Campers arrive one by one in the meeting room at the Boulder base-site for Imagine!’s Out & About Summer Day Camp. Meredith stays to herself for a few minutes, but soon her infectious laugh fills the room as she shows off her unique “crab dance.” Forest delights in “scaring” people, Aidan hugs his beloved iPad, and Jack gives a heartbreakingly soft and beautiful rendition of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” The day has begun.
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The goal of Imagine!’s Out & About Summer Camp is to provide for every child a sense of acceptance and self among peers, an enhanced quality of life, and an opportunity to engage with the community.
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When all eight campers have arrived, they and their counselors climb into cars and vans for the drive to nearby Growing Gardens where they learn about insects, catch butterflies, watch bees, smell the delicate scents of rosemary and basil, and then make and eat fresh salsa. It’s a fun-filled morning with lunch and swimming yet to come.
Imagine!s Out & About Summer Camp began 15 years ago as a way to provide respite for parents caring for a child with developmental disabilities at home. But it has evolved into a full-fledged therapeutic recreation program that sets individual goals for participants and provides one staff member for two or three campers for many kids and a one-to-one ratio that allows those children with the most serious behavioral challenges to attend camp. This year 54 children aged 7-21 were enrolled at different times during the June-August camp. Some children attend five days per week every week of camp, some attend only four or five weeks out of the 10 weeks of camp, and some attend as few as one to two days per week. Activities include swimming, bowling, fishing, therapeutic horseback riding, art exploration, sports and games, and an exciting list of field trips to such varied places as Elitch Gardens, the Colorado Railroad Museum, Water World, the Denver Art Museum, and the Wildlife Experience.
Imagine!’s Out & About Manager Colette Marie, who has been with the program since the beginning, says that the Summer Camp is unique in the state. She notes, “More kids with developmental disabilities who do not have serious needs are going to typical programs, but those programs don’t have the expertise to provide for those with higher level needs, which is a specialty for Out & About.” She continues, “Our goal is to provide for every child a sense of acceptance and self among peers, an enhanced quality of life, and an opportunity to engage with the community.”
Parents have high praise for the camp. Mom Karen Leh says, “The staff works closely with parents, and we share ideas back and forth about what works best for each child. It is wonderful to know that my child will be well cared for, will engage in new experiences and learn new things, and will have fun while I am able to work, run errands, and see friends. Summer Camp is a great gift for our family.”
Summer Camp has considered expanding but is currently unable to cover increased costs for transportation, supplies, and field trips. The Imagine! Foundation would like to offer you the opportunity to support this important and highly beneficial program and to help it grow. To avoid bank and processing fees for your online gift, go to
Imagine!’s page at the Colorado Gives site and designate Summer Camp in the special instructions, or you may send a check with “Summer Camp” on the memo line, and we will be sure your gift goes directly toward allowing even more children with developmental disabilities to access this rewarding camp experience! As camper Jack would say, “That’s awesome!” Thank you.
