Director’s message: Excited for summer camp season

As the last few weeks of summer camp preparation are coming to an end, it never ceases to amaze me the countless hours our therapists wholeheartedly pour into making Camp Munroe’s annual six-week summer camp a success.

What started 40 years ago with only a dozen participants and a handful of determined parents and staff now has turned into a weekly sanctuary for 250 campers, 75 staff and more than 200 student volunteers. It is the highlight of the year for so many.

Soon, the quiet halls of the MMI Recreational Therapy Department will be filled with the scurrying steps of campers anxious to get to their next activity, endless bouts of laughter and the echoes of a favorite camp song about an ill-fated moose. They will be filled with kindness, compassion and hands-on learning from our staff and volunteers — and a sweet sigh of relief from parents who know that their children are in a safe and fun environment where they are truly accepted.

Whenever I reflect on the rich history of Camp Munroe, I feel grateful to the dedicated people who fought for a special place for kids who deserved an authentic experience that so many of us take for granted: a carefree place to belong. A place for messy art projects, off-tune karaoke and a group of friends to cheer you on when you score a home run in a game of kickball.

Camp Munroe is truly so much more than a weeklong experience. It is a place where lifelong relationships are made and where students uncover their future careers. It is a place of security for parents and caregivers and, maybe most of all, it is a place where kids just get to be kids.