By DOUG CARMAN
AVON PARK - Brian Thompson, 16, never wanted to know how his friends back in West Palm Beach might react if they ever found out that he has HIV.
Khianti Brown was raised by his aunt, until he saw "Auntie" succumb to the deadly virus last year.
They and most of the 80-plus kids at Camp Friends Together are afraid to let anyone know that their families have been hit by the virus that causes AIDS. But every three months, they come to Camp Wingmann and, as Brian's grandmother, Alice Thompson, describes it, "let your head down and be who you are."
"When you're at home you have to live as if you're another person because of disclosures," Alice Thompson said. "You can't walk around and say you have AIDS.... People will judge you with this disease."
During the past week, the campers balanced their time between card games, sports, arts and crafts, snacking, attending chapel services and taking life management lessons. The camp volunteers were telling them how to manage their finances Thursday afternoon.
"We're all family here," said Cheyene Althouse, 16, who came to the camp from St. Cloud. "I just love being here with all the people."
Camp organizer Cathy Robinson said she wanted kids who had to deal with HIV to "get to experience a real summer camp." A former school teacher who has had HIV for 24 years, Robinson and her late husband, Steve Robinson, founded Friends Together and started the camp in 2001. During each of the other three seasons, Friends Together hosts a weekender.
Brian, who was born with the HIV virus, said he finds it more comforting to find friends at the camp. The week-long summer session ended Sunday but he said he keeps in touch with his camp mates.
That's one of the goals Robinson had in mind when she started the camp. She and the volunteers frequently tout MySpace, Facebook and the phone so they can remind each other that they're not alone.
Most of the kids at the camp have been coming for several years as well. "They've grown up with each other," Robinson said. "They found tragedy, they found joy."
The social network helps, because a lot of prejudices remain against people with HIV and AIDS, Robinson and Alice Thompson both said.
Even though none of the kids approached by Highlands Today said they were ostracized for being related to someone infected with HIV or for having HIV themselves, they and their parents believe the stigmas and the stereotypes are there.
Since the AIDS epidemic began in the 1980s, people would associate HIV with homosexuality, drug use and "deviant" sexual behavior, and Thompson said an entire family would be criticized that way if one of them ended up with the disease.
Robinson said the camp is meant to be a safe place for such children to avoid that potential ridicule. At the same time, however, she didn't want any of them feeling sorry for themselves. In previous camps, she got the kids to collect medical supplies so that she can perform a missionary trip in Tanzania in Africa.
"No matter how bad their situation may be, there are always those worse off," Robinson said.
For more information on Friends Together and its camp, visit http://www.friendstogether.org.
Doug Carman can be reached at 386-5838 or dcarman@highlandstoday.com