| Mark Velcoff, MD
Asthma Day Camp |
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 Celebrates
20th year |
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  While the final day of Asthma Day Camp has always been marked with a special lunch and graduation ceremony, this year’s finale was celebrated in grand style. More than 350 people gathered on July 29 at Sherwood Hall in Salinas to commemorate the camp’s 20th year, and to honor founding physician Mark Velcoff, MD for whom the camp has been named.
This year’s 42 graduates, age six to twelve, were joined by parents, grandparents, volunteers, staff, friends and nearly 50 camp alumni from around the state. The “Star Wars” themed event was an apt illustration of the “force” the camp has been in the lives of more than 500 children since 1986. People costumed as Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Yoda and other characters from the movie mingled with guests throughout the two-hour event. Sam Downing, President/CEO of Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System made a special appearance dressed as the light-saber-wielding Darth Vader.
A barbecue feast, prepared by the Nutrition Services Department, was followed by in- person and video-taped presentations that left few dry eyes in the house. Emceed by KWAV Radio’s Barry Brown, the program showcased the tremendous lasting impact that Asthma Day Camp has had on children with asthma and their families. Respiratory Therapists Jill Houlette and retired, past Respiratory Therapy Director Bruce Winge, who with Dr. Velcoff created the camp, delivered a humorous yet stirring rendition of “Thanks for the Memories” as a tribute to Dr. Velcoff. Camp alumni delivered words of praise for the lessons they had learned, serving as a powerful role model for other children with asthma.
 “Asthma camp showed me that I wasn’t alone in it, that other kids had it too,” says Alexis Brooks, a 1988 camp graduate. “For me, it was important to learn how to control my asthma with and without medication. When I didn’t have medication handy, I knew how to relax myself and get my breathing under control.”
Nico Barcelo, class of 1989, says it’s like being a member of a special club. “Camp was an incredible experience. I learned so much about myself, that I feel like I left as a new person, more confident.”
An alumnus of the second camp, in 1987, Ryan Drobnick who attended college on a cross-country scholarship, wishes that all children with asthma had access to a similar experience. “There’s so much to learn, from the science of it, to how to keep it under control. What I learned helped me excel at running, something I probably wouldn’t have had the confidence to do before asthma camp.”
This year also marked the introduction of Charissa’s Message, a post-camp follow-up program for teens. “Campers and their parents learn so much at camp and we’ve heard so many success stories,” says Jill Houlette. “Through a tragedy, the death of 17-year-old Charissa Carmona, a graduate of the 1998 camp, we were inspired to institute a follow-up program. This program helps us keep in touch with camp graduates through their teen years to re-enforce the lessons learned at camp.”
“The more we can make children aware of how to manage their asthma, the more we empower them to overcome their fear and enjoy a healthy, active life,” says Dr. Velcoff. “This year’s camp was very special to me. The greatest reward is to see so many campers grow into beautiful, strong, healthy young adults. And to hear that they credit part of their success to their asthma camp experiences.”
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