Review of the Anna Schaffelhuber Limitless Camps 2022
This year’s two Anna Schaffelhuber Limitless Camps for young people with and without disabilities took place in Burghausen in August and September. The event series is named after Anna Schaffelhuber, former world-class para-athlete and Olympic champion. In recent years, Teleflex has been a partner of the event series, which focuses on inclusion and personality development. The following report of the event organiser Y.E.S. Sportmarketing offers a glimpse into the exciting and versatile activities of the Limitless Camps.
The Anna Schaffelhuber Limitless Camps 2022 were a complete success. From August 29th to September 2nd and from September 5th to September 9th, a total of 48 young people spent an unforgettable time in and around Burghausen.
We continued the successful model of previous years. 12 participants with and 12 participants without a handicap arrived at the youth hostel Burghausen at about 10 a.m. on Monday. Despite the relaxation of pandemic restrictions, a negative test result was a prerequisite for checking in. It is also worth mentioning that a qualified nurse supported us during the first week, which made it possible for us to expand the field of young people.
Monday was a day for getting to know each other with the iChallenge and Speed Dating as well as exploring the youth hostel.
The big icebreaker followed on Tuesday: gliding. Everyone had a chance to take to the air with a glider and a Cessna, if desired. “Just be free” is how 15-year-old Kristin describes the feeling of the glider decoupling from the towing plane. “That really ruffled when the rope went off,” admits Marlene, who was flying for the first time ever. After returning to the youth hostel and enjoying delicious dinner, we took a stroll together through the old town and had some ice cream.
Wednesdays were a chance to focus on personal development and strengthen self-confidence. The young people marched with llamas through Burghausen, played personality games, had one-on-one discussions and then reflected together on what they had experienced. The following day, the city’s deputy mayor announced that the llamas were already a permanent annual attraction, remarking that he had received several inquiries about whether the fluffy companions belonged to the city. Meanwhile, the young people tried out at the football club SV Wacker Burghausen. Then came tennis, air gun shooting and eventually wheelchair basketball.
The Thursday of the first week was slightly different from that of the second week this year, because a VIP visit was expected at the beginning of the week. Ulrike Scharf, Bavarian Minister of Family, Labour and Social Affairs and patron of Anna Schaffelhuber Limitless Camps since February 2022, paid us a visit. The highlight was certainly the guided tour through the barrier-free youth hostel, where visitors were allowed to experience a change of perspective: sit in a wheelchair themselves or use glasses to simulate a visual impairment.
Strip beds, pack suitcases and clean rooms before the parents arrive, some teenagers will know that from home. Then on Friday, all participants were allowed to present their own film to their parents in the cinema hall, and a tear or two was shed when they said goodbye. But no reason to cry, we are already in the planning for 2023.
Image and text source: Anna Schaffelhuber Limitless Camp
