Camp ASCCA Blog

Alabama Civitans volunteer during Fun Fish 2018

Every year, Civitans from across the Alabama Central District pay a visit to Camp ASCCA during the annual Fun Fish weekend to help out across the campus. On Saturday, March 24, several members arrived to work under the direction of Camp Director Matt Rickman who had planned several projects for them to do to help update the campus.

ASCCA Fun Fish 2018

Campers and volunteers arrived on Friday afternoon for what would be an unforgettable weekend full of big catches, gusty winds, and endless entertainment. Each year, we host a weekend of fishing for our campers to attend, and they are able to fish from the ASCCA pond, the ASCCA boat dock, and they even get to make a trip or two out on a fishing boat with our volunteer boaters.

The Camp ASCCA Good Times 2018 Spring Newsletter

Fun Fish Weekend 2018 will be here very soon, and we cannot wait for the many more spring adventures ahead! In preparation for the spring and summer seasons, we have released the spring edition of the Camp ASCCA Good Times, so that you can stay up-to-date on all the events that will be going in the coming months. It’s time to pour that glass of lemonade, kick back and relax on the porch, and enjoy some springtime reading. The spring newsletter includes seasonal updates, camper news, and much more! You also have the opportunity to get a quick glance at the campers who started guest blogging on our website.

Friends of ASCCA: McCartney shares her fondest camp memories

Hello readers! Happy late Valentines! As you may already know, earlier this month Camp ASCCA celebrated Camp ASCCA Spirit and Recruitment Day! So, I’ve decided to dedicate this post to celebrating and sharing my memories of Camp – the happiest place on earth.

Cahaba Valley Elks Lodge donates 20-tier shelving rack to Camp ASCCA

On Tuesday, members from the Cahaba Valley Elks Lodge traveled to Camp to make a donation to the camp kitchen. The item donated was a 20-tier shelving rack, and they even took the time to assemble it and mark it with a special plaque. The need for a shelving rack was discovered when Elks member Barbara Shinpaugh volunteered during camp one day last summer.

New seating, an accessible ramp, and other projects completed through The Ability Experience

Over the weekend, Camp was visited by Pi Kappa Phi members from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and Boise as a part of the fraternity’s Ability Experience. The Ability Experience, formerly known as Push America, is a nonprofit organization serving people with disabilities around the country. The organization’s first visit to Camp ASCCA came in 1993, and they have returned every year since. The men in attendance each year volunteer and help with new projects across the campus.

Friends of ASCCA: Get to know Jamaica!

Hello everyone! My name is Jamaica, and I am excited to be your next guest blogger! I have Cerebral Palsy (CP); Cerebral Palsy is a neurological condition that affects the brain and body in a multitude of ways. I am affected by Cerebral Palsy in all of my limbs, and one of my biggest challenges in having CP is that my body kind of has a mind of its own sometimes. It is difficult for me to control movement in my body, and I have a difficult time with fine and gross motor skills. I also have a lot of muscle spasms everyday but aside from the challenges of having CP, I make the most of life!

Lakeshore Foundation hunting trips were a huge success!

Every year during the winter season, the Lakeshore Foundation brings a couple groups to Camp ASCCA for a weekend of hunting. This year’s groups visited during the last two weekends of January and were split into an adult session and a child session. Family members and friends often travel with each participant, and this year’s groups got pretty lucky out in the fields.

#WallpaperWednesday

There is no love like the love of Camp ASCCA! As we get closer to Summer 2018, we are getting more and more excited to reunite with all of our camp friends, old and new. We have big plans for this summer, and cannot wait to share a few surprises with everyone.

Friends of ASCCA: Get to know Brandon!

My name is Brandon. I’m 22, and I’ll be 23 on January 23. I’m a sophomore at Miles College. I was born with a muscular disease called SMA ( Spinal Muscle Atrophy), and when I was born the doctor told my mom after I was diagnosed with my disease that she would only see me for the maximum of 2 years. Later down the road, I had a severe surgery to keep my spine in place. I was about 10 when this surgery happened. About 3 years later, my lungs collapsed, I flatlined at the hospital once in ICU, but only for a brief second.

ASCCA on the Road surprises Robertsdale Rotary Club with Easterseals award

This week, Amber Cotney and I traveled to Mobile for one of our first ASCCA on the Road adventures of 2018. Our first stop on Monday was at the University of South Alabama to visit two therapeutic recreations classes as a part of our staff recruitment efforts. We spent time with each class breaking down who we are as an organization and what it means to be a staff member and work with the campers who visit each summer.

Friends of ASCCA: Get to know Jonathan!

My name is Jonathan VanSteenburg, and I have cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy affects all my muscles and my speech. I am a wheelchair user. I have been going to Camp ASCCA since 2006. Camp ASCCA is in a small town called Jackson Gap, AL (located on the beautiful Lake Martin). All of their staff are caring and loving. During the summer, Camp ASCCA has week-long sessions where people with disabilities can do fun things that they don’t normally do at home.