MARTINSVILLE — Slowly, in the safe haven that is Bradford Woods, Brandan Aughinvaugh learned how to come out of his shell.
Be courageous, he tells himself every day, reminded by a bracelet and necklace emblazoned with the word Courage. It's courage he found at Camp About Face 11 years ago as a young, shy camper with a cleft lip.
Now 18 years old and bearded, Aughinvaugh is set to "graduate" from the camp, but not before he continues to pass on some wisdom to the younger campers.
"Camp has made me into a more caring, outgoing person. Not just for others, but for myself," Aughinvaugh said. "A lot of us have been through the same types of bullying, the name-calling. It's the same story, different situations. But out here, it's one of the best times of the year."
For 30 years, Camp About Face has been helping young patients of Riley Hospital for Children with cleft lips and palates to find their own courage or to smile for a week with new friends with often shared experiences. Campers range in age from 8 to 18.
Each year, 2,650 children are born with a cleft palate and 4,460 with a cleft lip in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This year, the camp welcomed 36 children for a full two weeks at Bradford Woods, just outside Martinsville. The extra week of camp was funded by a private donor.