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One can’t miss the smiles that spread across the faces of youth as make their way to a campus of rolling hills, located in historic San Juan Capistrano. They smile for a reason. Most of them attended the Special Camps for Special Kids summer program last year and already know what’s ahead of them. The program offers a break from their daily routine, which often revolves around therapy sessions, doctor visits and extra academic assistance. While these components are necessary to their overall health and well-being, just as important is time spent simply being a child. “These children are often limited from the activities they can participate in, whether it’s society putting the limitations on them or actual physical activities that they cannot participate in,” says Executive Director Lindsay Stump. “So giving them the opportunity to do so is really important for them to function as the rest of us do and to just have a good time in general.” Though the numbers pale in comparison to the vast amount of programs geared toward mainstream children, there are local organizations that provide such opportunities to those with special needs. Special Camps for Special Kids, which draws children from Orange, San Diego and Los Angeles counties as well as the Inland Empire, offers one-week, recreational summer day camps for ages 6-21. Approximately 20% of the campers use wheelchairs; the majority have Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy or are developmentally delayed. In addition to registered nursing staff, campers are paired with their own individual counselor for the week. Hosted at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School, the first day of the program offers a time for the kids and counselors to become acquainted through an array of hands-on projects. They might, for example, head to the Arts and Craft Center where they can choose from approximately 10 art projects. Or, they may choose the Entertainment Center, where an array of costumes and props transformed them into stars for the day. The remainder of the week is dedicated to outings, ranging from horseback riding and bowling to attending a baseball game. The program ends with an evening picnic and awards ceremony, where campers, counselors and their families join together to hear about all the tales of the week. This year’s sessions will be held July 18-22, July 25-29 and Aug. 1-5. The tuition fee, which helps to underwrite the cost of meals, transportation and activities, is $250. Horseback riding The J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center, also located in San Juan Capistrano, provides another opportunity for children to develop, socialize and relate to other people. The nonprofit organization serves children as young as 2 years old. Disabilities seen at the center include cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, sensory integration issues, autism, blindness, deafness, head trauma and dozens of others. Participants can participate in group lessons or opt for one-on-one programs. Open six days a week, the center is staffed by licensed therapists, professional instructors, trained equine partners and more than 200 regular volunteers. In addition to its recreational component, the program provides a number of therapeutic benefits and serves as a tool for developing flexibility, motor planning skills, muscle coordination, balance and strength, as well as increased self-esteem and confidence. Founded in 1978 by social worker Fran Joswick, the program has grown into one of the largest and most respected accredited therapeutic horseback riding programs in the country, with more than 25 horses and 225 riders per week. Special Olympics For children interested in sports, consider Special Olympics Southern California. The nonprofit agency, which is a part of an international program, provides year-round sports training and competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for people 8 years of age and older with intellectual disabilities. The Southern California chapter, which serves more than 11,000 children and adults, is made up of 31 local areas, including Orange County, Greater San Bernardino, Inland Empire Region, Riverside, Temecula Valley and Western San Bernardino. Sports, which may vary slightly in each area, include: aquatics, athletics, basketball, bocce, bowling, cycling, equestrian, figure skating, floor hockey, golf, gymnastics, power lifting, roller skating, sailing, skiing (alpine and cross-country), soccer, softball, snowboarding, speed skating, snowshoeing, tennis, and volleyball. Programs are provided for each skill level and are free to eligible athletes. Local chapters To locate other opportunities, call your area nonprofit agency. They may know of programs for your children or offer one of their own. The Lung Association of Orange County, for example, offers a weeklong overnight camp for children with astham. (See feature story on asthma for details.) Or for kids with epilepsy, the Epilepsy Foundation of Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Ventura Counties offers several activities. Its program for teens, for example, offers daylong events and a holiday party. Luana Garrison’s personal favorite is the foundation’s annual family weekend retreat, which she her son Christopher have attended. “It was the most positive environment I’ve ever been in,” said Luana in a previous interview with OC Family Magazine. “It allowed me to see my son in his own environment and not trying to fit into the world. “It gave him the opportunity to be himself and for me to look into his world because it was like seeing all these little Christophers running around.” Sandy Bennett is an associate editor. Contact information Special Camp for Special Kids: www.specialcamp.org or 949.661.0108 J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center: www.sheacenter.org or 949.240.8441 Special Olympics Southern California: www.sosc.org or 310.215.8380 American Lung Association of Orange County: www.oclung.org or 714.835.5864 The Epilepsy Foundation of Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Ventura Counties: www.epilepsy-socalif.org or call 800.564.0445 |
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