Summer Activities

Camp Buckskin is an overnight summer camp program that specializes in serving boys and girls ages 6-18 who are experiencing academic and/or social skill difficulties. Specifically, the majority of our campers have a primary diagnosis of AD/HD and/or learning disabilities, while others have an additional or related diagnosis. While these diagnoses make these individuals somewhat unique, they have the same needs as everyone else. To best address these needs most of our campers benefit from some special education services in a mainstream setting, while others receive some pull out services or attend specialized private schools. In addition, many of our campers benefit from a combination of medical and other professional services. The Buckskin program utilizes the summer break and a camp setting to supplement the efforts of the home, school and others to resolve these areas of need. Since our start in 1959, more than 7,000 children have benefitted from our therapeutic program. These young people have experienced a great deal of personal growth and improvement as reported by their parents, teachers and other involved professionals.

Program Design and Purpose:
The overall Buckskin program design is twofold in nature. Firstly, we serve as a preventive or early intervention program, seeking to address existing deficits before they become more pronounced. By taking this proactive approach, we believe that the individual, his/her family and society all benefit. From a financial and personal standpoint, the program acts as a bridge from one school year to the next. By effectively using the summer break, youth can not only stay focused but gain new abilities and improve existing skills. These new abilities and skills help produce a smoother transition to the new school year. By making this transition easier the individual experiences greater academic and social success.
Our purpose is to help the individual improve attitudes and the accompanying habits or behaviors that affect their self confidence, social skills, academics, and self esteem. This purpose is accomplished as our campers gain knowledge, and develop or improve their skills in a wide variety of areas. The camper’s progression through the various formal skill levels in our structured activities represent concrete accomplishments. These individual successes enable the child to realize and better appreciate what he or she is capable of achieving. As a result of these successes, the camper feels a genuine sense of accomplishment, takes increased responsibility for his/her choices or actions, and has a more positive view of his/her self.

Building self–esteem for children with high functioning autism spectrum disorder
Camp Connect ASD offers children and teens diagnosed with high functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ages 9-18, five days and four nights of summer fun and social connections. Children experience all the fun and adventure of a sleep-away camp with medical staff close at hand.
For six days, the children do not have to worry about how they are seen or what others think; they simply have fun.  They participate in a myriad of activities, learning team-building skills through sports, skits, and Camp Olympics.  Formal and informal support groups allow campers to practice appropriate social and communication skills and encourage the discussion of meaningful topics including how to handle bullying, what to do when teased and how to make friends.
The Department of Neurology of Children’s National provides the medical management of Camp Connect. A Child Neurophysiologist, is joined by a staff of nurses, social workers, physical therapists, and psychologists to provide medical coverage throughout the week of camp. Experienced teachers volunteer their time and expertise to work with the ASD population and help train the counselors to deal with the issues associated with ASD.  Several counselors and volunteers who live with the condition share their experience and wisdom with the campers each summer.

“Our summer camp programs promote the education, creative expression and social growth of special needs youth. Lions Camp Merrick fosters friendships between children facing similar challenges and provides the community and Lions with opportunities for service, philanthropy and leadership.”

Lions Camp Merrick provides a fun and exciting, week-long residential camping experience for children ages 6-16 who are diagnosed diabetic type 1, and children that are hearing or visually impaired. The camp can also accommodate organizations and businesses seeking to coordinate off-site team-building sessions or retreats.

Lions Camp Merrick is located on 320 acres on the shores of the Potomac River in southern Maryland. Although only 40 miles away from our nation’s capital, it is truly a world away!

The camp is owned and operated by the Lions Clubs of District 22-C (Washington, D.C., and Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s counties in Maryland). The camp is funded by Lions Clubs in the Washington, D.C. and DELMARVA area, grants, private donations and rentals.

Camp Lee Mar is a private, 7-week residential special needs summer camp for campers ages 7-21.
We offer unique summer programs for kids with special needs with a full curriculum incorporating a strong Academic and Speech program with traditional camp activities. Our campers flourish at Camp Lee Mar due to the structured environment we provide, which allows our campers to feel comfortable and secure. Some of our campers may be in a mainstream school during the year while working on social skills and life skills at our special needs camp.
As a special needs camp we understand the need to individualize each camper’s program. Careful study is made of parent input, school IEPs, camper interviews, etc., so that the interests and needs of each child can best be determined for suitable grouping prior to the camper arriving. At Camp Lee Mar, campers find comfort and friendship with children of similar age and functioning level. From this foundation we encourage our campers to embrace and learn new skills and have new experiences, all of which they will build upon on their return home. We focus on building friendships which last throughout the year, and we also help our campers learn how to cope with the dynamics of group situations. Development of the whole child is our goal.
During our summer programs for kids with special needs, we work hard at improving the daily living, social, and life skills of our campers, while giving them the happiest summers of their lives! Our campers have a variety of diagnoses, including Developmental Challenges, Learning Disabilities, Down Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Social Communication Disorder, Fragile X, Sensory Processing Disorder, and Prader-Willi Syndrome. Special needs summer camps, such as Camp Lee Mar, provide an amazing growth producing experience while allowing every child to have fun and make friends.

Camp Sequoia is a supportive overnight camp for exceptional young men ages 7-17 and exceptional young women ages 10-16, focusing on the unique needs of boys with ADHD and those working on social or life development skills.

Camp Sequoia is designed for children and teenagers with ADHD and other similar diagnoses who do not need the level of support offered at special needs overnight camps yet need a different experience than a traditional overnight camp can offer. Our 2:5 staffing ratio allows our campers to have fun and grow in a safe and supportive camp experience.

Parents choose Camp Sequoia because the experience we provide is much more than a summer camp. It is truly an investment in their child’s future success. The mission of Sequoia is to help our campers have a great time while developing their social cognition (how to think in a social context and apply socially related skills).

Sequoia also offers social skill and recreational programs during the school year for Philadelphia, NYC and Washington DC area children and teenagers diagnosed with ADHD. These school year programs feature our Director Lux, a Registered Nurse, and our best staff to provide incredible experiences for our campers.