Qualifications for Camp Ray-Ray: Eligible families, are those who are currently living with HIV and have children the age of 24 and younger living in the same home, are welcome to attend Camp Ray-Ray after completing an online registration and submitting a $50 deposit. Registration for 2026 is now closed.
Cheers to 30 Years!
By Barb Johnson (a.k.a. Ray-Ray’s Mom)
It began with a little boy’s simple request:
“Mommy, you need to bring the kids up here and show them how to have fun.”
A dream grew from the heart of a little boy whose life changed when one person believed that everyone should have a chance to live before they die—and that love could conquer any obstacle when God’s hand was upon it.
With the help of friends Kristen Klaassen, Kathy Nuanes, and a dedicated group of volunteers, we held the very first Camp Ray-Ray at St. Malo Retreat Center in Allenspark, Colorado, May 26–28, 1995. It was the first family camp of its kind in the nation.
It rained. It was cold. But the weather didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits.
We didn’t really know what we were doing, but we knew what mattered: showering families with love and giving them a chance to simply have fun. Elvis rocked the house! There were crafts, horseback rides, massages, haircuts, nail and face painting, and mini-Olympics. Fifteen families came together to laugh, play, and share a common bond.
For 16 years, St. Malo was our home. We moved camp to Labor Day weekend in hopes of nicer weather, welcomed more families, and added new activities—including a huge casino night. Volunteers worked hard all year to raise money and then gave up the last weekend of their summer to work even harder, surrounding our families with love.
Everyone looked forward to returning to that magical place, where each year brought a new theme, new activities, and familiar faces. Everyone was treated with dignity, and there was an unspoken bond that helped calm the darkest fears, allowing friendships, laughter, and fun to unfold.
When lightning struck St. Malo and fire destroyed the retreat center, the Camp Ray-Ray committee found a new place to bring our families. We knew by then that Camp Ray-Ray wasn’t a place. It was a unique experience founded in love.
For the next 13 years, Camp Ray-Ray was held at YMCA of the Rockies – Snow Mountain Ranch. There were new places to explore and a whole campus of activities, including the infamous tubing hill and KIVA Center. More families. More volunteers. More love. The dream continued, with only a pause during the COVID-19 pandemic disruption that permanently closed many other camps across the country.
As costs rose and threatened the future of the dream, God provided.
Through a series of very unfortunate events, we stumbled upon Winter Park Resort—a place that seemed well beyond our wildest dreams. Yet it became clear that God wanted the dream to continue. Between the generosity of the Resort and the incredible hospitality of its staff, we knew we had found our new home.
Over the past two years, we have adapted to new surroundings, discovered new activities, and welcomed new families into the Camp Ray-Ray family. And the dream continues.
As I reflect on 30 years, I remember the beautiful faces of families and volunteers, the laughter we’ve shared, the friendships we’ve formed, and, most of all, the love.
Families, volunteers, donors, friends, and supporters have all helped make one little boy’s dream a reality.
No, we didn’t know what we were doing all those years ago.
But God sure did!
This year’s theme, “Christmas in July,” seemed especially fitting. After all, Camp Ray-Ray has always been one of the most wonderful times of the year.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of this dream over the past 30 years. I think Ray-Ray and Clarice would enthusiastically give us a standing ovation for three decades of loving, supporting, and celebrating families impacted by HIV.
Cheers to 30 years—and to the dream that continues.