A Helping Heart

OCHS Students Volunteer at Camp MITIOG

Article by Mariel Robert

For many students, summer is a time to lay back, chill out, and avoid responsibilities, but for seniors Morgan Gustafson, Keisha Branine, Mariel Robert, Kaitlin Swindale, and Drake Whalen, they choose to volunteer their time instead. These students go to Camp MITIOG, a camp for children between the ages of 8 and 16 that have spina bifida.

Spina bifida is a birth defect that keeps the spinal cord and spine from developing correctly. Because of this, membranes that surround the spinal cord, nerve roots, and the spinal cord that are supposed to remain in the spinal canal can slip or hang out.  There are three levels of severity: occulta, meningocele, and myelomeningocele.

Children and teens with various kinds of spina bifida come to Camp MITIOG during the summer for a week of fun with a high school or college counselor. Osage City started taking kids to be counselors in 2002 thanks to Mr. James Bellinger, a math teacher here at OCHS. Bellinger has been going to Camp MITIOG since 1994 and is now the Male Lead Counselor. In recent years, Lyndon students have also started to steadily volunteer more and more camp counselors. Bellinger says, “I love seeing lots of kids go. We have had some Mission Valley and even Lebo kids go, as well as Osage and Lyndon,” when asked about seeing so many students volunteering.

Senior and two-time camp volunteer, Keisha Branine, says, “I love camp because I get to help children find their unique talents and forget about their disabilities. Just seeing their beautiful smiles makes my heart melt.”

If you would like to volunteer or learn more about Camp MITIOG, feel free to contact Mr. Bellinger.