Camp Fantastic is about just being a kid, and it’s about building a community of friends, even when you’re online. No one needs community more than kids battling cancer, especially in the time of COVID19. 

This year, Camp Fantastic proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that community can be found anywhere. The Special Love staff and core of volunteers helped create virtual magic through live-streamed special guests, arts and crafts, photography classes, music, firehouse tours, game and movie nights and so many other online adventures.  

To help campers find their activities, we created Campfantastic.org which with just a simple click to an activity became the center of all the action – and still is, thanks to recordings that can be viewed anytime to relive the fun. 

Campers, and sometimes their families, joined us for live demonstrations, campfires, and live Q&A sessions on topics ranging from comic book art to “indoor s’mores” and even a chance to meet and learn from NBC4 meteorologist Chuck Bell. Celebrity Party Planner and former WEtv host David Tutera also dropped by to lead a special craft session on creating paper flower gardens that created some of the masterpieces pictured below. 

Daily “cabin chats” gave the campers a chance to talk to kids their own age and enjoy trivia contests (thanks to our friends at Capital One), and a visit from members of the National Capital Therapy dogs. The teens also went on an exciting virtual global chase as apprentice spies. 

And because we were virtual, young cancer patients in the hospital were able to join in the fun as well. Virtual Camp Fantastic gave them the chance to be a kid, hang with other kids, participate in activities, all from their hospital room. 

While we can’t wait to gather back in person, we were thrilled with the outcome of Virtual Camp Fantastic – and so were the families: 

“You all did such a fantastic job organizing and facilitating this camp for our kids! All things considered, it was the best virtual experience I have seen yet!” 

“We are amazed at your creativity and ability to create this wonderful virtual experience on such short notice.” 

“Thank you so much for providing such a fun, active week!”