factsheet

Special Love, Inc. 888-930-2707

117 Youth Development Court 540-667-3774 (fax)

Winchester, VA 22602 www.specialove.org

Special Love, Inc. was founded in 1983 by Tom and Sheila Baker of Winchester, Virginia, after losing their own daughter to lymphoma. The Bakers wanted to give other children with cancer the opportunity to enjoy traditional camp activities and other opportunities that healthy children often take for granted. Special Love's hallmark program, Camp Fantastic, is a one-week adventure for 7-17 year olds and, like most of Special Love's events, is held at the Northern Virginia 4-H Educational Center in Front Royal, VA. In the 23 years since Special Love's inception, it has grown from one camp for 29 children to nearly 20 programs that impact over 3000 people annually. In addition to the programs listed below, Special Love also provides emergency financial relief to families and scholarships for post-secondary education to young adults with cancer.

Program History:

1983 ♥ Special Love, Inc. founded, the first edition of Camp Fantastic held.

1984 ♥ Spring and Fall Family Weekends added, as well as a daytrip to a
metro Washington area amusement park.

1986 ♥ Young Adults with Cancer (YAC) Weekend founded for 18-25 year
old cancer patients.

♥ Orioles Night started for all families and friends of Special Love.

1987 ♥ Fantastic Winter Weekend added for teens and young adults.

♥ BRASS Weekend started for cancer siblings.

1988 ♥ Reunion Family Weekend starts in June for past campers.

1989 ♥ Ski Family Weekend begins in February for current camp families.

1990 ♥ Fantastic Friends Weekend added for teens and their best friends.

1991 ♥ Under Seven (US) Weekend begins for patients ages 6 and under.

1992 ♥ BRASS Camp, a week-long adventure, is added for siblings.

1997 ♥ Camp Funshine begins for families of children with HIV/AIDS.*

1998 ♥ Barnum & Bailey Circus Night added for all camp families and friends.

2002 ♥ Parents Getaway Weekend held for parents of young cancer patients.

2005 ♥ Tidewater Family Weekend held for Richmond/Tidewater, VA patients and families.

*Camp Funshine is now sponsored by Really Awesome Times, est. 2006 .