30 May 2021 | parkcitiespeople.com
Camps
CAMP SUMMIT FOCUSES ON ABILITIES RATHER THAN DISABILITIES After virtual 2020, program returns to Paradise, Texas, for summer 2021 By William Taylor
WA N T T O H E L P ?
People Newspapers
C
amp Summit, committed to serving people of various abilities and ages, never turns a camper away, not even in a pandemic. Of course, in 2020, that meant providing camp online. “We brought our campers a virtual lineup of activities, Zoom events, and even some sidewalk sing-a-longs,” said Meg Frainey, of Preston Hollow, who serves on the camp’s Board of Directors. “We stayed connected and provided a break from the boredom and isolation our campers were facing.” But this summer, Camp Summit aims to return to its barrier-free Wise County facility in Paradise, Texas, where clients ages 6 to 99 engage in traditional activities and stay in cabins with their peers for a week. “Although 2021 may look a little different with some new guidelines and safety procedures, we know our campers and their families will be pleased to add camp back into their routines,” said Abbey Cumnock, marketing and public relations manager. “With community support, Camp Summit will be able to continue to offer individuals
• Visit CampSummitTx.org to learn how those with disabilities can thrive through camp experiences. • Support a signature fundraising event such as the 20th annual Boots and Bandanas Dinner and Gala on Nov. 4. • Join the Council of Ambassadors to support and advocate for Camp Summit clients.
At its barrier-free Wise County facility in Paradise, Camp Summit offers clients ages 6 to 99 a week of traditional camp activities adapted to their individual needs. (PHOTOS: COURTESY CAMP SUMMIT) with disabilities assistance with the tuition they need, so their loved one with a disability can experience and enjoy the benefits of camp.” The summer season will run from May 23 to Aug. 13, and the fall season from Sept. 19 to Nov. 19. Since its first session 73 years ago with 19 campers, Camp Summit, initially known as Camp Soroptimist, has offered individuals
acceptance for who they are, Frainey said. More than 2,500 campers participate annually now, and by offering a 2:1 camper-to-counselor ratio and an on-site medical team, the camp can even serve medically fragile clients. “Whether someone is in a wheelchair, has an intellectual disability, or needs 100% assistance with daily life-skills, Camp Summit makes the impossible happen,”
• Phone 972-484-8900 for memberships or donations. Frainey said. “We give each camper a ‘Yes I Can’ fun-filled week.” The fee for a week of camp is $1,600, but with 90% of campers receiving help through the Campership and Financial Assistance Project, many often pay as little as $50 toward tuition, Cumnock said. “By anticipating and removing all barriers, we can focus on our campers’ abilities rather than their disabilities.”
Behaving Properly at Twirlarama Proves Too Much To Bear I was no stranger to summer camps growing up. My favorite was attending Bill Allen’s “Twirlarama” with The Farmers Branch Bomberettes when I was 10 to 12. It was a week at BayTA N A H U N T E R lor University, and we felt so grown up staying in the dorm rooms and eating in the cafeteria. Our walk to twirling classes each day included passing the Bear Habitat, and one day I
could not help putting my baton through the fence and doing some “thumb flips,” which resulted in my dropping it down in the bear pit. It was embarrassing enough, but the director of the Bomberettes was also my mother, Jacqueline Alexander Hunter, who had her first dance studio in Snider Plaza. Needless to say, I was in double trouble and had to March around the football field several times as punishment.
FUN FACT: The girl in the white yarn pigtails is Judy Trammel, the
director of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders (She never got into trouble). Tana Hunter, an advertising account executive for People Newspapers, still likes to ham it up and clown around.
SUMMER STORIES Got a story from camp or another summer program you’d like to share? Send it and a photo to editor@ peoplenewspapers.com. Girls enjoy a twirling camp at Baylor University in 1972. (COURTESY: TANA HUNTER)
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