There is a place we call home
Where we are happy and free to roam
A place we are accepted never neglected
Where support flows and friendship grows
The days are filled with laughter and fun
We wish the day was never done
Our spirits are lifted by the family we have been gifted
Relationships formed by love and respect
Something on day one that we didn’t expect
A place we are at peace and all of our problems cease
With confidence and cheer, exciting is always here
You call it Camp Joy, we call it Neverland
Where our hearts stay young like Peter Pan
A place where our strength was found
Never goodbye, but see you around

Camp Joy was an unforgettable experience. Every challenge taught us the fundamentals of teamwork and what it takes to step up and be a leader. Climbing the 12-foot wall as a team was my favorite activity! At first, I felt afraid to scale a wall with people who I had just met, however, once I made it over I felt accomplished and supported by my team. As a recent college graduate, this activity strengthened our trust, communication and collaboration skills to better support us in our career and professional development.

“Don’t be afraid to go after what you want in life, just give it a try and do it,” said 15-year-old Ralph. Ralph came to Camp Joy with Healthworks, a camp to combat childhood obesity. Ralph credits his success at camp to the counselors that he has had over the years: “At first I was homesick because I didn’t know what to expect, but I had two counselors that helped me stay strong and get through it. They made camp easier because they motivated me and helped me push through the week.” Ralph appreciates his time at camp, claiming, “the camp experience because it has made me more confident and more active.”

One camper with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis had been coming to Camp Wekandu since 2001. She is in a wheelchair but is having surgeries that eventually will allow her to walk. This is her reaction to the new accessible Gemini ropes course – “It was awesome! It was so cool the way they designed it. I didn’t have to do anything. I got to do a lot of the obstacles like the other kids. My favorite obstacles were the magic carpet and the zip line. On the magic carpet I got to pull myself across to the platform. After a while on the Gemini I went down the zip line, and Kevin lowered me down from the zip line right into my wheelchair. I was so excited that I got to do all that! It was amazing!! I am glad they figured out a way for people in a wheelchair to go on the Gemini. Thank you so much. I hope other kids like me will love it just as much as I did.”