Flourish, Here.

Diana Breden is the executive director and has worked at Camp Millhouse for nine years. Melissa Swank has been at the camp for 25 years, first as camp nurse, and now she works alongside Breden as the camp director.

Both women find that working for this nonprofit organization has benefits beyond those that come from employment. The interaction, smiles, support and love make it all worthwhile.

“Anyone who comes here is met with unconditional love and acceptance,” Swank says. “If you are a good person and you are kind, you are a friend for life.”

The program operates a week-long summer camp program serving as many as 60 campers per week from spring through fall. Many of the campers return every year,

As a caregiver, you manage multiple responsibilities for your loved one. When you need help, The Thelma A. Schrock Adult Day Services program is here for you – a few hours a day or a few days per week.

Open Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. For more information call 574-537-4181 or visit www.greencroft.org and there are special dates to allow firsttime campers a chance to acclimate to the environment and help ease their caretakers’ worries too, Breden says.

Each year Camp Millhouse calls on volunteers and hires staff to help meet the needs of the campers for the season. Running a camp, especially one at which some campers may need extra help and care, requires many hands, from counselors and assistant counselors to nurses, program staff, lifeguards and cooks.

For many of these employees, working at the camp not only changes the lives of the campers, but those of the workers too, Swank says.

“They leave here with a new sense of purpose,” she says. “They are self-confident, have made friends and have received support.”

A typical week at Camp Millhouse is from

Sunday through Friday. During those six days, campers move through activities that include arts and crafts, music, recreation and swimming. There is also a low ropes course on a paved trail.

Newly added is free time scheduled into the campers’ routine. Campers can choose to sing songs, play yard games or do anything else they choose, Breden says.

“We change each activity to meet each camper’s activity level,” she says. “We meet them where they are at.”

This will be different for each camper, and that personalization is what makes Camp Millhouse effective at delivering this quality program. Campers may have a physical or mental disability. They may have one disability, or they may have more than one. Some are verbal and others may not be. All these needs require necessities like climate-controlled cabins, a heated swimming pool, and electricity to run medical equipment or charge wheelchairs. “We have to think about and accommodate for these needs,” Breden says.

New for this year’s campers is a brand new lodge building that replaces the one built in 1940 by Charles Millhouse, for whom the camp is named. The historic structure could not be repaired and the new building, which was completed in May, allows more space and better access for campers and staff.

A few items from the old lodge were salvaged, such as a wooden plank that had the names of camp staff, wood from the walls and stones from the fireplace. The new lodge was a big investment and came about through the generosity of foundations and community fundraising.

The camp is funded by donations. It costs a family $1,300 to send a family member to Camp Millhouse for a week. There is a sliding scale and payment plans, but a donation from an individual could help make this more affordable for the Camp Millhouse family.

Donations would also be appreciated to help build additional cabins, provide air conditioning or insulation for existing cabins to benefit those campers who are heat-sensitive, or help raise money for septic improvements or roof repairs.

“Donating to the camp in general is also appreciated,” Breden says. “It makes the budget stretch. Donors can designate where they would like their donation to go.” Everything that the Camp Millhouse staff does comes down to fulfilling the organization’s mission. That vision is a world where individuals with special needs are encouraged to realize their full potential and value to make a difference in their communities.

“This is a group of people that society doesn’t value and often does not see,” Breden says. “We are blessed to interact with these people and learn from them.” Camp Millhouse is located at 25600 Kelly Road in South Bend. For more information, visit campmillhouse.org or call 574-2332202.