CAMP
CONNECTIONS
Camp Connections is a Social Skills Day Camp for Neurodivergent older adolescents and adults. The camp will focus on strengthening self-confidence as well as the skills necessary to build meaningful friendships. The camp is held at the Heartland Retreat Center. Social outcomes will be facilitated through a range of fun, interactive activities, including cooperative games, sharing meals, mindfulness practice, and interaction with horses. This specific camp is designed for individuals who can function independently in a group setting and is facilitated by degreed, experienced professionals in the fields of developmental disabilities.
As opposed to most social skills groups, which are facilitated for one hour per week or less, the Social Skills Camp format allows “campers” to become immersed in social opportunity while being positively reinforced at higher frequencies and longer durations. The extended camp format also allows for increased opportunities for friendships to emerge more naturally throughout the enjoyable, laid-back camp experience.
Camp Connections 2025 Re-Cap
Celebrating 5 Years of Camp…With New Activities!
Camp Connections 2025 was a wonderful week out in nature with good music, fun activities, and (most importantly) community-building and friendship! Even rain couldn’t stop these campers! Our staff had a lineup of brand-new activities such as archery horseback riding, and swimming, mixed in with some old favorites: nature hiking, scavenger hunting, and arts and crafts! Our board-certified music therapist, Rachel, led us in activities such as laughter yoga, mindful music, and our very own camp song! And throughout it all, our campers experienced high-ropes course and ziplining, team obstacle challenges, created massive bubbles with special bubble wands, and painted our own Camp Connections flag, which waved proudly all week!
A big thank you to all of the amazing staff and volunteers that helped out this year! We would also like to the Heartland Retreat Center and the activities coordinator, Christelle Porter, for their partnership this year, as well as Cathy Cowger for bringing her mini horse to the campgrounds. We could not have made this year as special as it was without their support!
