Summer Camps Opening Soon; Donations Needed!
Left: Campers wait all summer for Pirate Day at summer camp!
Beginning the first week of June, over 120 Utah students with disabilities will begin a 2-month adventure that is often remembered, and anticipated, throughout the other ten months! Summer Camp is an 8-10 week, full day program that offers ongoing learning opportunities, outdoor discovery, and community experiences. Summer Camp sessions often blend creative academics and crafts in the mornings, with community outings and field trips in the afternoons.
The afternoons are filled with typical summer activities such as swimming, going to the movies and museums, playing in the park, and trips to the canyons. Throughout the day, campers are encouraged to interact with each other through games and cooperative play. In some camps, campers give back to the community by helping clean up local parks or hiking trails.
Summer Camp goals include:
- Increasing social skills through interactive play and associating with role models and with those in the community.
- Participating in typical kid activities and having new experiences.
- Improving “teaming” skills, by learning to work together, help each other, and help those around us.
TURN operates four Summer Camps in Utah:
- Salt Lake County – West – in Kearns – 10 weeks
- Salt Lake County – East – in Midvale – 10 weeks
- Weber County in South Ogden – 10 weeks
- Utah County in Orem – 8 weeks
Here is what one set of parents has said about camp:
“What a great summer! These are words we never thought would come from our lips. … He has had the summer of his life and therefore, so have we!” – Jerrie and Leilani Wilson, parents
Each summer, there are many young people (and families!) who need summer camp but do not have enough funding or private resources to pay for camp. Coldwell Banker made a generous donation to help low income children with disabilities afford to participate. TURN gratefully receives donations from businesses, foundations, and private individuals to supplement the funding for some of our needy campers. PLEASE DONATE HERE
"I am an artist", said Kathy Thomas when asked to describe herself. "And there's a lot of talents I can do, like exercise dancing. I do word search and jigsaw puzzles. I do cursive writing and I can do printing. I am good at bowling." Kathy says she has lived in many places in Utah, and currently loves the little 3-bedroom house she shares with two roommates. She is happy that she can walk to the market and her bank. She also likes the Orem Center Street Day Program she attends because of the friends and all the creative activities. "I think being an artist is real good. You can make pretty pictures and hang them up everywhere." 
