Children are AOK at York Region camp
New adventures await daily for kids up to 14 with autism
There’s no better place to be than camp for Jessica Kramer, who has spent the past nine summers having a blast with her warm-weather friends.
“I’m a lifer,” says the 22-year-old who began volunteering at the Autism Ontario Kids Camp York Region Chapter while in high school. She starts getting into the camp groove as soon as the last remnants of snow have disappeared and the temperature begins to climb.
“I keep coming back to AOK because of the atmosphere it creates within our community,” says Kramer, who graduated from Carlton University where she studied psychology and law. “During the school year many of these kids and adults may be excluded from the community and we create somewhat of a family where everyone is included and accepted for who they are and their abilities.”
Kramer has seen the impact camp has on youth including her neighbour and bestie Dylan Newton, 19, who has autism.
The York Region Chapter operates four camps and offers programs for youth and adults with autism — a neurological disorder that impacts communication, social interaction and often results in unusual sensory experiences as well as unusual behaviours. According to Autism Ontario, one in 94 individuals are purported to have an Autism Spectrum Disorder. About11,000 people in York Region are living with ASD.
A new adventure awaits daily at AOK where campers may start the day by putting their creative skills to work making picture frames or photo books they’ll take home as a reminder of happy days at camp.
A scavenger hunt may follow or they may head over to a neighbourhood eatery for lunch.
The bus ride to any outing is as much fun as the destination and there’s always something new during the nature walks.
“Campers are treated as normally as possible and not like someone with autism going to camp,” said Kramer of AOK, Goal: $650,000 How to donate: With your gift, the Fresh Air Fund can help send 25,000 disadvantaged and special needs children to camp. The experience gives these children much more than relief from summer heat — it gives them a break in life and memories to last a lifetime. Our target is $650,000. > By cheque: Mail to The Toronto Star Fresh Air Fund, One Yonge St., Toronto, ON M5E 1E6 > By credit card: Visa, MasterCard, AMEX or Discover, call 416-869-4847 > Online: For instant donations, use our secure form at: thestar.com/freshairfund The Star does not authorize anyone to solicit on its behalf. Tax receipts will be issued in September. which is for children up to 14 and runs every week from July 6 to Aug. 21. The Fresh Air Fund helps with camper fees for families who need financial support.
Counsellors work one on one with campers.
AOK is the biggest, fully accessible camp of its kind in Ontario offering summer programs for low functioning children as well as youth and adults, and there’s already “a long, long waiting list,” for this summer, said Kramer. If you have benefitted from the Fresh Air Fund or have a story to tell, phone 416-869-4309, or email lferenc@thestar.ca.