Erik Skeie says he doesn’t remember exactly how old he was when he started going to the American Lung Association’s camp for kids with asthma, but it changed his life.
So much so that he’s still coordinating the counselors for the camp years later.
“The reason I keep coming back is the same thing that I got out of it when I was a camper, it changed my life. It helped me manage my asthma and learn it didn’t have to hold me back,” he told Denver7. “So the thing that keeps me coming back year after year is seeing kids get that realization, I don’t have to be afraid of this thing.”
Skeie is one of the volunteers being honored with a US Bank gift card from Denver7 for their work this month.
He says without volunteers, camps like the one he is a part of wouldn’t be possible.
“We really need volunteers to make sure kids are safe and get to experience these new things. A lot of these kids don’t get a chance to be outside and having a lot of people there with support helps them feel comfortable and safe in the situation.”
To learn more about the American Lung Association and Champ Camp visit lung.org