Wonder Valley - Summer camp takes on a whole new meaning for one group of brave kids.
For more than 20 years now, Champ Camp has offered free fun for kids who face one of life's toughest challenges- surviving burn injuries.
And for some, this is the only place they could feel normal.
"This is their week. All year long they live for this one week, they get off those buses, it's like heaven to them," said Chris Bridger, and engineer with the Clovis Fire Department and volunteer at Champ Camp.
Back in the 1970's, a little girl named Alisa Ann Ruch was killed in a barbeque fire. Her family started a foundation in her honor.
It helps kids like grow up to live a normal life.
"I've been coming to camp for 6 years," said Jayden, right before jumping into the swimming pool.
"The kids really find they get to come up here and get away from people staring at their burn injuries and their scars, and meet other children who went through the same type of burn injury or trauma, they feel like they found a support network," said Jessica Derrick with the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation.
Firefighters volunteer their time, playing with the kids who have plenty of activities to choose from, whether it's swimming, making jewelry, riding motorcycles, or even rolling around in a mud pit.
Here, they're not burn victims, they're just kids.
"A lot of them feel like they don't ever get to be kids because they've gone through such a significant event in their lives, they've had to grow and mature so fast because of surgeries and things they've gone through," said Bridger.
Every year, about 150 kids from all over the state get to come here to the Wonder Valley resort, free of charge.
A little piece of heaven, for kids left scarred, by flames.
"Makes me feel really good because we get to have a lot of fun up here," said Jayden.
The is the 25th year the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn foundation, has sponsored Champ Camp.
