Resource Spotlight: The Center for Courageous Kids
Nestled in the rolling hills of Scottsville, Kentucky, you will find The Center for Courageous Kids (CCK), a cost-free medical camping facility designed exclusively for children living with serious illnesses who are unable to attend a traditional camp. CCK is a hidden Bluegrass treasure where campers and their families, whose daily routines consist of hospital visits, medical treatments and procedures, and endless prescriptions, can finally let go and experience the joys of camping.
Upon visiting this 168-acre campus, visitors will not see many similarities to a medical facility. You will see horses grazing in the pasture, a beautiful four-acre lake stocked with endless amounts of fish, cozy lodges, a peaceful setting that provides respite to our campers and families.
The Center for Courageous Kids program aims to inspire, empower, and enhance the lives of the campers not only while at camp but in their daily lives outside of camp. This is accomplished through multiple approaches. The camp includes an array of fully inclusive activities such as therapeutic horseback riding, art and music therapy, boating and fishing, theater arts, swimming in our zero-entry pool, six-lane bowling alley, and MORE! In addition to offering fun-filled activities, CCK staff also provides self-care workshops that focus on providing campers with an increased sense of independence, along with specialized track programs that focus on increasing their skill level in archery, cooking, and horseback riding. These experiences are facilitated under the guidance and expertise of trained program staff, licensed therapists, and a medical staff composed of doctors and nurses experienced in the specific diagnoses being served.
Operating as a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization, the children, and families that attend CCK do so free of charge. Since its inception in 2008, The Center for Courageous Kids has welcomed over 30,000 seriously ill children and their families from 45 different states and 10 foreign countries.
The state of the art medical camp is funded solely by donations from individuals, foundations, healthcare partners, grants and special fundraising events. Every penny donated is committed to sending a child to camp! To find out how you can donate to CCK, volunteer, or send a child to camp, please visit www.courageouskids.org or call the camp office at 270-618-2900.