Camp Miracle

By Andrew Jefferson KinCade

Camp Miracle is the story of a couple, Clyde, a veterinarian, and his wife Freeda, a nurse who decide to open a children’s camp. Clyde’s brother, Ian, and Freeda’s sister, Jo are drafter into helping them. They have a beautiful setting in the mountains with a large lake with an island and a waterfall. They are unsure of themselves and call the camp Camp Miracle because Clyde says it will be a miracle if he survives the first week. Children come in and thoroughly enjoy the camp. One of the young boys was injured in an auto accident and was unable to walk, but somehow during the week at camp he regains the use of his leg. Other children with different disabilities also seem to regain their health while at camp. Everyone is accepted at the camp regardless of their ability or disability and love is shown to all. Even the wild animals bring themselves or loved ones to Clyde to be healed. The children love to play jokes and tricks on their counselors because they like them and on one nurse because they don’t like her. She becomes a hero after a very strange creature arrives at the camp and she comes to his rescue.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Mar 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9781489733054

Andrew Jefferson KinCade

Andrew KinCade was born and raised in the rural mountain of East Tennessee in the foothills of the Great Smokey Mountains. Shortly after high school he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served as a hospital corpsman in the Vietnam War. Following military service Andrew completed his undergraduate work at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN with a BS in Speech and Mass Communication. After retiring from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs as an Addiction Therapist Andrew moved to Coronado, California where he currently lives with his husband, Ian, and their son, Adrian.

Book preview

Chapter One

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Camp Miracle: The Beginning

There must be at least a hundred kids here, Clyde lamented as he watched the children running around yelling, screaming, laughing and chasing each other. And of course the dogs were chasing them, barking and having a wonderful time. Heaven only knows how I’ll survive this week, he said to his wife Freeda. She didn’t hear him, or if she did she just ignored him as she seemed to be having almost as much fun as the children running all over the place.

Clyde sat on the steps to the big log house and wondered how he had ever been talked into starting a children’s camp at their home.

He was about ready to give up and send everyone home when his nephew ran up to him and said, Oh, Uncle Clyde! We’re going to have such a wonderful time this week. Aren’t you excited? I’m so glad you invited us all here for your camp.

Another little boy, whom Clyde did not know, added, Oh, yeah, Uncle Clyde. This is going to be a great week.

Seeing the happiness and excitement in their eyes and voices, Clyde knew that the week-long camp would take place and he would make the best of it. Maybe he would even enjoy the week himself. But somehow he rather doubted that.

It seemed that Clyde and Freeda had lived at the camp all their lives. In fact, they had lived most of their lives there. They had even built most of the camp themselves. They had bought the beautiful mountain land when they were quite young and had only been married for a couple of years. Not that they were old now, as they were still very young. There were no cabins on the land then, and no stable. There was no swimming pool or any of the other things that one would expect at a summer camp. All that was there were trees and trees, and more trees. There was also a large lake with a wonderful stream feeding into it from a 20 foot high waterfall. Once Freeda had seen the lake and waterfall she had been sold on the property.

It’s perfect, Clyde, she had exclaimed in her excitement when they had first visited. This will be an ideal place to raise our children. They can run and play in the woods and we’ll never have to worry about neighbors complaining that they are too noisy, ’cause there aren’t any neighbors.

She was certainly correct about that. The nearest neighbor was at the bottom of the hill, and that was a long way away! Actually it was almost two miles to the nearest neighbors and they didn’t live there year ’round, only in the summer. It was several miles into town causing Clyde concern that Freeda would be frightened living so far away from anyone. The National Forest was on three sides of their property, so there would never be any development there, and their land went all the way down to the main road. They had total privacy.

I won’t be lonely. I’ll have my gardens to take care of to keep me busy and I’ll continue to work, Freeda said. And the kids. Oh, how they both loved children. They wanted to have a large family and this would be the perfect place to raise them.

Freeda loved to plant flowers. The more flowers she had, the better she liked it. And she would also plant a big vegetable garden with tomatoes, corn, lettuce, carrots, and potatoes and just about anything that she could think of to plant. She would even plant lots of pumpkins so they could have lots of jack-o-lanterns at Halloween. She was really looking forward to her gardens and raising children.

