Mother Nature has not been on our side for the first two days of program staff training, but it has not stopped the program staffers and the rest of the Camp ASCCA employees yet. It has been quite wet around the campgrounds the past couple of days, but we as a staff are eager to push on and get things done. With just two days into orientation week the Camp ASCCA staff have already accomplished a lot of training.
My name is Jay Free and I am a current senior at Auburn University majoring in communications with a minor in marketing. I came to Auburn after two years of attending a school in South Georgia called Valdosta State University. I am from a small town in Georgia called LaGrange where I lived with my Mom, Dad, and my older brother. When I am not studying in the library I really enjoy hanging out with my friends and playing soccer. Soccer has always been a passion of mine and I played throughout my childhood and high school.
On May 22, campers, volunteers, and teachers arrived for the annual Camp Rocks sponsored by the Hall Foundation. Every year, the Hall Foundation makes a donation that provides the opportunity for groups from Montgomery, Dothan, and Florida to attend Camp ASCCA for a week. There is also a group of students from the University of North Alabama who travel to Camp each year to volunteer for the session.
On Monday, students from the University of North Alabama arrived for a week of Camp Rocks sponsored by the Hall Foundation. The students are a part of the Recreation for Special Populations class at UNA, and each year, a new group arrives to volunteer for the week serving children and adults with disabilities from parts of Alabama and Florida. The goal is for them to also put into action the many things they have learned over a semester in the recreation class.
Over the weekend, the Shepherd Center hosted the Adventure Skills Workshop that is held here at Camp ASCCA every year in May. As described by the Center’s website, ASW is “a fun-filled spring weekend designed for people with spinal cord injury or disease, acquired brain injury, multiple sclerosis, spina bifida, post-polio syndrome, Guillain-Barré syndrome, transverse myelitis or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).” Participants are given the opportunity to experience programs they’ve always loved in an adaptive environment as well as new activities.
Guest Blogger Jonathan VanSteenburg is excited to share with you his everyday experiences and adventures. He recently paid a visit to the Just Jump facility in Panama City Beach with his dad and wanted to share how it impacted his body being out of his wheelchair. Check it out!
On Saturday, May 12, a special event was held by the Central District Alabama Elks Lodges in support of Camp ASCCA. The Lodges hosted the “Second Chance Prom – Dancing Through the Decades” at the Bessemer Civic Center. It was an opportunity for dancing and fun with friends to some of the many musical hits that have came about over the years. Similar to a high school prom, formal attire was requested, and the evening included a special four-course dinner, live band and a DJ.
On April 24, Director of Marketing/Communications Dana Rickman visited the Enterprise Rotary Club for a special presentation. At the spring meeting, members of the Enterprise
This week, we were joined by sixth grade students from Lee Scott Academy in Auburn for the second science camp of the spring. Several weeks ago, we were visited by a group from St. James School in Montgomery for a similar session. This year’s camp with LSA was a blast and included an educational and fun-packed schedule. The students were split into four groups that they would stick with throughout each program rotation.
Twice a year, we offer weekend camps called Camp FROG to individuals with autism and their families from throughout the state of Alabama through a partnership with the Autism Society of Alabama. Last weekend, the ASA hosted their annual Making Connections weekend here at Camp ASCCA, and many new families were in attendance. It is a weekend designed to be sensory-friendly and full of outdoor-based programs.
During the day on May 4th, students, teachers and parents from Coosa Central Schools visited Camp for a day of fun with students from the special education programs. Aquatics Specialist Heather Chumney designed a schedule full of opportunities to enjoy the ASCCA campus by water, on land and in the air. The weather was perfect and the students arrived with the greatest energy as many of them have been to Camp before.
On Wednesday, kindergarten students from Dadeville Elementary School made the quick trip to Camp ASCCA for a daylong field trip full of fun. Teachers and parents were along for the ride, and many of them jumped in and participated in the activities too. The students were split into five groups based on the class that they are in at school.
Located in Alabama on Lake Martin, Camp ASCCA offers campers a wide variety of traditional recreational and educational activities with a unique design for accessibility.
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