When a once-shy teenager at Camp Gather helped give a presentation to parents in 2023 about a candle-making class the campers attended, his mother got emotional.
The woman couldn’t get off work to attend the presentation at the therapeutic camp for children with disabilities, so she watched it through a video call with Indianapolis Parks and Recreation therapeutic manager Tonya Jenkins. When the presentation ended and the candles had been passed out, Jenkins noticed the mother had been crying the whole time.
“I’ve never seen him talk this much,” Jenkins recalled the parent telling her.
It’s moments like these that make Camp Gather her “baby,” even though she works with multiple programs at Indy Parks. She’s helped with the camp for 12 years and hopes that one day it can get its own facility to run year-round programming.
“Every city needs something like that,” she said.
The camp’s main goal is to be a bridge between school and summer for kids from 6-18 years old with intellectual or physical disabilities, including those with Down syndrome, autism or bipolar disorder. Campers are split into two age groups: 6-13 and 14-18.
Jenkins said the kids at Camp Gather are sometimes put in a box by others, keeping them from new experiences that can help them become a more active participant in their community.
“But I like to just open it up and say ‘let’s just try it and see what happens,’” she said.
That’s why the camp hosts frequent field trips, from bowling to visiting The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, as well as activities like swimming, cooking and shopping. One frequent activity involves a mock store with fake money, eventually culminating in a trip to a real store where campers are each given $5 to purchase healthy snacks on their own.
Camp Gather was a critical resource for single mother Rose Roe, who needed a summer program for her 16-year-old son Shawn while she worked. She said her son had a ton of fun and especially liked going to the pool.
“Definitely got more of a tan than I did this summer,” she said.
Shawn, who has autism, is soft-spoken and uses an iPad to help him communicate. Camp Gather helped him come out of his shell by exposing him to people from all walks of life, Roe said.
What is your organization’s mission?
Jenkins said Indy Parks’ broader mission is to provide enriching experiences and promote healthy lifestyles for everyone.
But Camp Gather serves a more specific purpose, eligible to any child in the age range that have individualized education programs, which allows children with disabilities to receive a tailored educational plan. Its emphasis on bridging the gap between school and summer is important to preserve and grow critical skills that might otherwise languish in the summer, Jenkins said.
How many people do you serve?
This year, Camp Gather served 38 campers throughout the summer and boasted a 3:1 camper to staff ratio, Jenkins said.
What is your organization’s No. 1 need?
The number one need for Camp Gather is money, Jenkins said. People can donate to Camp Gather via the Parks Alliance of Indianapolis at https://indianapolisparksfoundation-bloom.kindful.com/
How can people get involved?
Those who can’t give to Camp Gather can help by volunteering. The camp begins looking for volunteers as early as January.
About Camp Gather
Phone number: (317) 327-7275
Website: Parks.Indy.gov
How to help through Season for Sharing
The mission of IndyStar’s annual Season for Sharing campaign is to harness the power of local journalism and you to make a difference in the lives of Central Indiana youth.
Through Season for Sharing, IndyStar collects donations for the Summer Youth Program Fund, a partnership of Indianapolis funders that supports high-quality programs serving more than 80,000 Marion County youth each year. Your gift to Season for Sharing makes it possible for kids to hike, play sports, act, sing, paint, grow food, perform experiments, build robots, solve problems, explore the city, do service projects, gain job skills and earn money during their time out of school.
Last year, the Summer Youth Program Fund was only able to provide 55 cents for every dollar requested. Your generosity makes a big difference in the lives of young people in our community.
To contribute, visit indystar.com/ocdonate or mail a check to: Central Indiana Community Foundation, Attn: Season for Sharing, 615 N. Alabama St. Suite 300, Indianapolis, IN 46204.
Because IndyStar covers all fundraising and administrative costs, 100% of your gift will go directly to Central Indiana agencies.
Contact Marissa Meador at mmeador@gannett.com or find her on X at @marissa_meador.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indy Parks Camp Gather helps kids with disabilities grow critical skills. How you can help
Reporting by Marissa Meador, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
