On a rare cloudy July day, a song leader with an acoustic guitar asks a group of eight, nine and 10-year-olds: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
“A teacher.”
“A football coach.”
“A paleontologist.”
Along with song requests for “Wild Thing” and “You Are My Sunshine,” these children are enjoying the music portion of their day at summer camp. The charm of this camp is how ordinary it is. Staff members and volunteers create the traditional day camp activities: sing-alongs, art projects and community outings. But this camp is extraordinary because of the children it serves.
These children have developmental disabilities. This is Camp Munroe.
For the past 20 years, Camp Munroe has served youth between the ages of 3 and 21 who have mild to severe developmental disabilities. The camp runs for six weeks during the summer and can accommodate 100 children per week. The summer recreational program is part of the Munroe Meyer Institute Recreational Therapy Program.
“Camp Munroe is unique because it is the only full service day camp in the Omaha metro area for special needs children,” said Director Michael Crawford, Ph.D.
Camp Munroe is able to serve many children because of the support of the Hattie B. Munroe Foundation. The $80 fee can be supplemented with scholarships from the foundation.
“We never want families to feel that their child can’t come because of a financial situation,” recreational therapist Kelley McCormack said.
A day at camp
The staff creates the traditional day camp environment by remembering the nature of a successful children’s camp.
“We see each of our children as differently-abled and try to help them use their unique strengths and talents to the best of their ability, by focusing on their abilities instead of their disabilities each day in camp can be a positive experience for them,” Dr. Crawford said.
The daily activities include swimming, art, cooking, tactile, music, sports, community outings and recreational and leisure activities. The camp staff makes sure that every camper has the opportunity to participate in every activity.
“We plan typical camp activities and adapt activities to fit the needs of the children and youths who attend,” McCormack said.
The social interaction is a valuable part of the camp adventure, especially during the summer months when school is out of session.
“It’s good for them to be here,” said Erin Varner, an Omaha Public School teacher. “They’re being active. Even if they don’t complete an activity, they’re engaged. There’s a good mix of ages and abilities.” Varner works at Paralyzed Veterans Association, a transitional site for people between 18-21 with moderate disabilities.
Volunteers abound
An integral part of the program is the volunteer support. While at camp, each camper has a personal “buddy” that accompanies him or her throughout camp. The 150 volunteers, some as young as 12, make Camp Munroe a success. For the younger volunteers, the sacrifice of idle summer days can lead to future careers.
“Many of our volunteers have their first exposure to persons with disabilities through us and go on to careers in the human services profession,” Dr. Crawford said.
Much of the Camp Munroe staff started off as teenage volunteers. McCormack chose to major in recreational therapy due to her volunteer work and has been involved with the camp for 18 years. These long-term camp connections allow the staff to watch the children mature and grow through the years.
The volunteers and staff come together to bring these children an experience they may not have otherwise had.
“We feel lucky to be a part of so many kids’ lives,” McCormack said. “The parents have a place to bring their child where they are accepted. The staff is dedicated to providing a fun and safe camp experience and the volunteers get a chance to learn about others while sharing their time during the summer.”
Celebrating 20 years
After 20 years Camp Munroe has become an even better summer opportunity for children.
The physical environment and layout has changed, McCormack said, and playground has been updated. The camp staff now has more vehicles to transport campers to various community outings, which allows for more children to experience Camp Munroe. Even with all the improvements, there’s still more that can be done.
“We always have a waiting list, there’s only so many spots for kids,” Dr. Crawford said. “We would someday like to be able to add additional weeks and groups.”
The summer program helps UNMC reach out to its community and highlight the services it provides.
“The summer program is certainly the center piece of the Recreational Therapy program offerings,” Dr. Crawford said. “Through it we develop and maintain relationships with other agencies and families. We’re one of the goodwill ambassadors for UNMC.”