Target Population
Camp Health, Hope & Happiness is the only camp in Alberta that accepts, and provides programs, for individuals who have any type and any degree of disability or illness. A sampling of the types of disabilities and or illnesses of those who attend camp are as follows: Cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, brain injury, autism, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, quadriplegia, paraplegia, arthritis, hearing and/or visual impairments, down's syndrome, schizophrenia, heart problems, strokes, attention deficit disorders, fetal alcohol syndrome, diabetes, alzheimer's disease, and many more too numerous to mention.
Types of Camps
Every year over 800 people with disabilities or illnesses access the programs that Camp Health, Hope & Happiness offers each summer. Eleven camps 6 days in length, are provided each year with the following groups accessing the programs.
1. Teens & Children with Mental Disabilities (6-17 yrs)
2. Teens & Children with Physical Disabilities (6-17 yrs)
3. Young Adults with Mental Disabilities (18-35 yrs)
4. Adults with Mental Disabilities (36-60 yrs)
5. Adults with Physical Disabilities (18-60 yrs)
6. Seniors (61+ yrs)
For the majority of the individuals who attend the programs at Camp He Ho Ha, it is their only opportunity during the year for a recreational experience. For the parents or care givers, it is the only opportunity for a respite from the continual care that a disabled individual requires.
Sponsorship Program
Every year Camp Health, Hope & Happiness launches a campaign to generate donations to sponsor and/or subsidize campers to attend camp. The camper fee includes the following: meals & snacks, accommodations, programs, program equipment, total personal care and medical staff to administer medications and to provide any medical attention for the campers. Since the camper fee for each camper is 50% of the actual cost to provide these mandated services to people with disabilities, Camp Health, Hope & Happiness subsidizes each camper 50%. The financial drain is extensive and requires numerous donations to maintain the mandated programs for people with disabilities.
Summer Camp Staff
Camp Health, Hope & Happiness employs 35 paid counselors and two medical staff (3rd Year Nurse/Grad Nurse/RN) to provide personal care and medical care to the campers. The counselors are University or College students in various disciplines. The ratio of counselors to campers varies from one counselor for every four campers to one counselor for every two campers depending on the degree of disability. Counselors are chosen on the basis of their skills, leadership and interest in working with the mentally and physically disabled population.
Prior to the first camp of the season, it is mandatory for the counselors to attend a very intensive nine day orientation which includes the following: communication & team building, dealing with aggressive behavior, lifts & transfers, sign language, CPR, emergency procedures, use of fire extinguishers and safety, legal & liabilities, camp philosophy, sessions re: seniors, mentally disabled, physical disabled, session with the nurses on caring for people with disabilities, familiarization of all programs areas and training on climbing wall & ropes courses and more! This prepares the counselors with the information and skills required to successfully provide the high quality and level of care required for the campers.
Summer Camp Programs
The following are the summer programs provided for people with disabilities:
POOL – swimming and water games
PERFORMING ARTS – drama, dance, self-expression, aerobics, games, skits, singing
ARTS & CRAFTS – pretzel making, baking, friendship bracelets, bird houses, plaster of paris items, leather items, papier mache items, pencil holders, collages, banner & flag making, posters, tie dying, and much, much more
WATERFRONT – barge rides, canoeing, fishing, mini-golfing
OUT-TRIPPING – overnight camping in tents, nature walks and crafts, bannock making, canoe trips, archery, picnics, collecting nature items for collages, etc.
SPECIAL EVENTS & EVENING PROGRAMS – campfires, sing-songs, dances, scavenger hunts, wide games, skit/talent nights, tractor rides (wheelchair accessible), mini-olympics, etc.
CLIMBING WALL & ROPES COURSE – activities for summer camp include:
• 40’ – 3 sided climbing wall
• wheelchair accessible low ropes course
The information provided for the programs is a very brief description. Each program provides a very great range of activities and all programs are adapted to meet the special needs of the individuals in each group.
For further information and details,
please contact:
Matthew Saad,
Summer Camp Coordinator
Camp Health, Hope & Happiness
Box 182, Seba Beach, Alberta T0E 2B0
Phone: (780) 429-3277, Ext. 240 or (780) 797-3854
Fax: (780) 797-3812
e.mail: matthew@camphehoha.com
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