Last week I was so excited to be with Angie at her Dream Team meeting and delighted to meet the other members of the team. During the introductions, one of the members mentioned that she goes to a program at Steppingstones. Just the mention of Camp Steppingstones brought back heaps of fond memories. Angie spent every summer there in their day camp as she was growing up. I even volunteered there from time to time. I have so many happy memories from there and realized I needed to share some of them with you.
Angie started going to Stepping Stones when she was quite little. I took her there a couple of days a week. when she was about three or four for a preschool program (By then she had outgrown UCP Preschool). Since it was a good half-hour drive, I would stay and volunteer in the playroom for a couple of hours a couple of days a week. The time spent there was good for both of us. The staff and volunteers were amazingly supportive.
Then, once Angie started school, she went to Stepping Stones for summer camp almost every year until she outgrew the program. The “campers” were divided into teams of 6 children about the same age. Each team had high school or college student volunteers who would support the individual campers. The weeks had themes and the teams would have competitions and play games based on the theme. There was a pool where everybody could go swimming and for those who were able, there was boating and canoeing on the lake. The place was magical! Angie loved going there. I am grateful to this day for the efforts of the founders of this amazing place.
“Started by Parents: A parent, who could not find summer camping opportunities for her daughter with cerebral palsy, enlisted friends to start their own camp. They contacted the Convalescent Aid Society, which owned the former Fresh Air Farm on 23-acres in Indian Hill, to obtain permission to run a day camp for children with disabilities. The Fresh Air Farm had been established in the 1890s for use by inner-city residents as an escape from foul city air. With changing lifestyles, the Fresh Air Farm’s use was dwindling. The day camp was an immediate success.”