Experiencing the life of Helen Keller is something Karson Buckelew can check off his things to do list.

Buckelew, 10, a fifth grader at Hanceville Elementary, is among a group of students spending the weekend at Camp Courage, a Helen Keller Experience in Tuscumbia. The intensive camp for children who are visually and/or hearing impaired, teaches the young campers to use their abilities to make a difference in their school, their community and the world, just as Helen Keller did.

Keller overcame losing her vision and hearing as toddler to become an author, lecturer, advocate for the disabled and inspiration to people around the world. During the three-day camp, the students learn about Keller and how she helped change the world. They create crafts such as candles and pottery, explore nature, tour Ivy Green, go fishing, learn about life on the farm, and participate in team building exercises. Most of the activities are held at Keller’s childhood home, Ivy Green in Tuscumbia.

Buckelew said the camp has been fun. Among his favorite activities have been seeing scenes from “The Miracle Worker” play, going fishing on Pickwick Lake and visiting Cypress Cove Farm in Red Bay.“I have enjoyed every minute of it.”

Sue Pilkilton, executive director of the Helen Keller Birthplace in Tuscumbia and an organizer of Camp Courage, said it’s heartwarming to see how the children interact and help one another.

“The children start bonding as soon as they get here,” Pilkilton said. “The vision-impaired children will form bonds with the hearing-impaired and begin helping them and the hearing-impaired children will start helping the vision-impaired. They do this on their own. We don’t pair them up that way.”

Pilkilton said the campers form lifelong friendships. This is the fifth year for Camp Courage, a Helen Keller Experience and many of the campers from previous years remain close friends with people they met at the camp.

There is no charge to the campers or their families who attend Camp Courage. Generous donations from sponsors make the camp possible.

Student teachers from the University of North Alabama serve as counselors for the camp. They are supervised by a team of Helen Keller Fellows, who are highly-qualified teachers of the deaf-blind. The camp is very intense, but the smiles and laughter of the children are non-stop. Sometimes it’s hard to tell who is having the most fun, the campers or the staff.