Patty Hillkirk: Founder/Director – 27 years

Twenty-seven years ago, I had the dream of creating a safe and therapeutic community for children coping with HIV/AIDS.  My dream became a reality thanks to the dedication of our remarkable team of program leaders, counselors, health center personnel, therapists, educators and community members.  They truly are my heroes. The life changing impact they have on the children served by our programs is beyond measure.

I treasure each and every moment with the children and volunteers.  It has been my greatest pleasure to witness the transformative impact of our therapeutic community over the years at camp. I am proud of the commitment we’ve made to adapt and change our programs to meet the changing needs of the children served by Camp Dreamcatcher.   I have never worked with a more dedicated team – I’ve never worked harder, connected deeper, or laughed harder than when we are together during the camp sessions. Our Camp Dreamcatcher Family is bound by connections of the heart and we have forged friendships and memories that last a lifetime.

The magic of Camp Dreamcatcher is hard to capture in words. The closest I’ve found is in this quote by Desmond Tutu in which he defines UBUNTU:

“Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can’t exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can’t be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality – Ubuntu – you are known for your generosity. We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole World. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.”  The Camp Dreamcatcher family has woven a Circle of Love for the children served by our programs.