This summer, we welcomed 16 new members to the 2017 Program Staff! Composed of some new and familiar faces, everyone arrived for training week eager and ready to work hard. Though some didn’t know what to expect, returning staff were able to give them an idea and minimize the anticipation.
It’s a beautiful day here at Camp ASCCA and Program staff hit the ground running with CPR training. The course follows the AHA (Amercian Heart Association) curriculum and is taught by Director of Health Services, Nurse Abbey Love Murray, R.N.
On Friday, May 26th, members from Eastmont Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, visited Camp for a tour and to complete a prayer walk across the entire campus. The group first received a tour from Camp Director Matt Rickman, and they gained a better understanding of all the things that we do here at ASCCA.
Program staff training is well underway and everyone is hard at work, learning the ins and outs of their various activities. As staff members break off into their respective groups throughout the day, each of them is learning proper protocol to ensure the fun and safety for all our campers when participating in each activity. They have a lot to cover in the coming days and the weather’s been a little muggy, but each staff member is still finding ways to have fun in spite of.
Hey there, Camp ASCCA fam! My name is Jasmine Reed and I am one of the PR interns for camp, this summer. I was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama and graduated from Spain Park High School (Go Jags!). I am currently a senior at Auburn University, majoring in public relations with a minor in marketing. My career interests include social media management, event planning and digital media analysis.
It is safe to say the summer is on its way. Program staff training for Summer 2017 has officially begun, and members of this year’s adventure, aquatics and farm staffs arrived this morning for the summer of a lifetime. As Camp Director Matt Rickman says, “This will be the greatest summer of your life.” The first meeting of the day was held in Davis Cabin where the program staff will be housed over the next five weeks. Camp Director Matt Rickman and fellow full-time staff members met with the summer’s program staff for introductions, and Matt went over ASCCA policies and procedures with the staff.
It was a chilly morning when everyone woke up today for another day of the Hall Foundation Camp, so the ASCCA staff made a few adjustments to the activity schedule to adjust to the weather. Instead of the usual morning rotations, campers and volunteers trekked around the campus to different “Free Choice” activities.
On Tuesday, May 23rd, campers and volunteers arrived for the week’s Hall Foundation Camp. Each year, the Hall Foundation helps support a group of individuals with special needs to attend Camp ASCCA for a week. This year, the campers have been introduced to new activities like shaved ice at the OutPost and the new Panning for Gold program. The campers and volunteers have traveled from parts of Florida and Alabama to experience a week they will never forget.
In preparation for the week’s adventures, Dr. Mike Hall arrived on Monday with a few of his students from the University of North Alabama, to discuss the week’s schedule for the Charles and Isabel Hall Foundation Camp and hear from several speakers who provide different perspectives on living with disabilities. Dr. Hall incorporates camp into his curriculum for his Recreation for Special Populations class, and different students visit Camp every spring to volunteer and learn about everything that is offered for children and adults with disabilities at ASCCA.
On Friday, people from around the country traveled to Camp for the Shepherd Center’s annual Adventure Skills Workshop. Shepherd Center is located in Atlanta, Georgia and “is a private, not-for-profit hospital specializing in medical treatment, research and rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injury, brain injury, multiple sclerosis, spine and chronic pain, and other neuromuscular conditions.”
You’ve seen the new OutPost, and now it’s time to share with you the big event we have planned for this summer!
The OutPost was designed with big events in mind, and on July 18th, the OutPost will be the location for the inaugural ASCCApalooza, a music festival for campers and staff to experience and enjoy. The festival lineup is made up of artists from Birmingham’s Nashville Bound – An Academy of Music, Inc. This year’s artists include “The Voice” contestant Charity Bowden, Jackson Capps, and the recent Alabama opener for Bon Jovi, Sweet Tea Trio.
Since 1991, the Alabama State Association of Emblem Clubs has been a major supporter of Camp ASCCA. In celebration of their 26th anniversary of supporting Camp, the organization presented a donation of $1,500 to go towards the ASCCA Campership Fund. Over the years, the ASAEC has also donated bed linens, pillows, formal gowns, and many other items that the campers and staff needed to have the full camp experience.
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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