In addition to providing services for our campers, we target families as a whole, focusing on overall family health and well-being. Our program is designed to give parents and caregivers a 3-day and/or 5-day respite, which has been proven helpful in creating an opportunity for parents to “recharge their batteries,” spend time with other children and/or their spouse, or perform necessary adult tasks such as grocery shopping, employment, or date night.
Dream Oaks Camp represents a living dream for our founder, Eddie Mulock. While recuperating from heart transplant surgery at Shands Hospital in 1995, he witnessed the plight of many children with disabilities and chronic illnesses. He wondered what they did away from their many hours at the hospital and was inspired to create a place these children could look forward to and call their own. He returned home to Bradenton and set forth on his mission to build a camp designed to meet the needs of children with physical and developmental challenges.
