Published: July 07, 2009 02:14 pm      

Camp Sweeney reunion brings former campers, staff members together

“He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother,” was playing over the speakers as current campers and Camp Sweeney alum from 60 seasons talked, ate dinner and watched videos of past years. The camp’s motto, “Where Friendship Begins and Never Ends,” seemed to be taking place. The 60th Year Reunion for all Camp Sweeney campers, counselors and personnel took place on the Fourth of July.

Before the crowd left for the lowering of the flag ceremony, Melanie Ragain brought the microphone around to tables throughout the tent so campers could stand to say “hello,” share memories of their times at Camp Sweeney or tell how the education they received here has helped them in their battle to maintain a healthy life with diabetes.

Gary Dunlap introduced himself as a long time camper and counselor. “I’ve been a diabetic for 40 years,” said Dunlap. “God bless Camp Sweeney.”

Imogene Priddy Parker stood and said “living this long is because of all I learned as a camper at Camp Sweeney.” Parker is 73 and has been a diabetic for 61 years.

“The doctor told me I probably wouldn’t live to be 45 years old,” said Parker of the doctor who diagnosed her in her youth.

Parker said she came to Camp Sweeney the first time when she was 15. “And here I am 73 years old, a grandmother and living a wonderful life.”

Priddy said “Dr. Shirley Sweeney was still here when I came.”

Charles and Betty Nelson attended the reunion. They spent many years at Camp Sweeney. Charles was the camp director and Betty was the dietitian.

One of Charles’ recollections was “we all came into the lodge and watched the landing on the moon.” He ended by saying “let’s keep this tradition going.”

Ragain said of Betty, that she always told us to eat our oatmeal and fiber. She knew about it’s nutritional value way before the rest of the scientists picked up on it.

Courtney Nott of Ana came to Camp Sweeney for six years as a camper and was 11 during her first summer.

Nott said, “I will say that it has helped me.” She said the medical classes for each age level educated her about diabetes, blood sugar levels and how to eat right. The core of Camp Sweeney is ‘taking care of yourself.’”

“They taught me about real world situations,” said Nott, “when you go leave camp there’s a real world out there. They taught me how to prevent the complications.”

Nott said that when diabetes goes untreated or is not well managed, the body can become plagued by the “seven symptoms” that include blindness, hardening of the arteries, kidney failure and nerves going dead (losing limbs).

Nott’s husband, Jonathan Hamilton said of her, “She is different when she has a low. She really changes.” He likened her to the example of Julie Roberts’ character in “Steel Magnolia’s.”

Nott and Hamilton have been married seven years. Nott said it has really helped her that her husband is in the medical field.

Hamilton, a scrub technician by profession, said his work requires assisting with amputations all the time on people who haven’t managed their diabetes well or whose diabetes has progressed to that level.

Erin Keen said she was diagnosed with diabetes when she was five. “I started tearing up when we came in here today. I haven’t been here since I was 15.”

Keen told how she always loved horses and would take the riding course at camp every year she could get in the class. “Riding carried over into my real life,” said Keen. “I now have a horse of my own.”

Amy Graves Pennington of Keller said she was a camper for six years starting when she was 12. She was then a counselor at the camp for two years. “It helped me in every aspect,” said Pennington. “Daily everyday care, daily mental battles and with my pregnancy. The lifestyle never ends.”

Pennington said Camp Sweeney has always been a home away from home. “The skills that they teach you about diabetes and the friendships you make, they really do last a lifetime.”

Melanie Ragain of Lubbock said when she first came to camp she was 11 and didn’t know how to give herself her own insulin shots. Her parents did everything for her. The first day she came to camp they taught her to give herself her own insulin shots.

Ragain said, “anything as far as the medical side of the disease I learned from the Camp Sweeney medical lectures. I knew my disease. I knew the consequences. I knew I wasn’t alone.”

Ragain said she felt different and ashamed of being diabetic and the care she needed before she came to camp. Now in her thirties, she said “at this age you know you have friends that are starting to get other diseases like lupus. When you’re ten, you don’t know anyone who has physical problems like you.”

“In the end everyone gets something,” said Ragain. “We just got ours a lot earlier.”

Ragain was also a counselor at the camp and said she and her husband met at Camp Sweeney.

Karyn Harris of Forney said “I know if it wasn’t for this camp I wouldn’t be here today.” Her sister was also diabetic and attended the camp.

“I’ve met some great people over the years,” said Harris. “Many memories remain here. So many outside camp don’t know what you’re talking about.”

After dinner, everyone attended the lowering of the flag ceremony. Nott said the lowering of the flag was and still is a daily tradition. “They do ‘the medical question of the day’ and give an award out to the cleanest cabin.”

There were skits from the current camp counselors and songs and games. At 10 p.m. came the fireworks show. Then, the band “Hard Night’s Day” played as campers played games like “Guitar Hero,” socialized and had fun.

The reunion activities included the traditional singing of the “Camp Song.” Everyone stood and held hands or connected in some way as they sang. Camp Director Ernie Fernandez said “we sing the ‘Camp Song’ for those who are no longer with us. When we do the song it connects us to all the generations that have been here.”

Camp Sweeney’s holds a reunion every five years for all former campers, counselors and personnel. The next reunion is in 2014.