NORTH YARMOUTH, Maine, -- 1/17/16 -- Dakota Butte, 16, of Jefferson, Maine pulls his arrows out of the target at Lakeside Archery in North Yarmouth as part of the 10th Fire & Ice Burn Survivors Winter Camp put on by the Portland Firefighters Children’s Burn Foundation. Portland area firefighters served as camp counselors - bringing child victims of burn trauma to the Camden Snow Bowl, Lakeside Archery and several other regional locations for group events and personal support activities.
Fire and Ice started in 2005 with four burn victims and nine counselors. This year there were 23 youth campers from all over New England participating in a three-day event. Campers came together by doing series of activities in which they become close friends. "These kids have all been through similar traumatic experiences," said Portland Firefighter and counselor Sheldon Gregiore.
A first-time youth camper (whose identity is being kept anonymous) said, "All I can say is, burned people rule!"
For more information, register or donate visit: http://www.maineburnsurvivors.org.
Photo © Roger S. Duncan 2016 for The Forecaster.