Partners In Adventure Camp
VPIC's
new summer camp program puts all kids in the swim of things...
It was
a beautiful sunny day. Children, parents, volunteers and friends gathered
at North Beach in Burlington to celebrate the last day of Partners in Adventure
camp. Several campers were ankle-deep at the water's edge. Some sat at
a table filled with watermelon, cookies and pies, and others rested on
blankets or played water balloon games. At first glance Partners in Adventure
looks like any other day camp. Upon looking closer you begin to notice
a few of the campers can't walk or talk and several of the children need
a little help to be there. Under the bright blue sky, all the kids blended
into the group that came together for the final day at camp.
Partners
in Adventure grew out of a need for a summer program specifically designed
to accommodate kids with disabilities, ages 11-17. While Chittenden County
has many camp programs, none really fits the bill for many kids with disabilities.
Debbie Lamden, parent and VPIC staff member, agrees. That's why with the
help of others she started this summer program for her son and kids like
him. She didn't want the camp to be just for special kids. "I wanted Ari
to be in a program that would be appropriate for his social and physical
needs, but I also wanted him to be part of a camp that was inclusive. I
spoke to several parents who also felt strongly about wanting a camp for
their kids that would include them in their community with non-disabled
friends. I heard from families and professionals about the lack of joint
summertime social and recreational experiences for teens with and without
disabilities. Through interviews we learned that children with disabilities
become increasingly isolated as they enter their teens, when athletic and
verbal skills tend to become more essential to building relationships with
peers. So last fall I decided it was time to start."
The
purpose of Partners In Adventure is to provide a fully inclusive summertime
social and recreational experience. The program is designed to honor diversity
by enabling young people 11 to 17, with and without disabilities, to build
partnerships in which each person has the chance to safely explore, lend
a helping hand, learn more about the world and enjoy a summer day.
Debbie brought together a group of individuals and community organizations who were excited to help start a new camp. "The group (Shelburne Farms, Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, Vermont Parent Information Center, Burlington Parks and Recreation Dept., ArtsAbility, Sterling Therapeutic Equestrian Program (STEP), and Racquet's Edge Health and Fitness), met regularly to come up with the camp philosophy and mission and develop the program. We spend a lot of time talking about how to create an inclusive camp and what the role of the campers without disabilities would be. We designed programs to appeal to all the campers." It's obvious that the group was successful in doing just that. Jessie and Sara both 11 year olds loved the many different activities the camp provided. When asked why they liked camp, Jessie was quick to say, "It's not like other camps. You get to do a lot of different things, like fencing and boating and painting." Sara agreed. "Debbie makes it work for everyone. She gets a big kick out of the kids. She's great."
And the
parents couldn't agree more. Nan whose daughter Erin, attended camp was
happy to find the program. " I knew this camp would be set up with accommodations
in mind. I knew she would have the supports she needs. She has gone to
many different types of camps, but I always need to make the accommodations
and explain things to staff." Lisa, Stacy's mom, sent her daughter to camp
because she felt it would be good for her. Stacy did kayaking and fencing
and feels that camp "...really brought her daughter out." Jeff's mom Ginny
said the camp was the highlight of her son's summer. "He had sailing, horseback
riding and fencing, and because his brother could be his aide, I had no
worries about safety issues."
Inspired
by the camp's success, the summer of 2001 will be 4 weeks long. There will
be 2- two week sessions. Session 1 is from July 30- Aug 10. It will be
located in Burlington at the Burlington Parks and Recreation Dept. building
on Roundhouse Park. This session will include kayaking, canoeing and sailing.
Session 2 is from Aug. 13-24. It will be at Shelburne Farms. This session
will include farmyard activities. In both sessions young people with and
without disabilities will ride horses, go swimming, explore arts and crafts
and nature, and immerse themselves in the outdoors.
We believe that Partners In Adventure has played an important role in connecting children with disabilities to their non-disabled peers in a way that improves their quality of life through shared summertime fun.
One non-speaking camper with autism shared the following by means of her electronic speech-output device: "Adventure camp does a lot of exciting things. I adored boating and relaxing. All the days are beautiful at calm and contented camp. All the animals delighted me. I don't believe having a disability means limited chances to adventure and fun!"
Funding comes from individual donors, businesses and grants. Scholarships are available on a first come first serve basis. If you are interested in making a donation, please request sponsorship materials or send your check filled out to: PIA/VPIC and mail to: Partners In Adventure, VT Parent Information Center, 1 Mill St., Ste A7, Burlington, VT 05401.
For more information on Partners In Adventure call Debbie Lamden from VPIC toll free at (800)639-7170 or (802)-658-5315, Weds. and Fri., or visit their website at www.vtpic.com. Although all the slots are filled for campers who are disabled, there are still openings available for partners who are not disabled. Call to get on the waiting list or the mailing list for next year. ©
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