Super-Campers

When I was a little boy, I always wanted to be Wonder Woman for Halloween. I think I was a little ahead of my time in terms of gender equality (or maybe that's just straight-up crossdressing, I don't know). I ended up going with Spider-Man for quite a few years and it turned out well.

These Jameson kids look pretty sharp. All of our campers are superheroes!

Double the Donation

We are very grateful for support from generous companies like these listed below. They have matching gift programs in which they'll match every one of their employees' donations. Of course we hope Jameson Camp receives some of those gifts, but it's a great cause nonetheless!

May Breakfast Preview

Yesterday, Yvonne asked Delia to build little houses as table decorations for next Thursday's May Breakfast. I think we knocked it out of the little park...

Environmental Education Week

Jameson Camp prides itself on being a friend of the environment. In particular, I do my part by picking up trash, recycling and only eating spinach leaves. That's why this week is so special. It's the nation's largest celebration of environmental education. On the heels of Earth Day, this week is a chance for us all to be responsible children of Mother Earth. She has occasional mood swings (sometimes she's hot, sometimes she's cold), but she's our mom and she's given us a beautiful home. Here's a great link that'll give you some tips on how to help!

EE Week Link

Pigs in a Blanket

It's National Pigs in a Blanket Day.

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Have a great day!

Twins 2: Stories from Camp

For 14-year-olds Steven and Kevin, life has been pretty safe and comfortable. They come from a loving, supportive family and they’ve thrived in this environment. They’ve always been with each other and it’s almost as if they’ve been looking in a mirror their entire lives…a funhouse mirror, that is. You might not be able to tell when they’re standing next to each other, but the boys are twins. If Hollywood ever wanted to re-make the Twins film featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito, our Jameson Camp duo might fit the bill.

Steven (left) & Kevin - Summer 2016

Besides physical appearance, Steven and Kevin also differ in their personalities. Quiet and reserved, Kevin is someone who loves to write (a writer named Kevin – he’s destined for greatness). Steven, on the other hand, plays the trombone and is the more outgoing brother. Bring up the fact that they’re twins and with a smile, Steven will be the first to say, “Identical, obviously.” The boys do share at least one thing in common though; their love of Jameson Camp and its Gaga pit.

After attending Jameson on a school field trip with the Horizons Program through Wayne Township nearly five years ago, Steven and Kevin have been coming to summer camp ever since. The welcoming environment of Jameson Camp has been beneficial for the boys; Kevin has ADHD and high-functioning Autism (formerly described as Asperger’s Syndrome) and Steven has ADHD. Their mom, Rena, was admittedly nervous about them initially staying overnight at a camp. However, her fears flew away after that successful overnight field trip. “I think if they hadn’t had the school trip with the entire class, I don’t know if they would have ever been able to make the transition to spending a week at camp,” she said.

Prior to attending Jameson Camp, Steven and Kevin were dependent on each other and their parents. Children like Kevin who have autism often have social and communication challenges which can make it difficult to develop confidence. Since attending Jameson, the boys have become more independent and much more confident in their abilities. They have gradually gained new responsibilities each year and they're currently enrolled in the Youth Leadership (YL) program. The YL program has helped them develop skills such as effective communication, planning, teamwork, leading younger children and the value of community service.

Speaking of community service, this year the boys attended the Youth Leader Spring Service Trip in Gulf Shores, Alabama where they helped local, elderly people with yardwork and various house chores. The boys had a great time volunteering and getting to know their fellow Youth Leaders. After a week’s worth of hard work, Steven said, “I’m tired but I’d like to go again because I really enjoyed helping the homeowners.”  On the trip, Program Director Tim Nowak gained the nickname ‘Fearless Leader Tim’ and Kevin was sure to call him that every chance he got. For Rena, the nickname illustrated how at ease Kevin is with Tim. “Kevin feeling comfortable with Tim lets me know that they understand each other and have developed a way to communicate,” she said. “I am very thankful for Tim, the counselors and Jameson Camp for helping Kevin work through these pervasive challenges.”

Along with Steven and Kevin, their 9-year-old sister, Patrina also attends Jameson Camp. She started in the Day Camp program and has since come to overnight camp two years in a row. What keeps the siblings coming back to camp each year? Patrina said, “Seeing my friends and having a lot of fun.” For Steven it was also about seeing his friends and ‘sharing inside jokes.’ And as a busy 8^th-grader, Kevin knows what time away from school means: “I don’t have to worry about homework for at least a week.”

