April 02, 2019

Sign up now for Camp Little Giant, where people with disabilities ‘can do’

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Camp Little Giant, a place where people of virtually all ages and abilities can enjoy a real summer camp experience, is now accepting registrations for the 2019 summer season.

The therapeutic recreation camp opened in 1952 as one of the country’s first camps specifically created for people with disabilities of all types. The co-educational “can-do” camp takes place at Touch of Nature Environmental Center, a 3,100-acre facility located about eight miles south of Carbondale along the shores of Little Grassy Lake. Just off Giant City Road, the camp features nine different sessions, ranging from five to 12 days. The sessions welcome people of various ages and abilities.

Experiences aplenty await

Campers can get involved in everything you would find at a typical camp, and perhaps more. There’s swimming, music, boat rides, talent shows, horseback riding, dancing, campfires, nature hikes, hayrides, fishing, theater, arts and crafts and activities of all kinds.

Specially trained camp staff adapt each of the activities to the needs and abilities of individual campers. And, it all happens in a wooded setting, adjacent to the Shawnee National Forest and equipped with modern facilities.

And that’s not all. Plans are in the works for an addition – an inclusive swing set – that will make the camp even more fun.

Numerous camp sessions offered

The 2019 Camp Little Giant schedule, along with the special population for which each session is designed, includes:

  • June 9-14 – Camp Olympia I, for adults 21 and older with high care needs, low mobility or using wheelchairs.
  • June 9-21 – Camp Olympia II, for adults 21 and older with high care needs, low mobility or using wheelchairs.
  • June 16-28 –Camp Traditions II, for adults ages 21 and older with physical, cognitive or developmental disabilities.
  • June 23-28 – Camp Traditions III, for adults ages 21 and older with physical, cognitive or developmental disabilities.
  • July 7-12 – Camp Traditions IV, for adults ages 21 and older with physical, cognitive or developmental disabilities.
  • July 14-19 – Camp Shawnee I, for youths ages 8-21 with physical, cognitive or developmental disabilities.
  • July 14-26 – Camp Shawnee II, for youths ages 8-21 with physical, cognitive or developmental disabilities.
  • July 21-26 – Camp Shawnee III, for youths ages 8-21 with physical, cognitive or developmental disabilities.
  • July 28-Aug. 3 – Dyna Camp, for youths ages 8-19 with attention deficit, hyperactive disorder.

Sign up now

The cost for the camp is $550 for the six-day session for people who need less intensive and individualized care and supervision or $1,200 for a 13-day session. The cost of the camps for those who require one-on-one care and supervision is $1,000 for a six-day session or $2,100 for 13-day camps. The seven-day Dyna camp registration cost is $1,200 if individualized care is needed or $650 if not. A $100 deposit is required at the time of registration with full payment due by the start of the session.

Some campers may qualify for scholarship assistance. Scholarships and registration are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Find camp registration forms and additional information online or call 618/453-3950. Or contact Vicki Lang at 618/453-3950 or vickil@siu.edu to obtain more details or address specific questions.

Swinging along

Camp Little Giant strives to offer a full camp experience to people with all disabilities and studies have shown that swinging offers wonderful therapeutic benefits with the back and forth motion producing a soothing, calming affect that helps improve the mood while also aiding with balance and coordination skills.

So, plans are underway to add an inclusive swing set that features a wheelchair-accessible platform swing, an adult full-backed harness swing and common belt swing seats. This will enable anyone, regardless of age, disability or ability to have the opportunity to enjoy a swinging experience.

Fundraising for the project kicked off with a raffle and live auction during the College of Agricultural Sciences’ 67th annual All Ag Banquet on Feb. 22. The event brought in more than $5,100, which will cover the cost of the actual swing set framework.

In addition, the Carbondale Lions Club has made a donation toward the cost of the harness swing while Greenridge Landscaping, Lowe’s and Home Depot have donated some of the rubber mulch needed for the project.

However, additional funding and donations are needed in order to complete the swing set. The goal is to have it in place and usable before the camps begin in June. To learn more, or make a donation, call 618/453-1121 or email tonec@siu.edu.