By Alan Sorensen
Havre Firefighters and volunteers from throughout the area have made additional improvements to Camp Kiwanis in preparation for the State Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) camp later this month.
This will be the second year Muscular Dystrophy patients are attending their annual camp in the Bear Paw Mountains.
Last years attendance included 44 patients diagnosed with one of the 40 neuromuscular diseases that MDA covers and more than 60 volunteers who assisted in a variety of ways. Heavy rain and flooding in the park hampered activities last year. Quick thinking and ingenuity by the camp staff, however, made the indoor activities just as fun.
The theme last year was space travel, with presentations by military flyers and astronaut Loren Acton, and an exciting flyover by members of the Malmstrom Air Force Base.
This year, the camp theme is Under the Sea. Highlights of the week include a pig roast, luau, twilight dance, and carnival.
Recently completed work included two new water heaters installed by Holt Plumbing, new handicapped accessible showers installed by Marble Lar Co. (Larry Schubert), and the planting of about 140 trees by Frontier Lawn and Landscape on the hillside where the wheelchair ramp ascends from the camp to Beaver Lodge. Money for the trees was donated as a memorial to Vic Holsapple by his mother, Helen, and sisters Judi Gomke and Kelly Rowlatt.
The firefighters are in need of donations to further increase handicapped accessibility at the camp, said Al Forsman, president of firefighters local No. 601. More pathways to and concrete around the shower house are needed.
Donations may be made to Camp Kiwanis/MDA fund at the Bear Paw Credit Union or dropped off at the fire department.
