NubAbility summer camp opens in Du Quoin

DU QUOIN - Bridgette Eilers sat in her lawn chair and beamed as her 4-year-old son, Ryan, worked on his fishing skills with his dad, Mike, along the bank at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds lake Thursday morning.

The Louisville, Kentucky family made the trek to Southern Illinois this week to participate for the first time in the Seventh Annual NubAbility Athletics Foundation #Dontneed2 Sports Camp for Limb Different Youth.

"We learned at the 20-week ultrasound that Ryan was missing his right hand, probably from a vascular disruption, although it was never fully explained to us," Eilers said. "We learned about this camp through social media. You have to be at least 4 to participate and that's why we're here this year."

Eilers said her son's face lit up when he met another boy about his age at the camp with a nub where his hand would be.

"The sports part is great, but for Ryan to see others who are like him - that means the most to us. We love everything about this camp."

Eilers said Ryan would swim, fish and play tennis Thursday, but that his focus sport at the camp this weekend is basketball.

Becky Tyler didn't have too far to drive her children to the summer camp, arriving in Du Quoin from Sikeston, Missouri.

"This is our fourth year here," she said. "Samuel is 14 now and Duke is 9. I also have Shad here with us this year. He is 4. We learned about this camp four years ago from my friend, Andrea. I think she found it online and told me about it. We've been coming here ever since."

Tyler was busy helping haul fishing gear to the lake, but didn't seem to mind the work on the sunny, yet cooler July morning.

"I think what's so neat is that this is a community of limb-different kids, as well as adopted kids like ours. So, that's a double bonus for me. I really appreciate the way parents are able to network through this camp and the coaches provide valuable life skills for these kids. I can't say enough about that."

Samuel Tyler, walking nimbly with two artificial legs and nubs for arms, said he still prefers the physical sports like football and wrestling the most, but was also going to try track and field for the first time.

"And maybe some knee boarding," his mother added. "I'd especially like to thank Jana Kuhnert (one of the event organizers). She is the one who made us aware of Amputee Blade Runners. With their help, Samuel can wear his running blades from sun up to sun down. That's made a huge difference in his life."

At the archery range, 13-year-old Raegan Becquet of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee and Johann Albrecht, 14, of St. Paul, Minnesota, were doing their best to nail the bull's-eye with their arrows.

"This is my first time here. I like archery, but my main sport is softball," Becquet said. "Still, it's a lot of fun being here."

Her mother, Brandy, said she learned about the NubAbility summer camp through Amputee Blade Runners.

"Raegan had such a good time at a similar event in Nashville (Tennessee), so we wanted to come here, too. She said she's having fun."

Albrecht said archery was OK, but basketball is his favorite sport. This summer marks his second year at Du Quoin.

"I'm also going to participate in some water sports, tennis, baseball and even weight lifting," he said. "I really like working with the coaches. I learn new skills from them every year."

Volunteer worker Lowell Kondoudis, of Du Quoin, said he is in his second year as a helper at the camp and that he plans to come back every year moving forward.

"This is great. I really enjoy being around the kids," he said, as he lent some assistance in the archery range.