Aqua Quip Helps Bring Summer Back to Camp Korey
Posted: August 26, 2021At Aqua Quip, we believe that community outreach is a vital part of any business. Giving back to those who have given so much to our community is something we’re passionate about, especially when we can extend a helping hand to those who need it most.
That’s why when Camp Korey’s CEO Jay Henningsen and Board VP Sue Colbourne reached out to Aqua Quip’s Senior VP Brian Quint about an opportunity for community outreach with their incredible organization, we jumped at the chance.
The Amazing Camp Korey
Camp Korey is a 200-acre summer camp located on Brotherhood Road in Mount Vernon. It’s a special place for children living with complex medical conditions and disabilities as well as their families to enjoy year-round fun in a safe and understanding environment.
This organization is part of the SeriousFun Children’s Network, a now-global community outreach program founded in 1988 by actor and philanthropist Paul Newman. The camp and its programs are free for both the campers and their families. It relies on charitable donations to continue operations.
Camp Korey was founded in 2005 by Tim Rose, the father of Korey Rose, whom the camp is named after. Korey was only 18 years old when he lost his fight against bone cancer. His battle inspired Tim to build a safe place for children with life-altering illnesses and complicated medical conditions. A place where they could find joy and camaraderie.
Camp Korey offers residential summer camp sessions from late June through mid-August for children ages 7 to 17. Camp Korey uses adaptive programming and relies on the expertise of the medical community for help creating programs that will accommodate all children’s specials needs, many of which have mobility issues due to numerous medical conditions including neurological disorders, organ transplant recipients, sickle cell disease, cranial disorders, burn survivors, etc.
Each camper is able to attend for one week, where each week is programmed for a specific medical condition so each child can utilize the camp based on their specific needs. Camp Korey is life-changing for children who typically cannot experience a normal childhood due to special needs. Camp Korey provides a safe, sensory-rich, therapeutic environment where kids can feel like kids again.
How Aqua Quip Became Involved with Camp Korey
Most summer camps have a great swimming pool, but even the best swimming pools can experience issues from time to time. That was the case with Camp Korey’s pool before this year’s summer camp sessions for children with special needs.
Camp Korey’s pool was entirely inoperable for nearly three years due to permitting issues as the warm weather neared. Seeking a quick solution to this big issue, Henningsen and Colbourne reached out to Quint and captured his attention about the camp’s needs.
Aqua Quip was grateful for the opportunity to prove that our community outreach philosophy is more than just words. We donated a new pump, chlorinator, flow meter, filter system, heater, and plumbing to Camp Korey and solved their pool issues. As we have said, giving back to the community that has given us so much is incredibly important. Being able to provide the gift of swimming to children and families dealing with such difficult circumstances is a gift unto itself and now the pool is fully accessible for every child attending summer camp.
“Learning about the programs put on at Camp Korey and most especially the mission of making a camp experience possible for children with life-threatening illnesses and complicated medical conditions made our involvement and support a ‘no-brainer’. We are so excited to have played a part in preparing the swimming pool for the young people and their families who will be attending Camp Korey,” stated Aqua Quip’s Senior VP, Brian Quint.
Kind Words About our Community Outreach Efforts
We’re proud to share the gracious words of Camp Korey’s Director of Facilities/Project Manager Isaac Hedblom as well as Director of Marketing and Community Engagement Kimberly Puhrmann regarding our community outreach efforts at their fantastic summer camp:
Isaac Hedblom, Director of Facilities/ Project Manager – “Aqua Quip was wonderful to work with, very detailed in their communication and workmanship. The crew was on time and met all our expectations. The chemical supplier out of the Lynnwood branch was very helpful and thorough with discussing our water testing. Camp Korey will continue to work with Aqua Quip on any of our pool needs and repairs.”
Kimberly Puhrmann, Director of Marketing & Community Engagement – “Aqua Quip’s gift of restoring our pool enables us to continue our mission of bringing adaptive camp programming to children with serious medical conditions and disabilities. The sensation of freedom and independence is seen on our camper’s faces from the moment they touch the water. Campers can be boundless, and that gift of recreational water therapy is a joy for our team to provide the families. The impact of this incredible partnership is felt by every camper, family, medical & staff member, volunteer, and supporter.”
How to Help Camp Korey
We hope you feel as moved as we do by Camp Korey’s efforts to serve children and families in need. If you’re interested in doing some community outreach work of your own, look at these ways to support Camp Korey. If you want to be part of all the action and genuinely lend a hand, you can also volunteer at Camp Korey.