According to Camp Summit CEO Carla R. Weiland,
“A week at Camp Summit is about more than horseback riding or nature walks, it’s about being in a place where campers with disabilities experience acceptance and freedom of the outdoors. Individuals with disabilities often face isolated lives where opportunities for inclusive socialization and enjoyment of nature don’t exist. But when they come to Camp Summit, they are in a place that focuses on Abilities rather than their disAbilities.
“We provides residential year-round camping for children and adults that are age and disability-appropriate for nearly 2,000 campers annually. Campers may have intellectual disabilities, developmental delays and/or physical challenges, but they all have a place at camp. They enjoy a wide variety of traditional camp activities in our barrier-free environment including a specially-designed swimming pool, adapted tree-house and ropes course. We are dedicated in our goal to accept campers without regard to the severity of their disability or income level. In 2012, we provided over $800,000 in financial assistance to 90% of our campers, including a record 210 camperships so no one was turned away.
“As always, it’s the smiles and joy of our incredible campers that makes Camp Summit so special. Our campers often have many barriers and hurdles in life so having a camp that’s uniquely ‘theirs,’ where there are no barriers, gives them the chance to just be themselves. As one of our first time campers said this year- ‘It’s a joy to do something for the first time…I will always remember my time here.'”
-Carla R. Weiland