The following is a list of some of the camps around the country that provide a summer retreat for young people with limb differences and other physical disabilities. |
 It's almost time again for baseball, fireflies, lemonade, hot dogs on the grill and summer camp – a place to make new friends and have all sorts of fun. It's time to meet new friends and to catch up with old ones. |
ACA Annual Youth Camp
Boston, Massachusetts
July 3-5.The ACA Annual Youth Camp is a three- day camp for amputees ages 10 to 18.This year, it will be in Boston, Massachusetts, in conjunction with the 13th Annual ACA Educational Conference & Exposition, held July 3-5.Camp activities include trips to local hot spots and health and fitness programs.
In addition, the ACA, in partnership with Ohio Willow Wood, will host the bio-fit targeted youth fitness program, consisting of three one-day regional fitness and education events across the country. The second bio-fit 2003 event will be held on July 5 in Boston, Massachusetts, and campers from the ACA Youth Camp will also attend. At bio-fit, youths rotate through various sports and educational activities while the parents attend an educational track designed to suit their individual needs. For more information about the ACA Annual Youth Camp or bio-fit, call 888/ 267-5669,ext.8134,visit www.amputee-coalition.org/youth.html or e-mail yapinfo@amputee-coalition.org
ACT Children 's Camp Nantahala Outdoor Center
Bryson City, North Carolina
July 17-20. This camp is sponsored by Amputees Coming Together (ACT) of Knoxville, Tennessee. There is no fee for the camp; however, amputees must provide their own transportation to and from meeting locations. For more information, contact the camp director, Missy Wolff-Burke, PT, EdD, ATC, at 540/545-7238 or call ACT at 865/694-1175 (see sidebar on Nantahala Outdoor Center).
Adolescent Amputee Camp
Zelienople, Pennsylvania
June 5-8. The Adolescent Amputee Camp at Camp Kon-O-Kwee offers canoeing, swimming, hiking, softball, volleyball, obstacle courses, horseback riding, a low ropes course, an indoor climbing wall and a host of other games and events. There is a $35 registration fee to participate. For more information, write Steve Schilpp, P.O. Box 101150,Pittsburgh, PA 15237,or call 412/931-2561.
Adventure Camp
Middleburg, Virginia area
August 1-3
Adventure Camp is for young people ages 6 to 20 with limb deficiencies. Activities include swimming, fishing, hiking, a ropes course, volleyball, campfires and more. The cost of registration is only $5.Call Beverly Gryth at 434/293-9720 or Mary Grant at 434/293-9870 for more information.
BlazeSports
Various locations and dates BlazeSports, composed of BlazeSports Georgia and BlazeSports Clubs of America, is a comprehensive sports and fitness program for children and adults with physical disabilities. Paralympic athletes, coaches and other nationally ranked disabled athletes are an integral component in all BlazeSports programs. Serving as coaches and counselors to beginning or rising athletes, these elite athletes bring a high level of experience and knowledge to program participants and are excellent role models and mentors. Camps are held year-round and are operational in nine communities in seven states. For more information, please call 770/850-8199, visit www.blazesports.com or send e-mail to info@blazesports.com Camp C.A.M.P. (Children 's Association for Maximum Potential)
Center Point, Texas
Call for dates
Sessions are available for those with physical disabilities, including amputations. Camp C.A.M.P. is for children and adolescents between ages 5 and 21,who have medical, physical, and/or mental disabilities. Activities include archery, riflery, canoeing, swimming, horseback riding, field sports, crafts, cookouts, puppet shows, carnivals, dances and variety shows. Siblings may also attend. A sliding fee scale, a cost-sharing program and camp scholarships are available to assist lower-income families. For more information, please call 210/292-3566 or send e-mail to campmail@sprynet.com
Camp Challenge
Sorrento, Florida
June-July (Various sessions available) Camp Challenge is Florida 's Easter Seal Camp for campers with disabilities. Activities include fishing, swimming, archery, arts and crafts, a petting zoo and high and low ropes courses. Camp Challenge also offers respite weekends for caregivers and various special-interest camps. For more information, call 352/383-4711 or send e-mail to camp@fl.easter-seals.org
Camp Cheerful
Strongsville, Ohio
June 9-August 15 (Various weeklong residential and day camp sessions available) As Ohio 's first camp for people with physical disabilities, Camp Cheerful offers archery, basketball, horseback riding, swimming, challenge courses, dance, arts and crafts, ceramics and nature studies. One-week sessions divided by age groups run from June through August. For more information, call 440/238-6200.
