For the past two summers, Camp Cole, which is located outside of Columbia, South Carolina alongside a horse farm and pond, has helped children with serious illnesses and physical, mental, and emotional challenges thrive and reach their potential. The camp resides in the rural setting of Eastover which instills an appreciation for nature and provides a quality outdoor learning experience for the children year-round. But the dedicated staff and teachers, the campers, the state-of-the-art facilities, and advanced medical technologies all rely on the high-speed broadband service, provided by Charter at virtually no cost to Camp Cole, to enable all of the services, treatments, and experiences that make the camp possible.
"I can't imagine Camp Cole without broadband. It's essential to what we do on a daily basis," said Camp Cole Director of Operations Ken Corning.
Back when construction first started, there was no broadband available in the area. Fortunately, Charter worked with Camp Cole to complete the new buildout, which has been critical to allowing campers to obtain the resources they need. The 300 Mbps speeds give staff the ability to connect to campers' medical records and healthcare providers, conduct telehealth visits, or reach EMTs in emergency cases.
Aside from the medical necessity that broadband provides the camp, fast and reliable internet connectivity is also necessary to run the camp's business operations year-round, such as maintaining the facilities, recruiting and enrolling staff, volunteers, and campers, and connecting with donors. And last but certainly not least, high-speed broadband enriches the camp experiences for the children, giving them the ability to stream a movie for movie night, play music for the talent show, or connect with their families while they are away from home.
"These parents are trusting us with their most precious children, and it's amazing to know that we have a safe and accessible campus with exceptional broadband," said Camp Cole Executive Director and Co-founder Kelsey Carter.
Charter continues to expand its broadband buildouts in South Carolina and in rural and remote areas throughout the country as part of its multibillion-dollar initiative to deliver high-speed broadband access to more than one million unserved locations.
Watch the incredible story of Camp Cole:
