Miracle Camp

Discover a special place

Nestled in a peaceful, wooded area northwest of Pensacola, Miracle Camp is located on a 40-acre site along Beulah Road. The camp grew from the collaborative vision of Pensacola's Eric and Peg Nickelsen and Ascension Sacred Heart's Patrick J. Madden. Supported by many businesses and individuals who also donated funds, supplies and services to the camp, Ascension Sacred Heart and the Nickelsen family were able to make the dream of a "miracle camp" into a reality in 2002.

Miracle Camp provides a memorable experience for all who come here seeking respite, peace and renewal. The camp enriches the lives of its visitors and helps them better cope with the challenges they face by:

• Providing therapeutic camp experiences
• Offering educational and supportive programs
• Developing programs for those who provide care to children and adults with chronic and life-threatening illnesses.

Miracle Camp's property has about 20 acres of woods, a pecan orchard, a beautiful pond, and a central campfire area. The camp also offers the following facilities, most of which are climate-controlled for the comfort of visitors:

• Activities center
• Dormitory that sleeps up to 36 people
• Dining hall
• First aid/medical center
• Main office with conference room
• Open-air chapel by the pond
• Treehouse for children
• Paved walking trails

Our campers enjoy a variety of indoor and outdoor activities -- from hiking and fishing, to singing, arts and crafts, softball, taking in the beautiful scenery around the pond, and more.

For more information, or to schedule a retreat or event at Miracle Camp, contact us at (850) 416-5730.

A camp where all are welcome

In addition to providing a "get-away" for children and adults with chronic and life-threatening illnesses, Miracle Camp also works to build partnerships with various groups in the community. We work to help these groups, who, in turn, support our Miracle Campers. It's a "win-win" partnership for all involved! These groups include hospitals, healthcare providers, medical schools, family support groups, voluntary health organizations and other non-profit organizations.

In doing this, we will put our camping facilities to the best use, develop education programs to help our campers and provide volunteer support.

Be a part of the miracle

Miracle Camp was developed to serve all campers regardless of their ability to pay. Funding at this time will be used to support the costs of operating the camp and to support campers who wish to come but cannot necessarily afford it.

If you would like to be a part of Miracle Camp, you may sponsor a child and give them the opportunity of a lifetime -- the chance to spend three days and two nights at Miracle Camp. Your gift will underwrite the cost of food, lodging, arts and crafts, entertainment, and medical and staff support. Your support at any level will ensure that children facing cancer, sickle cell disease, arthritis, asthma, autism and other illnesses can experience the beauty and joy of Miracle Camp, regardless of their ability to pay. Your tax-deductible gift can help make miracles happen.

Making plans for year-end giving? Miracle Camp is a wonderful way to make a big difference in the life of a child. And the holidays are all about the kids!

To make a contribution to Miracle Camp, visit the Ascension Sacred Heart Foundation website. Select the "Other" designation and specify Miracle Camp

Miracle Camp's mission

Since its dedication ceremony on Nov. 21, 2002, Miracle Camp has been providing persons who are battling serious illness with opportunities to enjoy an outdoor experience and renew their spirits.

Families from Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, and South Alabama have benefited from the Miracle Camp experience. Miracle Camp's mission is as follows: "To provide a premier camp and retreat center for children and adults with chronic and life-threatening illnesses, as well as individuals who are physically and/or emotionally challenged ..."

We provide a memorable and educational experience for all who enter our gates for respite and renewal in an environment that is filled with compassion and creativity, to help meet their physical, spiritual, and emotional needs.

Designed for up to 36 campers, the facility includes a climate-controlled dormitory, pool, ball field, activities center, open-air chapel, and campfire pit. A large pond is located on the property, a 40-acre nature preserve on Beulah Road in Escambia County.

Since opening, Miracle Camp has offered many different opportunities for children and adults seeking respite and renewal at the camp. Programs have included:

• Autism Camps
• Camp Bluebird sessions, Ascension Sacred Heart's retreat for adults with cancer
• Camp Monarch Day Camps for children dealing with grief
• Cancer Kids & Sibs Camps
• Diabetes Day Camps for children and adults
• Epilepsy Family Fun Days
• Pediatric Arthritis Camps
• Pediatric Asthma Camps
• Pediatric Cancer Camps
• Pediatric Hemophilia Camps
• Sickle Cell Anemia Fall Festival Day Camps

For more information, or to schedule a retreat or event at Miracle Camp, contact us at (850) 416-5730.