CHILDREN’S HEALTH CAMP

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 10 January 1940, Page 2

CHILDREN’S HEALTH CAMP

VISIT BY DR ELIZABETH GUNN 40 CHILDREN AT RICHMOND PRINCIPLES WHICH COULD BE FOLLOWED IN EVERY HOME Dr Elizabeth Gunn, Director of School Hygiene for the Health Department, of Wellington, is at present on an official visit to Nelson. With the schools closed for the summer vacation the doctor’s chief interest is the Children’s Health Camp which is being held at Richmond Park and to which she has paid several visits. To-day the doctor is attending the camr picnic at Tahuna beach. There is no one in the Dominion who knows more about Health Camps than Dr Elizabeth Gunn for she was the originator of the camps in New Zealand, having arranged the first one in Wangani in 1919. Not only did she commence the camps but she also was in charge of all her camps, and there are no eventualities which might happen in a camp which she has not experienced and knows how to tackle. Her last camp was at Awapuni, Palmerston North, with 138 children, and during the period when she gave her personal attention to the organisation and conduct of the camps she proved what she had set out to do, that there is no child who did not improve at a Health Camp. NELSON’S PERMANENT CAMP Dr Elizabeth Gunn must be very proud to find that her ideas were considered a worthy object to be taken as the form of memorial in New Zealand to the late King George the Fifth. It is hoped that on her next visit to Nelson she will be invited as a guest to the permanent Nelson Health Camp at Poorman’s Valley, Stoke. Asked her opinion of the Richmond camp Dr Gunn stated that she found everything very satisfactory. She had medically examined the children because on first seeing them a number appeared to be hardly necessary cases for a Health Camp, but on examination she admitted that like all New Zealand children they showed their best to the world in their faces and legs. Dr Gunn stated every New Zealand home should be a Health Camp, particularly in Nelson with its wonderful climate and beaches. Continuing the doctor outlined the essentials of a Health Camp as follows:—(1) Rest, and plenty of it; (2) Sunshine; (3) Good plain food at regular intervals; (4) drink a pint and a half (at least) of milk each day for each child; (5) plenty of sleep, and (6) great care in sunbathing. Every parent should know if his or her child is above or below in weight—the average for his height and age and that information could always be obtained from the Health Department officers, more especially from the medical examinations in schools. APPRECIATION OF SERVICES Dr Gunn expressed great appreciation and pleasure at the woi : and interest of the local Health Camp committee and the public of Nelson in the local camp. She paid a tribute to the work of the president, Mr H. J. Savage, and the secretary, Mr F. Trask, who had accompanied her on her first visit to the camp. With Dr Boyd, Medical Officer of Health, she had medically examined the children. DONATIONS FROM PUBLIC Dr Gunn made an appeal for full support by the community of the Health Camp. Knowing herself in a large family how useful were a few eggs, two or three lettuces, some jam and even cake, she pointed out the great assistance which co’ ' ' be given the camp by such donations, and said that it did not matter how small the donation from an individual, if a great enough i.umber of the public was interested a very fine result could be achieved.

Dr Gunn said it gave her pleasure to visit the camp and to attend to-day’s picnic at Tahuna beach. One small boy from Westport had expressed the wish that he would be able to see something of the City of Nelson now that he had come all the way from the West Coast for the camp, and the doctor expressed the hope that a visit to Nelson coui: be arranged for the children. CAMP NOW IN PROGRESS ONE WEEK The camp at Richmond Pail, has now been in progress one week, and already the children are showing the benefit of their experiences. The following routine indicates the daily life of the children in camp:— Rise at 7 a.m. Breakfast 7.3 C a.m„ followed by toothbrush drill. Tidy up rooms and help make be ’-. 10 a.m., milk, organised games. Noon, dinner. 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. complete rest. No talking or reading allowed. 3.45 p.m., milk, organised games. 5 p.m., tea. At 6 p.m. the smaller children are bathed and put to bed. The larger children are bathed and go to bed at 7.30 p.m. To-day the children v’cre taken to Tahuna for a whole day picnic. As many of the children cone from inland places on the Coast a trip to Tahuna is an added pleasure.