Barton Center Camps celebrate 10 years using Balance & Stretch concepts!

In July 2011, The Barton Center for Diabetes Education Inc. celebrated the 10 year anniversary of their introduction of the Balance & Stretch concepts with a new Healthy Stars Program (see below). The Barton Center currently owns the two longest running residential summer camps in the world supporting children with type 1 diabetes. The boy's camp traces its roots back 87 years while the girls camp has supported those in need for 79 years. Balance & Stretch Center President Rick Miller has personally worked with counselors at both camps over the 10 year period. The Balance & Stretch concepts are used at both camps to support the Barton Center's mission of "Inspiring Children and Empowering Families."
The following was taken from a 2011 Barton Center newsletter:
Read It Now!

Barton Center Associate Executive Director to join Balance & Stretch Center Board

The Balance & Stretch Center Board enthusiastically welcomes Lynn Butler as its newest member. Lynn Butler is the Associate Executive Director & Director of Development at The Barton Center for Diabetes, Inc. in North Oxford, MA. The mission of The Barton Center is to improve the lives of children with insulin dependent diabetes through education, recreation and support programs which inspire and empower. The Barton Center operates two resident camps, six day camps and several year round programs. Lynn has been with The Barton Center for over ten years in various positions. Lynn's joy comes from the smiles on the campers faces as they develop new friendships, new skills and confidence; the dedication and commitment of campers who return as staff members; and the feedback from parents who report back that their once shy, timid child who was embarrassed and isolated by their diabetes has become transformed into a more self-assured child who has learned to balance their health, and help others to do the same.

Balance & Stretch Center supports Friends with Diabetes

On May 15th and 16th, 2009 Balance & Stretch Center President Rick Miller joined Rabbi Hersh Meisels and 28 young men from across the country with diabetes at a shabbos sponsored by Friends with Diabetes. Friends with Diabetes was established by Rabbi Meisels with the following mission:

• To offer quality education about controlling diabetes and incorporating it into the Jewish tradition and lifestyle.
• To actively demonstrate how simple it is to live a normal, healthy life with diabetes.
• To spread awareness on the prevention of the epidemic of insulin resistance and type II diabetes.
• To help clarify Halachos (Torah laws) involved in diabetes care.
• To offer support with the day-to-day issues of living with diabetes.
• To pair up partners and Friends With Diabetes.
• To inform the community about updated innovations and diabetes technology.

During the session, both leaders offered lessons of health and life balance. FWD offers support to over 25,000 facing type 1 diabetes in the Jewish community.

Balance & Stretch Center supports the Autism Research Institute and Tourette Syndrome Association of NJ, Inc.

On February 8th 2009, The Balance & Stretch Center partnered with Debbie Peterson and Elise Brown to sponsor an inaugural event - A Wellness Gala to Balance Your Life. The event brought together a select group of experts and organizations to offer individuals opportunities to balance their health and their life, while helping others.

Experts shared information and offered demonstrations in the following modalities: Massage, Anti-Aging Medicine, Nutrition, Acupuncture, Feng Shui, Energy Balancing, Life Coaching, Chiropractic, Skin Care, Reflexology, Laughter Therapy, and Aromatherapy. In addition, Community Outreach Advocates from a number of non-profit organizations in the greater Morris County, New Jersey area provided volunteer opportunities to participants.

The Balance & Stretch Center also offered its web-site to collect donations for the two beneficiary organizations: The Autism Research Institute and Tourette Syndrome Association of NJ, Inc.

Saint Barnabas Health Care System sponsors a Balance & Stretch "Sleepover"

New Jersey - On January 12th and 13th, New Jersey's Saint Barnabas Health Care Network and Animas Corporation sponsored a "sleepover" at Newark's Liberty Science Center. Senior staff from Saint Barnabas Ambulatory Care Center in Livingston New Jersey joined with representatives from Animas Corporation and Lifescan and Balance & Stretch Center leader Rick Miller to host 36 children with type 1 diabetes at the newly renovated Liberty Science Center for an overnight session of education and fun.

Rick teamed with Dr. Henry Anhalt to keynote an educational session titled "What can Stars with diabetes Teach the rest of the World?" These 36 Saint Barnabas Stars performed skits, sang songs and drew pictures to help others learn to practice balance to live healthy and full lives and to stretch to do their very best.

Circle of Life Center Family Weekend Event highlights Balance & Stretch

Dr. Alicia McAuliffe-Fogarty's New York based Circle of Life Center joined with Animas, Lifescan and NovoNordisk to offer a Family Camp Weekend at the Six Flags Resort just outside of Lake George in upstate New York on March 14-16. The session began on Friday night with a keynote by Balance & Stretch leader Rick Miller where families learned that balance is as much a goal for families as it is for individuals,particularly when a member of the family is challenged with a chronic disease. See these Circle of Life Stars!

Setebaid Services Family Weekend highlights Balance & Stretch

Pennsylvania based Setebaid Services hosted a very successful Family Weekend event on May 17th and 18th at the Split Rock Resort in the Poconos. Balance & Stretch President Rick Miller had the opportunity to lead separate two educational sessions. The first session included both children challenged with diabetes (Setebaid Stars) and their siblings where the kids worked together to create skits to teach each other about health and life success. In the second session, Rick led a discussion about family balance and success.

The Diabetes Education and Camping Association

The Diabetes Education and Camping Association (DECA) provides leadership and education to
better enable diabetes camps to help people affected by diabetes lead healthier, happier, and
more productive lives through good diabetes management.

Their members are camping and youth leaders, and medical professionals who operate diabetes camps and youth programs around the world. There are more than 160 diabetes camps in North America and another 160 additional camps around the world. They support over 35,000 campers and staff.

The DECA was established in 1997 to promote communication, provide education, share resources, and serve as a worldwide voice to advance diabetes camping programs that meet the needs of individuals and families. They provide leadership in diabetes medical management and nutrition education combined with outdoor recreational programs. Additionally, they maintain an international database of diabetes camping programs, and serve as a resource clearinghouse and networking center for diabetes camping and youth organizations.

DECA organizes annual camping conferences to promote learning about quality camping programs, teach leaders about current diabetes treatment and research, and share experiences; all to better serve families and children affected by diabetes.

The DECA supports the Balance & Stretch® framework as a tool to share best practices and to support the education and motivation mission of their member camps.

ADA 67th Scientific Session to highlight a Balance & Stretch tool!
Read the story HERE

The Barton Center for Diabetes Education, one of the country’s premier diabetes organizations, announced its adoption of Balance & Stretch®, an innovative program designed to help people live better with diabetes. The program will be introduced to attendees of Barton Summer Camp, beginning June 25.
Read the press release HERE

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