Special Camp Proves Challenges Can Be Overcome

LAKE GENEVA, WI (August 11, 2004) - Covenant Harbor Bible Camp (CHBC) and Covenant Enabling Residences (CER) combined forces for a special experience this week as three CER facilities participated in a four-day summer camp adapted for developmentally challenged persons.

A total of 65 people, including 50 residents, participated in the special camp. It was the second year of the program for Bjorklund House, located in Oak Forest. It was the first camp experience for Mary and Joseph's House in Muskegon, Michigan, and Our Place in Duluth, Minnesota. (Accompanying photos show some staff and residents involved in the activities.)

Campers participated in a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, including swimming, boat riding, mixer games, arts and crafts and coordinated efforts at the camp's ropes course. The event included a Tuesday night boat trip around Lake Geneva before ending on Wednesday morning.

For many, the three days were interspersed with a myriad of challenges. Some residents have autism, some are deaf or blind. Others are high-functioning cognitively and low-functioning adaptively (unable to do certain physical things). All need assistance in one way or another.

What they lack in motor or emotional skills, however, they make up for in the way they treat each other. It isn't pure love, but it is close. People of all ages help encourage each other. Skin color doesn't matter. Development level doesn't matter. There are shrieks of utter joy at such simple things as a balloon popping unexpectedly. There are many signs of cooperation and inclusion. It is a viable object lesson in how to treat one's neighbor and the lesson isn't lost on those who work closely with the residents.

"One of the nice things about having this group is that they're so excited about everything we do," said Toni Jooss, CHBC adult education director. "Every single activity gives them so much enthusiasm. We get excited with them. And it reminds us of what a wonderful gift we have in this camp. I think that's why so many of the staff (at CHBC) got so excited about participating and serving this group."

Said Bjorklund House administrator Julie Smith, "You see how much they appreciate the little things and it makes a difference. It's unconditional love. They're looking for the same things we are all looking for – someone to love them and care for them – and they make it easy to do."

Justin Schrotenboer, another administrator of Bjorklund House, said that the idea of having a special needs program was broached in 2001 by CHBC's previous executive director, Peter Heintzelman. In January 2003, he and Smith visited the facility and brainstormed how to coordinate such a program.

Last year's program was a rousing success for the Bjorklund House contingent, which included 20 residents and seven staff members. In fact, the response to the initial effort was so great that all of the residents at Bjorklund House came to the 2004 camp, along with many of its staff.

The developmentally disabled camp - which includes one staffer for every two residents - isn't quite like the ones for fully functioning kids and adults. Because many are in wheelchairs or are not very coordinated on their feet, it takes a lot longer to get from one place to another. Once they get there, however, it's a party.

The foul tip swing by a resident in a batting cage – landing in the upper field area - gets a loud cheer. A splash in the lake is cause for celebration. It makes for a nice week for all involved.

"I didn't want to make it all activities, but I wanted to give them choices and they (CHBC staff) programmed for that," Schrotenboer said. "The clients were challenging themselves in ways they had never done before; they were doing things I never thought were possible. I had one client who is deaf and nearly blind and she got on the banana boat (raft) on the water and I never thought she could do that. Other clients went up on the high ropes elements. One client went up to the top, got scared and came down. Then he saw another client do it and decided to try again and did it. They want to try the same things we did last year and some of the residents who didn't try some of the things wanted to try them this year.

"Last year they (staff) really enjoyed it, even though there was a higher resident/staff ratio, because they got to do most of the activities," Schrotenboer continued. "This year is easier because each of our staff members has only a couple of clients to be with. And I've never been to a place where the camp staff has been so accommodating. It was the first time they coordinated all three programs (Snake Road Adventure Camp, a local children's day camp, and CHBC summer staff) for an event and they did it so seamlessly. We were amazed by the hospitality they showed."

Covenant Enabling Residences is an affiliated corporation of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence (CMB) of the Evangelical Covenant Church. To learn more about Covenant Ministries of Benevolence, call 773-878-8200, extension 5056, or visit the Covenant website at www.covchurch.org and select the CMB link.

Printable version of this page.