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live / e x c e p t i o n a l l i v e s w hen parents hear the word ?
camp
,? it may bring back memories of late night
camp
fires, making s?mores, and rope swings landing in the lake. but what if your child has a special need? will she get to experience the fun and friendships you experienced at overnight
camp
as a kid? ?e answer is yes!
rylee
rogers, a sixth-grader at westdale middle school, has been going to
camp
dream
street, a
camp
for children with physical disabilities, since 2014. she was born with spina bifida and has cerebral palsy, requiring her to use a wheelchair.
rylee
loves socializing with new people, reading, and playing wheelchair tennis. she is also a cheerleader and manager for her school?s cheerleading team and has taken an interest in spanish. she has taught herself the language by watching spanish speaking television shows and can now hold conversations in spanish. for a girl who has a passion for sports and a wide variety of talents,
camp
dream
street is perfect.
camp
ers? days are filled from morning to night with activities specifically tailored to their interests and needs.
rylee
can experience all of the unique events because she is able to stay several nights in a cabin with her
camp
peers. her physical limitations do not hinder her from enjoying a day in the life of summer
camp
. ?it is everything you would imagine a summer
camp
to be,?
rylee
?s mother, sissy, exclaims. ?in addition to all the things you would expect, it also has what we have not found anywhere else. ?ey have a fully-trained staff of volunteers that are licensed and trained to handle all of
rylee
?s medical needs.? because of those medical needs,
rylee
cannot be away from a caregiver for more than a few hours at a time.
camp
dream
street allows her to enjoy the fun of being by madeline rathle living the
dream
rylee
sings her heart out at the
camp
?s talent show (left) and poses for cheer pictures (below). she is looking forward to participating in the talent show again this year. a kid without her parents having to worry about whether she is getting the extra care she needs. ?we were so excited for her to have a place to go where she could have fun, make new friends, and gain a sense of independence by not having her parents looking over her shoulder,? sissy says. ?e
camp
has allowed
rylee
to grow in many ways. she has gained a sense of self, independence, and confidence through the program. sissy acknowledges how difficult it can be to let go of routine and control but that doing so can lead to your child being able to experience new things and make his or her own
camp
memories. she says, ?trust that your
dream
street
camp
er will be very well cared for and will have a wonderful time at
camp
.?
rylee
plans to attend
camp
dream
street again this summer and is look- ing forward to meeting new friends and participating in the
camp
talent show. ? 54 brparents.com | march 2017
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