Sole Momentum cloggers, of The Arts Barn, had the privilege of performing for Camp Firefly on June 18, at the beautiful Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Ga. Camp Firefly is a special and unique, once in a lifetime experience for terminally and seriously ill children and their families. It is run by the Firefly Foundation, which was founded 30 years ago by the film actors (and married couple) Kirk Cameron and Chelsea Noble. This all-expenses-paid, fun-filled, week-long retreat gives struggling families time to get away from the everyday pressure of hospitals, medical treatments, and financial worries to spend quality time with one another, meet other families who understand their challenges, and replenish their supply of faith and friendships.

Camp Firefly is designed to bring laughter back into the lives of burdened families. For husbands to see their wives as the sweetheart they married. For wives to fall in love with their husbands again. For kids from all the families, sick and well, to have fun and connect with each other, finding hope for the future by drawing strength from God and one another.

Year after year, Sole Momentum has been honored to host an authentic barn dance for the families of Camp Firefly. 

“This evening is a highlight of Camp Firefly every year,” said Kirk Cameron. During the show, the audience is educated on the history of clogging and gets multiple opportunities to participate in the performance. With true bluegrass music, Irish jigs, clogging, and square dancing, everyone has a fantastic time. Friend, David Ladner, plays guitar and sings during dinner and after the show. Camp Firefly staff, campers and their family members join him on the microphone or play along with authentic pieces from the old-fashioned jug band. 

The members of Sole Momentum, ranging in age from 7 years old to adult, and traveling from five Greater Atlanta counties, arrived the day of the performance with an ominous weather forecast for that evening. There were multiple rain showers in the afternoon, and all weather apps were predicting a 90% chance of thunderstorms at the time of the show. The Lord smiled on the event; the clouds cleared and everyone had a wonderful meal followed by singing and dancing. As the show was ending, a beautiful rainbow appeared and the entire group gathered for a picture.  The joy that was felt under the ski pavillion at Callaway Gardens that night was indescribable and truly uplifting. Campers, cloggers and musicians alike, didn’t want to leave. They sang, danced, and visited until well past sundown. Sole Momentum is so grateful for the opportunity to host a barn dance every year for Camp Firefly, and are already looking forward to the next one.

Lora Garcia-Carreras is the director and owner of The Arts Barn, a community-focused dance, music, and arts studio with a mission of “Building community through the arts.”