Our lives are filled with milestones from learning to walk and learning to read, to going to school, navigating those tricky teen years, and moving into adulthood. Along the way, we encounter experiences that shape how those milestones impact who we are and who we become. I believe attending summer camp as a child and working at summer camp as a young adult are important milestones. They certainly were for me, my husband, our children, and our friends and family. Our lives have been forever impacted by the lessons of camp.

And it’s not just us. I have seen camp influence countless lives. I have witnessed camp provide a bridge from childhood to adulthood. It is truly beautiful to watch summer campers grow up and become summer staff and to follow individuals from campers to staff members into adulthood, marriages, careers, and parenthood. Milestones upon milestones.

It is no secret that camp experiences help shape great humans and that those humans go into the world and participate in their communities in positive ways.

From a camp alum:

"For me, CYO Camp Rancho Framasa was a place where I learned who I was and who I wanted to be. Campers and counselors were able to connect to their inner 'YOU' through silly songs, catching crawdads in the creek, dressing up crazy for Ranch Fest, or even quietly listening to the wind in the trees. This amazing place allowed me to grow deeper in my love of Christ and understand how precious the children of our world and communities are to us all. I am now a teacher, and I see my experiences as a counselor come to life in my classroom every day to help bring joy and love to my students."

— Amber Johnstone

What is it about camp that works so well?

I will try to be concise. Camp invites people to be themselves and to try things they might not try at home. It challenges you. It puts you in situations that require you to dig a little deeper, acknowledge a few fears, and grow through moments of learning, all this with fun and plenty of laugh out loud moments. Camp is a safe place to explore the outside world, relationships with others, and your own sense of self. And the best part? Camp is a place where people of all abilities can come together.

Creating an intentional inclusive experience builds on what we already do at camp:

·        Create belonging

·        Foster independence

·        Help others grow in confidence

·        Meet people where they are and accept them

We all have needs; we all need support. Some of us need more support than others in different areas. Supporting a camper with bedwetting or allergies is simply something we do. Supporting a camper who uses a communication device, needs mobility support, or requires assistance with self-care can be something we do as well. For someone with a specific disability, that support can open an entirely new world of milestones which can only happen at camp.

I have seen it firsthand, and it is amazing.

Peace,

Angi