UPDATE – Summer Camp Sessions for 2024 are in full swing. Registration is open with a total of 35 campers accepted per session. Cost is $1,250 which includes a deposit to secure your spot. Camp 2023 processed 17 campers from El Paso County who qualified for financial assistance and Disability Services of Colorado said “YES” to offering each of these campers a partial scholarship. Keep us in mind next year if you live in El Paso County and want to go but need help financially.
The best way to check out the opportunities at camp this summer is to go to their website www.EasterSealsColorado.org. Under “Our Programs” go to “Rocky Mountain Village Camp”. If you have questions you can call 303-569-2333 or email Bill Joe Averitt, RMV Camp Director at baveritt@eastersealscolorado.org.
The following is information from the week sessions:
Recreational camping builds self-esteem and develops independence. For individuals with a disability, camping can be seen as a huge challenge or not a possibility at all. In Empire, Colorado, just west of Denver, there is a fully accessible Easter Seals camp called Rocky Mountain Village. Over 800 disabled individuals come from all over the world to attend the camp every summer. Campers enjoy fishing, swimming, overnight camping, outdoor cooking, travel camp, day trips, arts and crafts, sports and recreation, hiking, dancing, music and drama, horseback riding, accessible climbing tower and riding the zip line. Each week during the summer is categorized for a specific age range as well as ability. One week may be devoted to campers 35 years old and older with physical disabilities and the next week might focus on teens with muscular dystrophy. Campers are paired on a 3:1, 2:1 or 1:1 ratio, depending on his/her needs. Many campers have been going to this camp for over twenty years.
This week also offers respite to caregivers. Many disabled individuals require full time assistance with activities of daily living. It can be challenging for caregivers to find time to do activities outside the realm of the daily routine. Knowing that your loved one is having a fun time in a safe and nurturing environment makes it so much easier for the caregiver to really take some time off.
Our vocation toward the Rocky Mountain Village camp program is that DSC offers partial scholarships to individuals who live in El Paso County and are eligible based on financial information provided to the camp. Camp sessions fill up quickly so if you are interested in attending, please visit the camp web site at www.EasterSealsColorado.org and go to the Rocky Mountain Village page. The first session begins Sunday, June 2 to Thursday June 6 – Summit Camp for adults 30+ with physical and/or developmental disabilities. Check out the calendar on the camp web page for more session information.
ATTENTION DONORS – DSC raises funds throughout the entire year to be able to provide partial camp scholarships for disabled individuals from El Paso County to attend Rocky Mountain Village camp. Generous donations from individuals and organizations over the past twenty years have enabled us to send over 600 people to camp. Your gift will allow us to continue helping the disabled enjoy a week in the mountains at this awe inspiring camp while giving their caregivers a well-deserved respite. Memories will be made to last a life time. For the summers of 2019 through 2023 we assisted over 30 individuals to go to camp. Funds are raised at our Thursday NOON Bingo Sessions at Carefree Bingo Hall throughout the year for the following summer.