Clyde and Freeda built a wonderful log home for themselves with plenty of room for their children when they arrived. They even built a big barn with several horse stalls so they could have lots of horses for their children. And they built a dock in the lake so they could tie up their boats and canoes as well as fish from the dock. The huge lake was just loaded with all kinds of fish and they enjoyed taking the boats out on quiet summer evenings. The lake was so huge there was even a large island in the middle of it. Sometimes they would take a boat to the island and have a cook out or a picnic. What fun that would be with the children, they both thought. Their whole life centered around the children to come.

But the children never came. They waited and waited, but there were never any babies. They were both very sad, but decided that for some reason they were not meant to have any children of their own. They thought about adopting, but that did not work out either. They were very sad and disappointed but accepted the fact that they would not have any children of their own. They had lots of friends with young children and they visited Clyde and Freeda frequently. Many times the children would spend the night or even the weekend with them and it was so much fun. Numerous nephews and nieces visited on a regular basis as well, so there was never a lack of children at their house.

Why don’t you start a children’s camp? Clyde’s brother Ian suggested. You have plenty of space and could build some cabins for the kids to sleep in, and over there is the perfect place for a chow hall. It would be perfect.

Clyde said that he would have to be out of his mind to even think about building a children’s camp. There would be too many regulations and too much responsibility to do such a thing. Still, the idea stayed in his head and he could tell that Freeda was intrigued by the idea. Clyde and Freeda talked about it, but they were unsure if they should do it or not.

Clyde was a veterinarian and Freeda was a nurse. They had no experience with children, other than those of their families and friends, and they certainly had no experience with a camp for youngster. Neither of them had even been to a summer camp as children themselves. No, they decided, they were not cut out to be camp counselors and run a children’s camp at their home.

Slowly the beautiful green leaves turned to the golds, yellows and reds of autumn, then they began to fall and once again the trees were bare of leaves and the ground was covered with them. They would take their dogs for long walks in the dried leaves and the rustling of the leaves always lifted their spirits. They couldn’t help but smile as they watched their cocker spaniels run and play in the leaves.

Clyde had rescued Cassie and Hannah when they were just tiny little puppies. Their owner was being mean to them, so Clyde had refused to give them back. Cassie was buff in color and Hannah was black! They were wonderful little dogs and loved everyone that they met. Sometimes it seemed that they thought that they were human too. Freeda loved to watch the little pups run and play in the leaves, but still she wished that there were children running and playing in the leaves with the pups.

Maybe we should start a camp for children, Clyde. We both love kids and this would be a perfect place to bring children for the summer. They could come up for special weekends in the fall too, and maybe even when there’s snow they could go sledding. Clyde didn’t answer; he just watched Cassie and Hannah playing in the leaves. Freeda could tell that he was deep in thought. She pulled her collar around her neck as the wind was getting colder and took Clyde’s hand in hers. Together they walked without saying a word.

Back in their kitchen Freeda was preparing a pot of coffee. The aroma of the fresh coffee, mixed with the lingering smell of the dried leaves and the freshly baked pumpkin pie made for a perfect autumn scent. Taking a sip of coffee and a small bite of Freeda’s delicious pumpkin pie Clyde said, Do you really think you want to take on the responsibility of a summer camp for kids? That would be quite a job, you know.

The rest of the afternoon and all evening they talked about a camp for children. They decided that the next summer they would try it with just a few kids and see how everything went. They would start out slow and just have some of their nephews and nieces as well as a few friends’ children for a week and see how it worked out.

Watching the snow blow across the lake, Clyde was now beginning to have his doubts. Maybe they were trying to take on more than they were capable of doing. It would not be easy to have several children with them all day, every day, and night, for an entire week. But they had already made a commitment and there would be ten children with them for an entire week in June.

As the daffodils and tulips bloomed indicating that spring was coming, Clyde was definitely having second thoughts. Freeda, however, was filled with excitement and wonder as she made preparations. During the cold winter she had already prepared the menu for the entire week. Her sister Jo, would stay with them for the week and help out with meals, laundry and anything else that was needed.

Clyde’s brother Ian, who had first suggested the camp, was drafted into camp counselor duties, and was going to stay that week as well so he could help Clyde with the horses and the fishing. You brought this up, brother, so you’re gonna help us, Clyde had good-naturedly teased him.

