Mission
Camp Sunshine's mission is to provide a camping experience for persons with developmental disabilities in an inclusive environment that embraces their recreational, emotional, physical, spiritual and relational needs.
History
Camp Sunshine began in the summer of 1983 at the request of parents who wanted their special children to have the same opportunity to experience camp as other children and young adults, to be nurtured spiritually, to have a variety of activities to fill their days. Since Marcy Vanderwel worked with special people in a ministry program called "Special Education Ministry," the director of Geneva Camp and Conference Center asked if Marcy would be willing to plan and implement such a program. Marcy became the first director of Camp Sunshine. Since one of the most effective means of special education ministry is a one-to-one ratio between teacher and student, Marcy decided to format Camp Sunshine in the same way.
In the initial year, the staff consisted of two nurses, a chaplain, a musician, and an arts and craft director. Camp counselors consisted of college students, high school students, and others recruited from the community. Since Marcy was teaching at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, she was able to negotiate college credit for those camp counselors who completed the experience and wrote a paper describing it.
Geneva Camp and Conference Center, where Camp Sunshine was initially hosted, advertised the experience and in 1983 there were 25 campers. Camp Sunshine began to grow immediately. By 1989, in order to accommodate all of the campers who wanted to attend, the camp was split into two sessions. Originally, the camp was one week long. Later, it was split into two sessions, 5 days each. As the number of campers increased, so did the need for increased program staff.
In October 1998, Camp Sunshine incorporated and Marcy passed the torch to Cindy Terlouw, the current director. A Board of Directors established in 1998 governs Camp Sunshine. The Board is incorporated under the laws of the State of Michigan and is responsible for all business matters relating to Camp Sunshine, including the maintenance of its status as a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization.
In 1999, Camp Sunshine rented Geneva Camp and Conference Center. In 2000, the Board of Directors of Camp Sunshine signed a three-year contract with Camp Blodgett, along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Camp Blodgett remains the location for Camp Sunshine.
The Camp Sunshine program staff continues planning and implementing a creative, innovative, thematic camp every summer. The one-to-one relationship between camper and counselor continues to be the most essential component for the success of the program. Current staff includes nine people, including two musicians, one chaplain, two recreation directors, three nurses, a doctor on call, and the director. The director is the only paid position.
The camp philosophy is that "All people are God's children. Each and every person is special." At Camp Sunshine, we promote through words and actions an atmosphere that honors individuals with developmental disabilities. We seek to learn from each other in order to develop a caring community that values each other's uniqueness through new friends, exciting activities, spiritual lessons and good times. Camp Sunshine offers an opportunity to experience life in a way that will benefit the greater good of all people.
The mission of Camp Sunshine is to provide a camping experience for individuals with developmental disabilities in an inclusive environment that embraces their recreational, emotional, physical, spiritual, and relational needs.
|
|