Patrina @ Jameson Camp

Steven and Kevin’s parents have seen the benefits of camp and they are very appreciative of the work done by Jameson Camp staff. Their dad, Pete, is supportive of the Youth Leadership program in particular. “They’ve been with this same group of Youth Leaders at camp overnight and over and over with follow-ups,” he said. “I’m pretty confident with how they’re going to do and how well it’s going to go.” Rena sees a welcoming environment that allows every child to succeed, whether they’re a Schwarzenegger, DeVito, or someone else entirely. “I think they do a great job including all of the kids, recognizing that maybe they have struggles in a certain area and working with them to develop those skills, whether it’s shyness or being assertive or through new situations,” she said. “I think they do a great job accepting that kids can be anxious in certain situations and working through it. I think they do a spectacular job with that.”

The Bees Knees

Spring is abuzz at Jameson Camp:

These are Carpenter Bees and they are loud! In fact, as I was walking away from this tree, I began to hear, "We've Only Just Begun..."

2 Schools Visit Camp

On Monday, Jameson Camp welcomed students from Indianapolis Public School George Washington Carver Montessori 87. I now understand why they call it 'IPS 87.' It would take the kids half the school-day just to repeat the name of their school.

Yesterday, students from Robey Elementary stopped by. Here they are learning about the environment...

Tax Day

If you're like a lot of procrastinators, you've waited until the last day to file your taxes...way to go! It's so boring to complete them early; waiting until the end is such a rush! Quickly filling out forms and then speeding to the post office before it closes - some people probably make a game out of it. If you're one of those people, be safe...but HAVE FUN!

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Easter Family Photo

This is a keeper...

Sesame Street's Newest Muppet

ABC News Sesame Street article

Kudos to Sesame Street for being progressive and inclusive. The newest Muppet, Julia, has autism and from the quotes in this article, it looks like she will have a prominent role on the show.

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Hopefully this will raise awareness and help people understand autism more. Jameson Camp prides itself in serving kids that other camps might not. In fact, 62% of our campers have a disorder like autism or ADHD. 

This Date in History - April 12

We've had two 'Famous Birthday' posts...now it's time for a 'Famous Events in History' post.

On this date in...

1065 - Pilgrims under bishop Gunther of Bamberg reach Jerusalem

1229 - Queen Blanche of Castile & earl Raymond VII van Toulouse sign peace

1557 - Cuenca is founded in Ecuador

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1648 - University of Harderwijk Neth solemn opens

1770 - Townsend Acts repealed

1811 - 1st US colonists on Pacific Coast arrive at Cape Disappointment (Washington)

1857 - Gustave Flaubert's "Madame Bovary" published

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1877 - Catcher's mask first used in baseball game

1945 - US President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies in office; VP Harry Truman is sworn in as 33rd US President

1961 - Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first person to orbit the Earth (Vostok 1)

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2015 - Hillary Clinton announces she will run for the Democratic nominee for US President. The 2016 Presidential election will go down as one of the most boring and uneventful in US history.

National Pet Day

If you have a pet, you know how much they mean to you. When you're feeling down, they lift you up. And when you're happy, they make you even happier. Pets put smiles on faces no matter the places. So for all those creatures out there that bring you joy, give them a little extra love today!

Countdown to Camp: 7 weeks

Oy vey! 2017 is shooting by...summer camp is only 7 weeks away!

Emma Stone prom-posal

http://ew.com/movies/2017/04/05/la-la-land-emma-stone-promposal/

Well done, kid! You know, in the right light, I think he is kind of Ryan-Gosling-esque.

An Amazing Love Story

Here is an incredible love story about a woman who survived a domestic abuse attack and how she eventually married the paramedic who helped save her life.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/melissa-dohme-domestic-abuse-survivor-marries-emt-who-helped-save-her-life/

National Walking Day

Get out there and get your blood flowing!

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Autism Awareness Month

April is Autism Awareness Month and Jameson Camp is proud to serve kids that other camps might not. 62% of our campers have been diagnosed with a disorder like ADHD or Autism.

Spring Service Trip Recap

It was a great week for the Youth Leader Gang down in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Here are a few photos from their trip...