RE: camp description from Weinkle post

[Guest guest]

Interesting. Do you know if the food is kosher?(Not specified in the description)Who would I contact to find out if they can make accomodations for my daughter, on Shabbos?

To: sList From: LWeinkle@...Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2010 10:43:12 -0500Subject: camp description from Weinkle post

Camp Barney Medintz is running is its program for campers with special needs for the 19th season in 2010! Space is still available for girls between the ages of 10 – 22 during our first session (June). Beautiful Camp Barney Medintz, located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Cleveland, Georgia , 80 miles NE of Atlanta.

Camp Barney Medintz

Chalutzim Unit -- Program for Campers with Special Needs

What is the Chalutzim Unit?

Chalutzim (the Hebrew Word for Pioneers) is a unit comprised of Campers with Special Needs ages 10 – 22. Campers in this unit have a variety of development disabilities, including Autism Spectrum Disorders, Down Syndrome, Fragile X, or other Intellectual Disabilities. On average,

20 – 25 campers participate in this program during our first session each summer.

Is Chalutzim a separate part of Camp?

Absolutely not! The Chalutzim Unit is one of 11 units at our camp, and Chalutzim campers participate in the same traditional camping program that all our campers take part in, encompassing a huge variety of activities to participate in. Every camper at Camp Barney is placed in a unit. Within their unit, campers are divided into cabin groups of 8 – 10 campers. The cabin groups, along with their counselors, move around form activity to activity. Chalutzim campers do the exact same thing—with two exceptions: a much higher ratio of camper to staff (2:1) and mixed ages within a cabin group.

The entire Camp Barney Community eats all their meals together, has intra-unit activities, goes on out of camp trips and has special artists-in residence opportunities. While parents of campers with special needs ask, “Is this an inclusive program?” we don’t need to define it as inclusive or not, since it is really set up the same as all our other programs.

Programming

The goal of all Camp Barney Medintz’ activities and programs is to expose campers to things that they may not participate in throughout the year. In many cases, camp is the only place that our campers ever do certain activities. Chalutzim campers participate at all our activity areas, and participate in the following:

Waterfront: Our beach has canoeing, kayaking, a waterslide, “Blob”, a trampoline, Iceberg and of course plenty of sand to make your own creations and beach volleyball. There is also a pool, where Chalutzim campers have instructional and free swim daily. Motorized sports are found on our second lake, and Chalutzim campers ride the banana boat and tubes.

Cultural and Performing Arts: Theater, Arts & Crafts, Radio, Video, Newspaper, Israeli Culture, Cooking and Music are all activities available under this umbrella. Chalutzim Campers participate in all of them, and are cast members in our big production number at the end of the session.

Nature: Hiking, Creek Hikes, Outdoor Cooking, Cookouts, the “Bog” (our muddy back Sleugh) and Conservation are some of the activities offered in our nature program.

Horseback: Assisted ring riding is a favorite among Chalutzim Campers.

Sports: All field sports, tennis, basketball, dodge ball, gaga, volleyball, tetherball, ping pong, and more are offered.

Unit Specific Programming: In addition to all the traditional activities mentioned, Chalutzim campers participate in Wildlife Wonders (a zoo brought to camp twice a week), go river tubing outside of camp, create their own music videos, and their own fun themed unit days, like Pirate Day! The unit also has an act in our camp-wide talent show, and participates in our camp-wide color war.

Staff

Our Staff is devoted to this program. Most of our staff members have grown up at camp, and have wanted to be on this rewarding team since they were campers! Many of them are majoring in Special Needs Education, or have siblings who have a developmental disability. Staff live in the cabin with the campers, and are trained specifically to be able to determine the needs of our campers on an individual basis. Since the campers form strong bonds and attachments to their counselors, within the first few days of the session, the Unit Head determines which staff member will be the lead counselor for specific campers. This team is amazing, committed and tireless! They revel in the successes that each camper will makes—whether it’s a new life skill like making their bed everyday, trying a new food, or keeping up with their shoes and socks, or getting on that horse for the first time, hanging our in the woods or just trying a bunch of new things they and their families never thought they could do!

What does Camp Barney gain from having this Unit at camp?

Going to Camp is a huge factor in defining a child’s confidence, independence and personality. Having this unit at camp has given all of our campers a wonderful opportunity to embrace the fact that we are all different. The image that our traditional campers have of seeing children with special needs at school looks really different at camp. At camp, a child with special needs may be a much better potter or rider or swimmer then a typical camper. Kids get to know one another as a friend, or a team member, without having to worry about academics. Clearly our Chalutzim Campers appear to have huge personal growth when they return home, but our traditional campers may be the ones who benefit even more. Now in its 19th year, this program does not need to be singled out. It is as much a part of camp as making s’mores on a campout.

Weinkle

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[Guest guest]

It is a kosher camp and shabbat is observed.Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2010 12:51 PMTo: deniseslist@yahoogroupscomSubject: RE: camp description from Weinkle postInteresting. Do you know if the food is kosher?(Not specified in the description)Who would I contact to find out if they can make accomodations for my daughter, on Shabbos? To: sList From: LWeinkle@...Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2010 10:43:12 -0500Subje[The entire original message is not included]