The days were growing longer as April came and went. Only one month before the campers would begin to arrive and Clyde decided that they could not do it. It was just too much for them to take on with no experience. One evening at supper he announced to Freeda, Jo and Ian that there would be a change of plans and the camp would not take place after all. Oh, yes the camp will take place, Clyde! Jo stated. Ian and I have made plans to be here as well as your wife. And all the children are looking forward to it and they will not be disappointed, do you hear me? Ian and Freeda both agreed, so poor Clyde was outnumbered. He had no choice: the camp would proceed as scheduled.

A big cookout had been planned for Sunday evening, the day the children would be arriving. The weather was so warm with the sun shining brightly. The trees were full of leaves and Freeda’s flowers were blooming everywhere. Birds were singing in the trees and squirrels were chattering away. Everyone seemed happy and full of excitement. Everyone, that is, except Clyde. He was still unsure if they could pull it off. Even Cassie and Hannah seemed to be extra happy, as if sensing that something special was about to happen.

Well, here they come! Clyde announced without too much enthusiasm as the first car drove up their gravel drive way. Here they are! Under his breath he softly said, The beginning of the longest week in history. Before you knew it, kids were running everywhere, screaming, yelling and having fun. Cassie and Hannah were barking and chasing them. They had never seen so many children at one time and they were loving it.

There must be a hundred kids here, Clyde said. No, only ten Jo laughed. It just seems like a hundred. And it certainly sounds like that many too. They’ll calm down before long." she reassured him. But they didn’t. They continued running, yelling, chasing each other with the dogs chasing them. They were having a wonderful time.

Finally the parents were all ready to leave. To Clyde’s way of thinking it seemed that some were a little too anxious to get away. Clyde hoped that some of their new guests would change their minds and want to leave with their parents, but that didn’t happen. Instead they had two additional kids that decided they wanted to stay as well. They begged their parents and Freeda and Jo could not say no. Of course they can stay. Freeda said. We have plenty of room.

A make shift dormitory for the girls had been made in the basement and the same for the boys in the barn. They were all excited about the adventure of sleeping in a barn.

Clyde and Ian would take turn sleeping in the barn with the boys so they would not become frightened, and Freeda and Jo would also take turns sleeping in the basement with the girls.

The sun was setting over the lake as Clyde built the bonfire. Sitting around the fire someone asked to hear a ghost story. Clyde didn’t think that was a good idea, but the other adults said that was part of camp life. Had he never been to summer camp as a child, Jo and Ian wondered? He reassured them that he had never been to camp. Well, you have a lot to learn, then, Ian said.

Once settled into their cots in the make shift cabin in the barn all was quiet…for about fifteen minutes. I’m scared! I want to go home! Cody cried. He was the youngest camper and one who had just decided to stay at the last minute. I want my mommy!

What do we do now, Ian? Clyde asked.

I don’t know. I don’t have any kids either, he answered. Go get Freeda; she’ll know what to do! And she did too. She gently rocked the frightened little boy until he went back to sleep, then she lovingly put him back in bed.

You men! she whispered as she returned to her basement duties. Luckily they had decided that both adults would stay with the children the first night.

Run for the back porch, boys, just as fast as you can. Clyde ordered. And try to stay out of the mud puddles. Of course being boys, they ran straight for every one they could find and jumped it them.

Rain! And boy was it coming down hard. From the looks of the sky it was going to rain all day. Did we have a plan in case it rained? Clyde asked his wife. The blank expression on her face gave him his answer: No!

Freeda and Jo fixed a wonderful breakfast of bacon and eggs and pancakes with fresh fruit. That should take the children’s minds off of the weather for a while. Before long they started hearing the children saying, I’m bored. There’s nothing to do. When’s it gonna stop raining? Let’s do something.

Well, camp counselors, what do you suggest we do? Clyde asked the three other adults. They decided to play some games, but they didn’t really know any children’s games. Finally Jo said, I know. Let’s have a contest to name our new camp. I’ll go first. Now, let’s see, maybe we should call it ‘Camp Josephine’, after me. There were sighs and moans throughout the room.

Let’s call it ‘Camp boring’, Luke said. Other suggestions were ‘Camp Happy Times’ which no one liked, ‘Camp Wigwam’ which received an even less favorable response and ‘Camp Walkietalkie’. No one liked that name either, but at least they started laughing and making jokes about the name of this poor pitiful little camp.

"Let’s call it ‘Camp