 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
"Navigation Toolbar for The Camp Experience." (for quick access to info) HOME |
||
|
CAMP
BORDER COLLIE FOR KIDS 2007 |
|
|
In 2007, thirty children from New York City and Newark, New Jersey participated in the Canine Assisted Learning Program at Camp Border Collie for Kids. The children came from seven different public schools in New York City, the Partnership with Children in NYC and Brooklyn and from Link Community School and Team Academy in Newark, NJ. |
|
 |
 |
|
The program focus is on inner-city minority youth who are routinely exposed to a culture that often tolerates violence against animals and humans. The project includes border collies from the Glen Highland Farm canine rescue program as partners with the children in camp. The goal is to teach the children positive, loving and humane methods of basic animal care and respect for all living creatures. At the same time, the program provides the unique opportunity for the dogs in the canine rescue program to gain a new positive experience in a relationship with a purposeful bonding with the children. |
|
 |
 |
|
The bond between a child who may have been misunderstood, abandoned or abused with a dog in the same situation is an unparalleled way to promote healing for both. |
|
| The Canine Assisted Learning Program was founded on the principle that there is a definite link between how we treat animals and how we ultimately treat each other. The children learn in an environment that actualizes a harmonious human/animal/nature relationship. |
|
|
Therefore, the lessons learned here with the rescued border collies become a significant model for these children to begin to establish more positive relationships with humans, animals and their environment. Since the beginning of this program in 2001, we have brought 225 children from New York City and Newark, New Jersey into this program and more than 175 rescued border collies have participated in the program with these children |
|
 |
 |
|
The Canine Assisted Learning Program helps these children develop a new understanding, respect and empathy for the animal world, their peers and their environment. Their self esteem is profoundly impacted by the relationship developed in working with the rescued border collies, thus changing how they interact with others. They take a new understanding back into their home neighborhoods and become active ambassadors of humane treatment and respect for all living things. |
|
| The impact for society is equally significant since it is an irrefutable fact that the children in our society today ultimately become the caretakers of our world tomorrow. | |
|
|
The basic nurturing effect of sharing life experiences with their rescue dogs within a serene, calming and natural environment is unique to Camp Border Collie for Kids. The bonding magic that takes place between each child and their dog is what sets Camp Border Collie for Kids apart and is the ingredient that makes the life transformation possible that occurs for both the children and for their rescue dogs |
|
Each child is paired with their own rescued border collie who becomes their constant companion during their time in camp. By carefully matching campers and dogs we are ensuring a basis for creating a trusting and loving bond to occur quite naturally during the camp program. The first five days of camp involve a program of basic obedience training. The children begin by learning how to communicate with a dog in voice tone, hand signals, body posture, and verbal commands such as sit, stay, come, lie down, wait, leave it, and no. Once the children and their companion rescue dog have mastered the basic obedience work, they move on to working with their dog on the agility obstacle course. The agility course work was led in 2007 by professional teaching volunteers Wendy Donoghue, Deb Norman and Donna Deal. In agility, the dogs are asked to perform through a number of daunting obstacles including a high rise dog walk, tire jumps, tunnels, see-saw, and weave poles. |
|
|
 |
|
Because of the “now-developed” compassion, patience and trust that the children have created with their companion rescue dog….both enter this new phase of work with mutually shared confidence and enthusiasm. Taking plenty of time with their dogs to fully master each obstacle, both the campers and the dogs leave the agility course each day with an obvious sense of accomplishment. |
|
|
At Camp Border Collie for Kids we also completely involve the children in the nature that surrounds them at Glen Highland Farm within its 175 acres of woods, open fields, streams, and ponds. Under the teaching guidance of volunteer naturalists, Paul and Amanda Mezick, the children explore the entire property and are led through many adventures in the streams and woods. They experience the opportunity to touch everything from vastly varied plant life to animal and stream life all within the boundaries of Glen Highland Farm. |
  |
|
Friends of the Farm, Mike and Joyce Darrell, introduced the campers to Duke and Misty, two amazing dogs in wheelchairs. Watching these dogs race through the woods showed the campers that anything is possible with the right state of mind and that there truly is no such thing as a disadvantage or a handicap. |
|
 |
 |
| After a day filled with activity and exploration, the children would always have off leash play time with their dogs. By removing the structure of training and agility and just allowing the children and their dogs to be together, we helped foster an even closer, more personal and intimate bond between each. It was during these quieter times that the children and the dogs were able to share themselves more completely. | |
 |
|
| We have now finished our seventh
year of hosting inner city kids from New York and Newark. We know that
the experience is a life-transforming one for the children. We also know
that the rescued border collies experience the same kind of
transformation.
During the 2007 camp program, CBS Television came to the Farm and filmed a complete camp session. The half hour program aired nationally in October and created a huge response from all over the US. (Click here to view video) |
  |
| Camp Border Collie for
Kids exists because many dozens of people have generously supported this
program by volunteering their time and expertise as teachers,
companions, and mentors for these children. In addition, we could not
begin to run this program without the generous financial support of the
many individuals and foundations that have supported our efforts. On
behalf of all the children who have come to this program since 2001, we
thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Lillie Goodrich and John Andersen Glen Highland Farm Co-Founders |
|
|
 |
|
If you'd like to
donate Please
send a check to |
