Scott Hvozdovic of Hillsborough was one of two youngsters who received the Heroes Award at Camp Helping Hands, a four-week summer camp for children with hemiplegia, a partial paralysis of one side of the body.
The Hero Award recognizes children who have worked the hardest to achieve their goals over the years at Camp Helping Hands.
Scott, now 14, has come to the camp for eight years.
Camp directors said that, over the years, Scott has worked on and accomplished tying his shoes, buttoning his shirt, pack his backpack, carrying a lunch tray, putting on socks, putting on a belt and opening containers for his lunch all activities that require use of his two hands together.
”He has improved his strength in his hemiplegic arm to be able to do many things independently, but probably the most important thing to him is his ability to play baseball in his town league with his friends and peers. He made the all-star team the last 2 years,” said Scott Matthews of Intensive Therapeutics.
”Scott has worked hard over the years and should be an inspiration to all children,” he said.
The awards ceremony was held at the camp’s annual family barbecue July 19 at the Presbyterian Church in Westfield.
Katie Higgins of Martinsville was the other awardee.
State Senator Thomas Kean Jr. and state Assemblyman Jon Bramnick were also on hand to honor Intensive Therapeutics, Inc.’s founder and executive director, Scott Matthews, with a proclamation.
A second Intensive Therapeutics camp, called Camp Leaps and Bounds, focused on children with autism spectrum disorder began in August.
Intensive Therapeutics is a non-profit charity that provides group and individual, occupational therapy services for all children.
Intensive Therapeutics also serves typical children who need special strategies to master such everyday childhood skills as bike riding, team sports and hand writing. The camps are held throughout the year at children’s activity centers throughout New Jersey.

