Camp Horizon 2014

I just got home from Camp Horizon, a sleepaway summer camp for children ages 10-17 who have Down Syndrome. It was an experience that ran the emotional gamut, but, spoiler alert, I'm so glad I did it.

When I told coworkers and friends over the last few weeks that I was going to Camp Horizon, I usually mentioned my 3-year-old niece Natalie who has DS and said something like, "I don't know anyone with Down Syndrome besides Natalie, so I want to go and see what kind of future she could have." And then I probably also mentioned how I felt like I was born to go to camp (because of all the swimming and fun activities).

I'm ashamed to say that both of those answers lacks much thought about the campers, how they would experience camp, how I would help take care of them, and how much their sweet smiles would mean to me.

The main thing I learned about children with Down Syndrome?  They're not that different from typically developing kids.  They have to be told (usually repeatedly) to brush their teeth and to go to bed. Some are really sweet and some can be stubborn, but most are a mix of both. Most love the movie Frozen, and can sing "Let it Go" with a passion and intensity that makes you not mind the fact that it will be stuck in your head for the next 3-5 days.  They love to giggle.  They love to explore.  They love to hug and high five. Most importantly, they're all different and unique like all of us are.

I was also blown away by my fellow counselors.  Everywhere I looked, I witnessed acts of love, acts of service, acts of kindness and acts that made me say "awww" internally.  These counselors chased kids who love to run all over camp, faced fears by going down the big water slides when their campers asked them to accompany them, served food, braided hair, wiped snot, and coaxed campers out of bed in the morning and into bed in the evening. Being a counselor was not an easy job -- it was actually much harder than I ever expected.  But the satisfaction of seeing your camper's smile after she finally figured out how to fire the bow and arrow or when she has just shot out of the water slide is unforgettable.

They told us in training that campers look forward to Camp Horizon all year long.  Now I will too.  Can't wait for Camp Horizon 2015!

PSA: Camp Horizon is run entirely by volunteers.  Each camper has a volunteer counselor assigned to him or her. If they don't get enough volunteers, campers have to be turned away.  If you're interested in volunteering next August, I'd love to tell you more about my experience and hook you up with the volunteer application for 2015 when it's available.  Let me know. 



PS I'd love to post pictures of the sweet and funny girls from Cabin 1, but I'm not sure about privacy issues with posting pictures of other people's kids on the internet.  
PPS I left a lot of details about camp out of the narrative above, so I thought I'd throw them at you here. Camp Horizon is hosted at the YMCA Camp Harrison at Herring Ridge, a beautiful place in the North Carolina mountains.  Camp activities included: canoeing, horseback riding, fishing, archery, arts and crafts, pool time, the Wet Wily water slide (approximately 20 feet long) into the lake, the giant slip n' slide that went down a mountain into a lake, field day, skit night and a dance party.  This year was Camp Horizon's 10th birthday, and it was awesome. 
PPPS Shoutouts to my friend Stefanie from college and her friends/coworkers Laura and Jaclyn, who with no Down Syndrome connection, flew in from Florida and Illinois to be counselors and brought lots of free Walt Disney World goodies for the campers.