Community Corner
Camp Connection: Not Your Traditional Day Camp
The program at the Burlington County YMCA adds structure, staffing to the traditional camp experience.
Evan Heitzman of Moorestown wanted her son to have a traditional summer camp experience, with swimming, sports, and arts and crafts.
But Christopher, 11, has autism, and finding a camp that was both appropriate and affordable was a challenge. So last fall, Heitzman, a Moorestown resident, started working with the YMCA of Burlington County, Mt. Laurel, to develop and fund a program for children like Christopher.
“I think every child should have the opportunity to have a summer camp experience,” she said. “And it was very important to me that it was affordable.”
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Knowing that the Y offered scholarships to many of its campers, Heitzman took her ideas and experience to the facility’s directors. The result was Camp Connection, a highly structured and intensely staffed version of a traditional summer day camp.
As the month-long program draws to a close this week, both Heitzman and Y Camp Director Jen Segelken consider it a great success.
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“We’re excited to have such a strong program to build from,” said Segelken. The program had six campers this year, ranging in age from 9 to 13. “With more time and experience we’ll be able to expand our offerings and the number of kids we’ll be able to serve.”
The afternoon camp complements the extended school year offered to special needs students by public school districts, and there is a strong focus on social interaction, said Segelken. There is a one-to-one staffing ratio and the cost to parents is $100 a week.
Michelle Nerestant of Moorestown describes herself as very overprotective of her daughter, Jacqueline, 12, who is severely autistic with limited verbal skills. She enrolled Jacqueline in the camp in July with some reservations, but came to really love the program and its staff, she said.
“They just exude patience,” said Nerestant. “They talk to the children; they don’t talk down to them. They actually spoke to Jackie and looked into her eyes. They really tried to find out what she wanted, and that was important to me.”
