Please help send my boys to camp in the USA

Pictured above are my two boys, Oliver (10) and Jack (8, will be 9). Today I am asking for your help to send these boys to a fantastic and unique camp in America. This 'KODA' camp is specially designed and run for children who have a Deaf family member (be it a parent , brother or sister) and want to discover what it means to share a home with them.

KODA (or CODA) stands for Kids (or Child) of Deaf adults but is not limited to just Deaf parents. This camp originating in the year 2000 has seen over 3000 children and adult looking to discover what it is truly like to live with a Deaf family member.

Unfortunately in New Zealand a camp of this caliber longer exist. This means many young people are left without the option to learn what defines them as a KODA or let them learn who they can truly be in today's fast moving world.

As Jack and Oliver's mum, I have been organsing and attending various similar camps here in NZ but I want to learn what makes the American KODA camp so fruitful and bring back that knowledge here to NZ so other parents can experience the benefits of these camps.

With your help and support (and any donators you are willing to give). I believe we can bring a camp similar or better to New Zealand.

But this costs money. At US$825 for two children to attend, plus airfare to California of just over NZ$5,000 this makes our goal just a little harder.

Already, I have volunteered to work at the camp which has helped lower the cost of accommodation and food but I still need your help. Any bit will do to help these two energetic and passionate boys experience the adventure and fun of what it is like to live with a Deaf family member while helping define who they are in this world.

Maybe one day we could host our own camp here in New Zealand that rivals our brothers and sisters camp in America. We will just have to hope and find out in the future.