary to maintain tight control of their diabetes, we are equipping this generation to minimize the complications of diabetes in hopes that they will be good candidates once the cure for diabetes is available."

Camp Sweeney is located 75 miles north of Dallas-Fort Worth (Texas), eight miles east of Gainesville. It may be reached from Interstate 35 by going east of Gainesville on U.S. Highway 82. From here, one has to move towards north on FM 678 one mile to reach the campgrounds.


 * The Map

Activities
The activities in Camp Sweeney include active, passive and nighttime activities. Some of the activities are :


 * Active

Aerobics - Basketball - Boating - Canoeing - Challenge Course - Cross County - Flag Football - Hiking - Lacrosse - Jet Skiing - Knee Boarding - Wake Boarding - Tubing - Paintball - Photography - Roller Hockey - Skate Boarding - Sand Volleyball - Soccer - Swimming - Swing/Country Dance - Tennis - Tumbling - Ultimate Frisbee - Water Activities - Weightlifting


 * Passive

Archery - Arts and Crafts - Broadcasting - Fishing - Internet Publishing - Miniature Golf - Photography - Publications - Riflery - Video Production


 * Nighttime

Adventure Nights - Arcade Night - Cabin Parties - Campfires - Carnival - Cookouts - Country Hayrides - Dances - Hikes - Medical Quiz Bowl - Movies - Sing-A-Longs - Softball - Talent Show - Team Sports

Certain special activities are also organized at Camp Sweeney:


 * Camp Sweeney Carnival
 * Camp Sweeney Olympics
 * Awards Banquet and Dance