Their day in the sun
<p>Matt Jennings, 11, basks in the downpour Wednesday created by a Northern Lakes Fire engine at the 7th annual Muscular Dystrophy Association Camp at Camp Twinlow in Twin Lakes. Jennings and other campers covered had the electrical components and other sensitive equipment on their wheelchairs covered with plastics so they could participate in the sopping event.</p>
TWIN LAKES - This is a week Willow Smith can let loose and have some fun.
The 9-year-old Coeur d'Alene girl is among 31 children with neuromuscular disorders who are spending the week enjoying a myriad of activities at Camp Twinlow on Twin Lakes.
"I like everything about it," Willow said with a wide grin. "It's just awesome. I don't get to go to a lake every day and this is, like, right by your house."
The seventh annual camp, sponsored by the Muscular Dystrophy Association and staffed by volunteer counselors, is for children ages 6-17 who have one of 43 such diseases.
Campers swim, dance, do crafts and karaoke, play games, decorate cakes and foam hats, build things, fish and even ride Harley motorcycles with a group.
"Every day is awesome," Willow said. "There's also squirt guns ... massive squirt guns."
Kootenai County Fire and Rescue firefighter Bryon Smith (no relation to Willow) is in his sixth year of assisting at the camp. If someone in his firefighters' union can't work his shifts to allow him to be at the camp, he uses vacation time to be a part of the kids' lives.
"You develop relationships over the years, and this may be the only time that they get to see the others with disabilities," Smith said. "It's an opportunity for them to be just one of the guys or girls and not worry about what other people may think."
It also gives parents a break and time to catch up around the house, Smith said.
"A lot of them get their home repairs done or do nothing at all, which is great," Smith said.
Smith said the campers tug at his heart, which keeps him coming back.
"Some say, 'If only I didn't have this disease, I'd be able to do this,'" he said. "So it's nice to provide a means for these kids to have a good time. We've lost a lot of them in their mid-20s."
Firefighters have supported the camp through their Fill the Boot fundraisers. Other fundraisers include a telethon and lockup. The camp is always looking for volunteers.
Renee Parkins of the MDA said the campers look forward to the week every year.
"They can be comfortable in their own skin, have fun and they know they won't be judged," Parkins said.