—Moses Ludel
On July 24, 2010, Donna and I joined the transportation crew for Camp Wamp 2010. On that weekend, the Diablo 4-Wheelers from Concord, California, played a key role in driving these kids with disabilities into the remote camp at Hawley Lake. Jeep badges were prominent among the many 4WD vehicles, including our lifted XJ Cherokee. There was also support from FJ Cruiser and Nissan Xterra owners.
The Sierra wilderness camp, under the sponsorship of the Stephen J. Wampler Foundation, brings an enrichening, often transformative outdoor experience to these youth. Steve has devoted his career to bringing this wonderful opportunity to children with physical challenges. In Steve’s own words:
“Being a disabled kid is a big challenge to overcome. It has been my passion and life’s work to give these children a start in life they would never have had, with challenging wilderness programs.
“I was born with severe Cerebral Palsy and I use a power chair, but I now feel fortunate in life and I wouldn’t change it for anything! At nine years old, my parents enrolled me in an annual wilderness camp in the High Sierras where I fished, hiked, played in the lake and slept under the stars. I learned I could do anything I set my mind to and it became my favorite place on earth.
“Ten years and thousands of happy ‘Wampler Kids’ later, my quest continues to champion young adventurers by directly funding these life-changing experiences at no cost to their families. None of this, of course, is possible without your generosity. Any amount that you can contribute, large or small, will make a big difference in helping disabled kids to live richer lives.”
—Steve Wampler*
*In September 2010, Steve Wampler made international news, scaling El Capitan at Yosemite National Park, hand-over-hand with ropes and pulleys! Steve Wampler is an exemplary model for all of us…Yea, Steve!
Importantly, the kids’ transportation to camp relies upon the many 4WD volunteers, primarily Jeep owners, who devote their time, fuel and 4×4 vehicles. Credit goes to the Diablo 4-Wheelers, Grass Valley 4-Wheelers, Reno 4×4 Club, Hills Angels 4×4 Club and the other 4WD clubs (including Toyota FJ Cruiser and Nissan Xterra groups from Northern California and the greater Reno/Lake Tahoe Area)—plus four-wheelers from Auburn, Sacramento, Chico and the entire region who support the Camp Wamp program!
The City of Sacramento’s Leisure Access Program plays a large role in the Camp Wamp process. Aftermarket 4WD and Jeep parts suppliers, like 4-Wheel Parts and Rubicon Express, also contribute to meeting the transport needs of Camp Wamp. Important to note, this pristine Sierra Nevada site would not be available without the ongoing generosity of the Nejedly Family and access via National Forest trails.
I invite visitors at 4WD Mechanix© Magazine to enjoy the SD video (below). Perhaps you will become a 4WD volunteer driver or help sponsor a “Wampler Kid” at next year’s camp. (For more information, contact Jenny Ward (with the Diablo 4-Wheelers) at:
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At the very least, spread the word about this wonderful program and discover the satisfaction of seeing kids with challenges thrive from this outdoor experience! For more information about the nationally recognized Stephen J. Wampler Foundation, the website link is:
http://www.wamplerfoundation.org/
Camp Wamp makes a difference in the lives of some very special kids…Enjoy the video and see the proactive Jeep 4WD owners who support the Wampler Kids!
— Moses Ludel
Note: The video is an .flv file, which opens automatically with Adobe Flash Player™ and other .flv supported programs. A free, secure download of Adobe Flash Player™ is available at the Adobe website. For convenience, you can click this link to access Adobe Flash Player™:
http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/
You can view this video in either the viewer frame above or in full-screen, lower resolution format.
