National Guard Soldiers present medals to kids at oncology camp

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(Left to right) Chief Warrant Officer (2) Jack Dorsett of Champaign, Scott Dahl from Medals4Mettle and Chief Warrant Officer (2) Rachelle McKay of Taylorville stand near some of the 130 medals.

BLOOMINGTON, IL (07/18/2011)(readMedia)-- The last day of camp is always a special day; full of smiles, hugs, and good-bye tears. July 15 was no exception for Camp COCO, Children's Oncology Camp Organization, in Bloomington.

Two members of the Illinois National Guard Running Team and Scott Dahl from the Medals4Mettle organization were in Bloomington at the closing ceremony of the weeklong camp to give each camper a well- deserved marathon medal from the Medals4Mettle organization. Chief Warrant Officer (2) Jack Dorsett of Champaign and Chief Warrant Officer (2) Rachelle McKay of Taylorville helped each camper pick out a medal to proudly wear home.

"Seeing the number of kids affected by cancer was eye opening," said Dorsett the senior auto-maintenance warrant officer with Company B, 634th Brigade Support Battalion in Champaign. "I was humbled to be a small part of such a caring organization, and that I hope to get the opportunity to participate again in the future."

Each summer, Camp COCO serves more than 130 children, ages 6-16, throughout central and southern Illinois. Families never have to pay for a child to attend camp. Siblings of young campers may also attend. Camp week is held in July at an Americans with Disabilities Act compliant camp in central Illinois to accommodate children with disabilities resulting from their cancer treatment. The time away from home is a break from clinic and hospital visits and over-protectiveness. Campers in active treatment receive specialized care from SIU School of Medicine's pediatrics staff, including an oncologist, nurses and child-life specialists, as well as other area health professionals. A full staff of qualified counselors, who are trained to work with children of all ages, are also on-site at all times.

The Illinois Guard Running Team and Medals4Mettle get together each month and make a trip to a local hospital to give deserving adults and children marathon medals.

If you are interested in more information about the Medals4Mettle organization please visit www.medals4mettle.org.

If you would like to be a part of the Illinois Guard Running Team and earn a few of those medals to give away, please email Chief Warrant Officer (2) Rachelle McKay, director of the Illinois National Guard Running Team at rachelle.mckay@us.army.mil.

For more information about Camp COCO please visit http://www.siumed.edu/foundation/campcoco.htm .

For high resolution photos, please contact the Illinois National Guard Public Affairs Office at ngilstaffpao@ng.army.mil

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Photo submitted by Chief Warrant Officer (2) Rachelle McKay/ (Left to right) Chief Warrant Officer (2) Jack Dorsett of Champaign, Scott Dahl from Medals4Mettle and Chief Warrant Officer (2) Rachelle McKay of Taylorville stand near some of the 130 medals that were given away to kids at Camp COCO, Children's Oncology Camp Organization, July 15 in Bloomington. Camp COCO is a weeklong camp for children who have battled cancer, ages 6-16, from hometowns throughout central and southern Illinois.