Maggie Hickman stopped to wave and greet her fellow campers as she wound through the halls of the Munroe-Meyer Institute’s Recreational Therapy Department.
Hickman, 19, was there for a session of the department’s annual winter camp.
Winter camp runs for one session a day for five days.
This year’s camp drew more than 130 campers across all sessions. Each camper is accompanied by a staff member or volunteer.
Each day, the camper-volunteer duos rotate through activities, including art, cooking, sports and swimming.
Holiday breaks from school and other programming can be long for some families, said Carly De Bruin, assistant director of the MMI Recreational Therapy Department.
“Camp is great at maintaining structure for kids, and it gives parents a little break,” De Bruin said.
Staff members have watched campers and volunteers grow up at camp sessions held over the years.
Some volunteers even had their career paths shift after working at camp, said Savannah Bowling, volunteer coordinator with the MMI Recreational Therapy Department. And, she said, they gain valuable life skills working not only with campers but also parents and guardians.
“It’s not just the campers’ happy place. It’s the staff’s happy place, too,” De Bruin said.
Hickman comes to two or three winter camp sessions every year. She’s also a regular at Camp Munroe, which operates under a similar format each summer.
“What I love most about winter camp is doing a lot of holiday activities,” Hickman said.
A particular highlight this session was crafting a sensory bottle. She likened hers — full of glitter — to a snowstorm.
Befriending other campers, as well as staff and volunteers, is another perk, she said.
“It’s the best camp ever,” Hickman said. “I love being here with everyone.”
Her buddy for the day, Kayley Anderson, has been volunteering at camp for nearly 10 years.
For Anderson, who is in medical school, camp is a “great way to recharge and reconnect,” she said. “This keeps me grounded and reminds me why I want to go into medicine.”