Camp Riley
Martinsville, Indiana
June-August (Various one-and two-week sessions available) Camp Riley welcomes youths ages 8 to 18 with physical disabilities. Activities include archery, canoeing, camping, arts and crafts, horseback riding, nature studies and trip programs. From August 4-9,Camp Kan~Du serves participants ages 8 to 18 with physical disabilities requiring one-on-one care. For more information on any of the programs, contact Joan Shea at 317/634-4474 or toll- free at 877/867-4539.
Camp Victory
Columbia County, Pennsylvania
A variety of specialized camps are available; Camp Dos (July 6-14)is for those with cancer and Camp Spifida (July 20-26) is for those with spina bifida. Camp Victory, which was established to serve chronically ill and physically disadvantaged children, boasts facilities that are equipped for and accessible to people with disabilities. Both weekend and weeklong programs are available, and activities include sports, crafts, casino nights, carnivals, a challenge course, a climbing wall, a petting zoo and talent night. For more information, contact Kelly Ham- maker at 570/458-6530 or at the home office at 570/374-0721.
City of Sacramento Camp
Sacramento El Dorado County, California
June-August (Various sessions available) This camp offers three to six fun-filled days packed with a variety of activities for children, teens and adults from all over the country. Campers should be aware that the camp is in a national forest and does not have paved walkways. Supervised camp activities include nature and environmental programs, hikes, arts and craft projects, volleyball, horseshoes, softball, campfires, ping-pong, special teen activities, dances, movies and a variety show. A number of camp facilities such as restrooms and showers are accessible to people with physical disabilities. Six of the camp cabins are also accessible by wheelchair (requests must be made at the time of registration). You must also specify if you need special assistance, as the camp also serves able-bodied campers. For camp fee information or to register, call Camp Sacramento at 916/277-6098 or Access Leisure at 916/277- 3809.Web site: www.cityofsacramento.org/parksandrecreation/recreation/campsac.htm
Easter Seals camps
Various sites nationwide
Various dates year-round Easter Seals has an extensive camping and recreational program with 140 facilities at sites nationwide that offers children and adults who have disabilities the opportunity to experience the joys and challenges of summer camp in a fully accessible setting. Easter Seals offers three types of camping programs nationwide – day camps, residential camps and respite camps – to address the diverse needs of the children and adults it serves. The camps offer a full camping experience, with activities including campfires, sing-a-longs, boating, nature walks, swimming and arts and crafts. For more information or to find an Easter Seals camp in your area, call 800/221-6827,or visit the Easter Seals Web site at www.easter-seals.org
GatorSport Exploration Camp
Gainesville, Florida
July (Dates to be announced) GatorSport Exploration Camp is a two-day sports camp offered for adults (ages 18 and older) who have physical disabilities. This camp offers many sports, such as fencing, martial arts, racing, tennis, basketball, quad rugby and swimming. Primary instruction is provided by athletes who have disabilities. Funded entirely by corporate sponsors, there is no fee to attend the camp. For more information, contact the camp director, Carolyn Hanson, at 352/846-1023 or chanson@hp.ufl.edu or visit the camp Web site at www.gatorsport.org
Horse Power Camp
Barrington, Illinois
July 14-18 Horse Power Camp is a day camp hosted by Cowboy Dreams, a nonprofit organization that provides therapeutic horseback riding and hippotherapy for children with limb deficiencies, ages 5 to 15.Class sessions include horse safety, grooming, equipment, horse sports, feeding, first aid and breeding. In addition, the children participate in crafts and ride and lead horses every day. For more information, call Meggan Hill at 847/844- 9070 or Sara at the Cowboy Dreams office, 847/381-9323.
