(CHATHAM COUNTY) The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) will be hosting their annual Camp Buddy summer camp for Chatham County July 12-15 at the community center on the Islands High School campus at 170 Whitmarsh Island Rd. Camp Buddy is for children of all ages with Down syndrome and is designed to help students prepare for the upcoming school year with a specially designed curriculum. Seale Navare will serve as Head Special Education Teacher for the camp session.
Elementary school children will attend the morning session where they will stay at the facility and engage in occupational therapy. A physical therapist will be on site and campers will enjoy games, snacks, and arts and crafts.
Older children will attend the afternoon session and enjoy a shopping trip to Publix. During the camp session, they will have an opportunity to learn occupational skills in the kitchen, like opening cans or cooking pasta, as well as preparing a lasagna to take home with them. They will also take part in a scavenger hunt at Walmart where they will learn how to cut coupons and find various items.
Some children will also work one-on-one with a physical therapist.
“Our goal at Camp Buddy is to work on OT, PT and communication skills, as well as ‘I can’ skills,” said Pam Hussey, Director of Camp Buddy. “By allowing the children to learn by doing, they become empowered to do for themselves, their families and their communities. They are stronger and more able when our expectations are high. They thrive in an environment that pushes them out of their comfort zone. That’s what we are striving for at Camp Buddy.”
For over 12 years, the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society has been helping students with Down syndrome enjoy summer fun at Camp Buddy with a customized curriculum designed by special education, occupational, physical, and speech therapists that helps the students retain the information they learned during the previous school year and preparing for the upcoming school year.
Throughout the camp session, occupational, physical, and speech therapy are cleverly disguised as games, and campers participate in activities that promote health and wellness as well as the importance of giving back to the community.
Camp Buddy is sponsored by the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society and is made possible through the generosity of the community, friends and families of LDSS and events such as the Buddy Walk and Night of Champions. For more information about LDSS, visit http://www.ldssga.org/
ABOUT THE LOWCOUNTRY DOWN SYNDROME SOCIETY
The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) supports people with Down syndrome and their families through local leadership, support, outreach, education and advocacy. Meetings are held every fourth Tuesday of the month, typically with a guest speaker and social time for families to meet and interact. LDSS encourages the whole family to attend; children of all ages are welcome. LDSS is an affiliate of the National Down Syndrome Society. For more information about LDSS, visit ldssga.org
CONTACT
John Bogardus
Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society
jbogardus@ldssga.org
MEDIA CONTACT
Marjorie Young
CarriageTrade PR
912-844-9990
marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
www.carriagetradepr.com