Supporting burn survivors through Camp Tequesta, scholarships, and medical financial assistance across Florida
We provide a lifetime of memories through our annual Camp Tequesta for burn survivor children, ages 6 to 17. Our next camp is November 5 - 8, 2026. Join us for the experience of a lifetime!
If you know a burn survivor child, tell their parents and/or guardians to contact us and allow their child to attend our camp and join the fun! Our ratio is one adult "buddy" for each child. Most of our buddies are first responders and medical professionals.
Every November we spend four days at the Florida Elks Youth Camp in Umatilla, Florida. The campus is settled in over 400 acres of outdoor beauty.
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Meet the dedicated volunteers who make our programs possible.
Highlights from Camp Tequesta events
Our community consists of burn survivors, camp buddies, volunteers, and donors.
“There's always something to teach and always something to learn.”
“Don't let others view of you determine who you are.”
“Camp Tequesta has helped me open up and gave me a boost of confidence.”
“Tell your story with fire in your eyes because you have lived in it.”
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“You don't know what you got until it's gone, but sometimes you gain so much more.”
“Family and friends help me overcome my pain.”
“Saved by scars.”
“It is because of hope that you suffer. It is through hope that you'll change things.”
“We are not the sum of our scars; we are the totality of our experiences.”
“To be the best version of myself, inspiring others.”
Already 8 hours behind the charter bus I left the American Red Cross in Tampa. The fourth and final day was over and instructor training was at last finished. This was my first time at Burn Camp and I was going to be a Burn-Buddy...
Read MoreSixteen years ago, at the age of thirteen months, I suffered third degree burns on my left arm. At the time, the physical pain was the main aspect of the injury that I had to deal with...
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