Invacare Days 2003
Various dates and locations across the country Invacare Days 2003 is a series of wheelchair sports clinics offered by Easter Seals and Invacare Corporation to children and adults who have disabilities. Those who attend will learn wheelchair tennis, basketball, softball and rugby from members of Invacare 's team of professional athletes. Event reservations are recommended. For more information, call the Easter Seals national headquarters at 800/221-6827 or visit www.easter-seals.org
Junior Wheelchair Sports Camp
Allendale, Michigan
July 7-11 The Grand Rapids Wheelchair Sports Association offers this five-day camp at Grand Valley State University for campers ages 6 to 18. Activities include tennis, golf, wall climbing, basketball, cycling and road racing, softball and team handball. The camp also offers games for those who use electric wheelchairs. The day camp is free, but a camper who lives 45 miles away or farther may stay overnight for $100.For more information, call Maria Besta at 616/785-3866 or visit the GRWSA Web site at www.grwsa.com
National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD)
Winter Park, Colorado
May-September (Various group and individual sessions available upon request) For the past 33 years, the NSCD has offered children and adults with disabilities the opportunity to participate in a variety of outdoor sports and recreational activities. The summer program offers sailing, rafting, hiking, biking, camping, therapeutic horseback riding, adaptive golf, fishing, sports camps and more. Scholarships are available. For more information call 303/293-5711 for administrative offices or 303/316-1540 for lesson reservations.
Roosevelt Sports Training Center and Camp Dream
Warm Springs, Georgia
Various sessions May-August Roosevelt Sports Training Center and Camp Dream were developed in the early 1990s by The Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation. The camp offers indoor and outdoor tracks, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a bowling alley, a gymnasium, racquetball courts, a weight room and a nine-hole golf course. The camp is set in the Georgia woodlands, with a 12-acre lake and natural outdoor trails surrounding the lodges, dining hall and outdoor pavilion. For more information, call 706/655-5720.
Tennessee Camp for Diabetic Children
Soddy, Tennessee
July 13-26 Located on Lake Chickamauga, the Tennessee Camp for Diabetic Children is a two-week camp for children ages 9 to 15 that incorporates educational sessions into daily camp activities by providing fun learning programs geared toward juvenile diabetes management. Activities include swimming instruction, canoeing, mountain biking, archery, arts and crafts, environmental awareness and outdoor camping trips. In addition, doctors, nurses and dieticians work individually with campers to educate them about the importance of blood glucose control, including leading discussions on meal planning, insulin dosage requirements, exercise and blood glucose testing. Space is limited and on a first come, first served basis. The cost is $500 for the two-week session. For more information or to apply for the 2003 session, visit the camp 's Web site at www.tcdc.net or contact Rich Hidalgo at hidalgo9@bellsouth.net
Texas Lions Camp
Kerrville, Texas
June-July (Various sessions available) The Texas Lions Camp is a free camp for Texas residents ages 6 to 16 with physical disabilities. Activities include swimming, horsemanship, adventure programming, arts and crafts, nature study, gardening, theater and skits, music, sports, archery and campouts. The Texas Lions Camp also offers a day camp that runs from July 18-20.For more information, call Steve Mabry at 830/896-8500 or view the camp Web site at www.lionscamp.com
U.S. Adaptive Recreation Center
Big Bear Lake, California
July-August (Dates to be announced) USARC takes to the fresh waters of Big Bear Lake for wet and wild water skiing, jet skiing, kayaking, sailing and fishing. With a variety of modified and standard recreation equipment, along with a skilled staff of recreation therapists, lifeguards, licensed boat operators and expertly trained volunteers, the excitement and adventure of these sports are safely introduced to each participant. For more information, call Tom Peirce, Kelle Malkewitz or Shelly Egerer at 909/584-0269 or visit the USARC Web site at www.usarc.org
Wonderland Camp
Rocky Mount, Missouri
Regular Sessions, open to all ages Various sessions available from May 25-August 15
Wonderland Camp provides sessions for people of varying ages and disabilities. Each session includes a full range of activities, including boating, fishing, archery, miniature golf, arts and crafts, music, nature, riflery and indoor activities. The fee for the camp is $325.For more information, visit the camp Web site at www.wonderlandcamp.org or call Allen Moore at 573/392-1000.
Camps 2003: A Directory
Resources for Children with Special Needs, Inc., has recently published its revised special camp guide for 2003,a comprehensive reference for locating summer camps and programs for children and teens with special needs in the metro New York area. The camp guide lists sleep-away camps, day camps and travel programs for children and teens with all types of disabilities. Because Camps 2003 is written in both English and Spanish and indexed both alphabetically and by disability, users can save time and phone calls. Camps 2003 can be ordered by sending a check for $22 plus $7 for shipping and handling to Resources for Children with Special Needs, Inc.,Dept.PR2,116 E.16th Street,5th Floor, New York, NY 10003.For additional information or for multiple-copy discounts, call 212/677-4650 or visit www.resourcesnyc.org
