On the referral of a friend back in 1978, the parents of then 7-year-old Mark Kranz made a fateful decision. They sent their youngster to Camp Courage.
“I attended a week-long session for kids with physical disabilities,” Kranz recalls. “The kids all had different types of challenges. Mine was cerebral palsy. That first camp experience was very frightening,” he admited. “However, after a few days, I didn’t want to go home!”
That was nearly 30 years ago. Now 38, Kranz still remembers his favorite camping activity with fondness. “The horses, by far!”
Since that first session, Kranz has returned to Camp Courage seven times. Now married and raising his own children, he brings his family to Family Camp. “My kids, Jon, age 9, and Emily, 6, really like all the staff at Family Camp,” he said. “The staffers are very friendly, kind and helpful. And we make new friends at every camp we attend.”
For Kranz, Camp Courage has always meant freedom. “Camp has always been the place to try new things and learn to be independent.”
Today, Kranz works as an accredited wealth manager and assistant vice president of RBC Wealth Management. “My job requires me to talk with people all day. I meet new people all the time.” He credits camp with helping him develop his social confidence. “Camp helped me grow as a person. It made me more confident and more independent. As a result, my life has been far more exciting and rewarding.”
Kranz encourages those who might have some apprehension about going to Camp Courage to, “Go anyway. You’ll be glad you did.”
And to parents who might have reservations about sending their child to Camp Courage, he advised, “Give your child a chance to grow without you. You’ll be amazed how outgoing your child is when he or she is reunited with you.”
Did little Mark Kranz’s parents foresee the benefits of sending their youngster off to Camp Courage nearly 30 years ago? Perhaps. Today, grown up Mark Kranz summarizes its effects: “Camp Courage is an oasis of freedom and independence. I will be forever grateful to the men and women who had the vision to build this wonderful place.”
For more information about Camp Courage and Courage Center’s many camping programs, call 763.520.0504 or visit CourageCenter.org/camps.
- Story by Mary Jellison-
