A Special Camp for Special Campers

by Nancy Presser

Nestled in the San Bernardino mountains below Onyx Summit and just East of Big Bear City you will find a group of unique campers meeting at the Long Beach YMCA's Camp Oakes. The campers coming from all over Southern California are "unique" because of their own disabilities. For over 30 years Easter Seals Southern California has provided their clients with a week long camp experience. There are many camps for people with special needs, but few that provide the special experience that Easter Seals YMCA Camp Oakes does.

During a week at Easter Seals YMCA Camp Oakes a camper has many of the same experiences that any child would have at camp. Campers stay in cabins with a Head Counselor, but each camper has his or her own Counselor who is there to provide all support needed during the week. Each cabin participates in an array of activities from Horseback Riding to Formal Dress Dances, and all the campers have an opportunity to strut their stuff at a Talent Show or a Camp Fire. In true YMCA tradition, the campers are encouraged to look within and set a challenge or goal for themselves by accepting a new Rag or Leather. (For more information on YMCA personal achievement programs, go to http://www.ymcawhittier.org/~arbolado/ragleather.htm )

Along with all these camp activities one will find something just a little different at Easter Seals/Camp Oakes. First, all of the camp staff are volunteers including Counselors, Head Counselors, CIT's or Counselors in Training, Directing Staff, Medical Staff and Support Staff-- over 100 people. Second, campers range in age from 9 to 60. years old. That is quite an age span, but it works and has for over 30 years. And Third, most staff and campers are repeat attendees. There are many campers that have been to camp every year for the last 30 years and also some staff members that have also been around that long.

So what keeps these campers and volunteers coming back?  Love. All have found that love unites them as equals above any disability. It doesn't matter how strong you are, how fast you are or how pretty you are at Easter Seals camp. It doesn't matter if you are in a wheelchair, use crutches, or cannot talk. At Easter Seals Camp it just matters that you are you. And that is enough.

Over the years camp has had its challenges. It has survived rainstorms, bark beetles, economic downsizing and cutbacks. It has survived expansions, reductions and deaths, most recently the death of its "Grandfather," Brian Bost, on December 15, 2005. It is love of him, his vision, and the tradition of camp that will keep this camp running year after year after year. And it is love of each other, just the way we are, that will keep these campers and staff coming back.

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About the author

Nancy E. Presser, wife to Brian and mother to Jonah and Joy came to Washington via Southern California August 2005. She has been volunteering on the Directing Staff at Easter Seals Camp since 1999 where her background in sales, massage and holistic health, and her love of writing were put to use by publishing the daily camp newspaper for 3 years, and by bringing mind, body, spirit awareness to campers through an activity she calls Sacred Circle. She currently is at play writing historic stories for children, exploring her new home in Washington and home schooling herself and her kids. Contact Nancy at nepresser@gmail.com. For more information on Camp Oakes, go to http://www.campoakes.org/summer/easterseals/easterseals.asp

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Posted July 2006 by New Horizons for Learning