Camp Munroe just wrapped up another extraordinary season of laughter, fun and friendship, providing opportunities for play and social interaction to more than 250 participants ages 3 to 21.
Many people in our community are aware of our flagship summer program, but the Munroe-Meyer Institute Department of Recreational Therapy also offers year-round services and supports our families and participants throughout their lifespan.
The Thursday Night Adult Evening Program, Cooking Club and Adaptive Yoga classes, sponsored by the Meyer Foundation for Disabilities, are for participants aged 21 and older. These programs offer safe, social activities, something of a haven for participants who have graduated from high school transition programs and may be uncertain as to what will come next.
The Adult Evening program, our largest and most popular adult offering, meets 38 weeks a year and brings our participants the same chance to enjoy social activities they had when attending day camp. Not only does the program offer swimming, cooking, art and games, but participants get to share in that same gregarious buzz of activity with almost 40 adults attending each night, in an atmosphere where everyone is included, accepted and gets to enjoy being themselves among friends!
These adult programs provide chances for much-needed socialization, but they also provide instruction in variety of areas where participants can learn and sharpen their life skills. Cooking club participants not only make meals together — practicing skills such as cutting vegetables, sautéing and using stoves and ovens – but, equally important, they take their recipes home and can show off their new skills to family members, as well as gain a sense of pride in their accomplishment.
Other programs include one of the largest adaptive bike clubs in the area. Sponsored by the Enrichment Foundation for the past 18 years, the Wheel Club, Leisure Explorer Club, Community Outing program and Garden Clubs have been aiding our mission to promote fitness, fun and function with inclusive and accessible recreation and leisure opportunities. With more than 15 adaptive cycles, including three- and four-wheeled tandem bikes that allow participants to co-ride with their family members, the Wheel Club often can be seen on Sunday afternoons in the spring and the fall riding on the Keystone Trail.
In addition to easier trail access, the move to the new MMI building also allowed the Garden Club program to expand, with the development of an 800-square-foot garden space in 2022, including raised beds, concrete pathways, fence, water spigots and a garden shed. Our garden is a mixture of edible plants and ornamentals with the aim to grow from March to October. Gardening not only provides the health benefits of fresh vegetables, but it promotes physical activity and supports our cooking program, which can reinforce healthy behavior.
We also have robust programs in arts, dance and theater arts, where participants learn a variety of techniques and skills from different choreography styles to glasswork and pottery, to stage performance. Participants simultaneously get to enjoy social interaction with their peers and build confidence and self-esteem.
We feel lucky that we get to make a difference in our families’ lives and provide a place where our campers and participants feel like they belong – not just today but for years to come.