By Mark Ambrogi
Camp Riley is designed to help children with special diet restrictions such as Jack Sullivan enjoy a traditional camp atmosphere.
“There is not really any other camp that would take a child like Jack because of the seizures,” said his father, Todd Sullivan. “Jack is on a medical diet, and they fulfill all of his needs for the ketogenic diet (high fat, low protein, lower carb). It’s a very difficult diet to maintain. Just the food prep is a huge undertaking. All his meals need to be weighed and measured. What they do is really amazing.”
Jack, a 16-year-old Zionsville Community High School freshman, has Glut1 deficiency, a genetic disorder that impairs brain metabolism. The symptoms vary and include cognitive, behavioral and disordered movement and seizures.
Camp Riley is designed to empower children ages 8 to 18 with physical disabilities by providing life-changing experiences. Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health provides medical staff for the camp, which is held at Bradford Woods in Martinsville.
Jack, 16, said his favorite things about Camp Riley are “the alpine tower and the friends I make.” The alpine tower is 50-foot jungle gym of climbing. Jack went to Camp Riley for one week in 2014 and two weeks last year.
“They do all the normal camp stuff from canoeing, zip lining, wall climbing, singing and dancing and being a kid,” Todd Sullivan said.
Zionsville resident William Buttars, who will turn 11 during his two-week Camp Riley stint in July, will be going to the camp for his third year.
William is paralyzed on the left side of his body and walks with a leg brace.
“He had brain surgery when he was one year old, so that took away that function,” said his mother, Tiernae Buttars. “When he goes to Camp Riley, it gives him a chance to really be a star.”
Buttars said the camp gives caregivers a break because they know their child is in good hands.
The staff-to-camper ratio never exceeds 1-to-3. There are five Camp Riley sessions offered during a six-week span. Registration for camp is now open. For more, visit RileyKids.org/Camp.
