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Program Details

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Activities Offered
  • Basketball
  • Boating
  • Camp
  • Canoeing
  • Fishing
  • Hiking
  • Tennis
  • Volleyball
Staff Training and Certification
  • Staff Training: Staff are required to complete a 30-hour training session prior to camp season. Specialized training is offered in the areas of: seizure interaction, waterfront supervision, boating safety, nature playground supervision, and adult daily living skills. Sessions will be taught by qualified specialists in each area to insure safety for all.

Participants Served
  • Age range of participants: 8 to 80

Transportation
  • Accessible by Public Transportation: No

  • Transportation Provided by the Program: No

Notes

St Francis Camp is a non-profit organization dedicated to the belief that cognitively impaired children and adults should have the right to experience life to its fullest. St. Francis Camp was founded and established by the Order of Alhambra of Michigan in 1984 and continues to receive assistance from the Michigan and Western Ontario Regions, fraternal organizations, as well as interested organizations and individuals.

PROGRAM Separate one-week camp sessions begin in June and run through August with a maximum of 35 campers. St. Francis Camp offers a personalized camping experience to each of its special campers. Camp sessions begin Sunday afternoon and end on Friday morning. On Friday morning camp tours will be conducted by campers to show families and friends what new experiences they learned and the new friends they made while at St. Francis Camp.

FACILITIES St. Francis Camp�s 36-acre site includes 19 acres of waterfront located on the banks of Goose Lake, sandy beach, rustic woods, developed nature trails, sports area, adventure course and two beautiful cedar lodges where campers and counselors are housed. Complete restroom facilities are in both buildings.

CAMPERS St. Francis Camp holds two licenses which enables the camp to accept campers of all ages. The camp is staffed with a 3-to-1 camper-staff ratio. This ratio ensures campers� safety as well as personal attention at all times. Campers are encouraged to be as independent as possible. Camp staff emphasize the importance of daily living skills, such as appropriate socialization skills, personal hygiene, making beds, kitchen help and other daily chores to each camper. This routine becomes an important part of the overall camping experience.

ACTIVITIES The main objectives of camp are met through careful planning of activities. By modifying activities to meet campers� skill levels, we hope to achieve success for all. Each day is filled with new things to do and many exciting adventures. Campers are encouraged to help plan their own activities and partake in selection of a wide range, including: Swimming, Boating, Fishing, Canoeing, Paddle Boating (all which are supervised by certified waterfront staff), Basketball, Volleyball, Hiking, Dances, Nature Study, Camp Craft, Sing-ALongs, Hayrides... all the usual summer camp fun plus much more. The programs for each session are developed to meet the needs of each camper. Activities are designed with the hands-on approach which allows a heightened awareness of the senses. This stimulation helps accelerate learning and makes it fun.

STAFF Camp staff includes a full time Director, certified lifeguard and health officer, camp counselors and culinary staff. The enthusiastic staff may consist of college graduates and students in fields of interest and training with the cognitively impaired. Staff are required to complete a 30 hour training session prior to camp season. Specialized training will be offered in these areas: CPR, First-Aid, waterfront and boating safety, camper care, communication skills with non-verbal campers, activities for autistic children and adults and much more!

MEDICAL St. Francis Camp offers individualized attention to our campers� medical conditions and specific dietary needs. We have an on-site infirmary equipped to handle basic medical needs and a Health Officer on grounds at all times. The camp�s physician in also on 24 hour call. In an emergency the hospital is only 15 minutes away.

DIETARY NEEDS Weekly menu plans follow the USDA �Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005� and can be modified for specific campers� needs. NEW FOR 2009: We offer a gluten-free menu upon request.