Latest from Hydronics
Indirect vs. Direct Water Level Indicators Explained
Rapid Response Rescues Georgia Restaurant
Sponsored
COLUMBIA, SC — Cole Sawyer was just 10 years old in 2004 when he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Unable to allow their child to participate in the kinds of activities children his age enjoy, Cole’s family came across a happy alternative: a special place dedicated to creating a traditional summer camp experience for children with cancer and their supportive siblings.
Cole, along with his then-13-year-old sister Kelsey, would spend that special summer 17 years ago making friends with children and families facing similar conditions, while also making the most cherished of memories. After Cole’s passing in November 2004, Kelsey Carter and her family vowed to construct a special children’s camp of their own, inspired by young Cole and a place that would become their home away from home.
Today, the newly opened Camp Cole, located near Columbia, South Carolina, offers a fully accessible camp and retreat facility for children, teens and their families facing serious illnesses and other physical, mental and emotional health or life challenges. Projected to accommodate up to 3,000 young guests and their families in its first year, the camp offers special needs children a wide variety of recreational and learning activities. These include therapeutic horseback riding, paddleboarding, kayaking, camp-fire building, arts and crafts, and fishing.
A mother’s vision
Cole’s family began discussing plans for the camp early on when Kelsey’s late mother, Stacy Sawyer, first shared her vision for a memorial for her child, including the concept, the grounds layout, and even the property the camp would eventually be located on. Project planning and fundraising began in earnest in 2018, led by Kelsey and her long-time friend—camp co-founder Margaret Deans Grantz.
“Margaret Deans and I had both lost someone to cancer,” explains Carter, who notes that she and her friend had served alongside one another for 14 years at another camp. As a result —
“We know firsthand that the traditional summer camp experience provides so much more than laughter and joy. It offers characteristics, life skills, and long-lasting friendships. We needed to provide this type of experience and connectivity” in their own children’s camp facility.
After beginning construction in August 2020, the design and construction teams pushed through obstacles caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in time for Camp Cole to hold its grand opening this year on June 8. With the completion of construction, future fundraising efforts will now target scholarships for campers.
In partnership with other not-for-profit organizations—Camp Rise Above, Camp Victory, South Carolina homeless shelters—Camp Cole will dedicate each week of this summer and each weekend this fall, as well as next winter and spring, to a different group of children facing particular challenges.
For example, the last week of July will invite children suffering through homelessness to have a camp experience. Another week will host children with autism. In the late summer and fall, when the camp shifts its focus to weekend outings, families will be invited to stay as well. An August weekend, called “Children’s Cancer Partners,'' will foster memories between children with cancer and their families.
Camp facilities and partners
Designed by C. Jeff Stroud AIA Architect, the newly built campground features a state-of-the-art medical care facility with equipment and supplies. It allows the staff to accommodate children who otherwise would not have access to a camp opportunity. (The camp itself is also located just 15 miles from Prisma Health Children’s Hospital, a necessity in selecting the location.)
The medical facility, as well as the centrally located Welcome Center—including a multipurpose room, cafeteria, kitchen, pool, and amphitheater—was an approximately $8 million project, completed and overseen by Columbia-based Hood Construction Co. Plumbing installation was provided by ProSource Supply.
The residential portion of the camp site, including seven cabins where the children stay, was erected by Great Southern Homes (Irmo, SC) whose owner, Michael Nieri, is a longtime friend of the Carter family. Along with every other participating contractor, Great Southern Homes donated all its labor to the construction effort. Fueled by his close relationship with the Carter family and his active involvement in charitable foundations, Nieri helped bring the family’s vision for Camp Cole to fruition.
In addition, various industry manufacturers contributed a wealth of building products. Among these was Noritz America, donating a dozen tankless units to provide hot water to the cabins, which can sleep up to 32 individuals. In all, the residential part of Camp Cole represents a $2 million gift back to the community, including the cabins as well as a conference area, cafeteria, offices, pool, kitchen, and a multipurpose room.
Tankless a must
In discussing potential scenarios and if-you-had-it-to-do-over construction ideas with their camp colleagues throughout the U.S. Southeast, Carter and Grantz became convinced that tankless water heating technology was a must. Given the size of Camp Cole’s accommodations and the number of young guests apt to be using hot water throughout the hot days of summer, the need for a reliable hot water system was paramount.
“We had to think about functionality,” explains Carter. “It's a camp, so there is a ton of dirt and grass. During the hotter months, kids will inevitably shower more. The system needed to be able to keep up with demand, while also creating a safe environment for the campers. Noritz and tankless water heaters were the obvious choice.”
Installed by Piedmont Plumbers Inc. (Lexington, SC), the dozen contributed tankless units—Models NR98 and EZTR50—were specified based on a peak usage by 200 occupants. Noritz Builder Sales Manager Beau McLeod and Regional Sales Manager Chris Martin assisted in the sizing of the system and in the procurement of the units from local distributors.
“We are a partner with Great Southern Homes and wanted to donate the endless supply of water the campers would need,” says McLeod. “This was an awesome experience for Noritz. Camp Cole is such a special cause, so watching the Carolina building community come together and being a part of it was an honor.”
Having featured tankless water heaters since 2009, Great Southern Homes’ familiarity with the product and its efficient installation made using the technology an easy choice, according to area manager Eric Stephenson. “Not only will tankless meet the demand for large volumes of hot water during the summer,” he notes, “but during the winter when the camp is not operating daily, tankless water heaters allow the camp to run efficiently by not heating water when it’s not needed.”
Two tankless water heaters were installed per building outdoors and hooked in tandem. Each building divides into two cabins, each serviced by a water heater. If one heater needs maintenance, the other could temporarily handle both cabins, because each water heater is capable of serving multiple showers and sinks when in use.
The tankless water heating systems, like all the other donated products for the cabins, “are geared to the special needs of the children,” says Kelsey. “For example, we used sheetrock specifically, because it is a noise-absorbent for children with autism. In collaboration with our builder and manufacturer partners, we put in the time to find products to benefit the kids.”
In addition, the cabin and the bathrooms within were designed to be as accessible as possible. Each shower area has a large drain system in a centralized location, with partitions that can be easily moved and lightweight shower curtains. The shower spigots can be quickly and smoothly removed as well. There are no stairs throughout the grounds. Instead, accessible pathways are found everywhere a camper may need to go, with large doorways at building entrances for wheelchair accessibility.
“Every builder and building-product company that took part in Camp Cole wanted to create something exceptional and accessible,” says Carter. “From Noritz and their water heaters, to the individual faucet distributors, the windows, the tile company, everyone had a great sense of communication and a shared purpose.”
A true blessing
With Camp Cole now a living reality, Carter is deeply aware of “the blessings that came out of my family’s grief. That’s what Camp Cole is: a blessing that came out of hardships.
“I will never forget that summer that Cole and I spent together,” she continues. “If I can help provide that time and space for similar memories to just one other child and their siblings, that’s really what it is all about.”