2008 Spring Schedule - all ages and families welcome
Woodworking Weekend - March 14-15-16, 2008
Make things in the shop and have fun. Families Welcome
How to Succeed by Trying - April 4-5-6, 2008
For teens and young adults- Practice interviewing and applying for jobs or college, Resume preparation, interviewing techniques, Etiquette, Fine Dining and Dress for Success workshops.
Gardening Day - May 3, 2008
Join us as we plant our garden and get ready for a summer full of harvest. Learn everything you need to know about planting a home garden and have a great time in the process. (everyone is welcome)
Tandem Biking Weekend - May 23-24-25,
2008 Biking with Family and Friends, bring your bike or use ours.
Have you always wanted to let your blind child ride a bike, but have been too nervous to let them try? Come join us as expert tandem bikers throughout the state teach us all how to enjoy the wind in our faces as we pedal down the Meijer Hartland Bike Trail, and explore mountain biking trails. This is a fantastic opportunity to get some exercise, begin learning about the sport of tandem biking and take home a hobby that the entire family can participate in for a lifetime.
Tentative Summer Schedule
Family camp-Parents and kids- June 12 to 15
Family camp is a time-honored Camp T tradition.
Pack up your entire family and bring them to camp out for the weekend. It is a time for parents to connect and talk about raising visually impaired children, and for kids with all vision levels to have an excellent time. S’mores, songs, and swimming will be part of our time at camp, and there will be plenty of activities for everyone to enjoy.
Elementary camp- (kids age 7 to 12)-June 15 to 25
A camp for kids ages 7 through 12. When you think of camp, do you think of archery? Or boating? Or swimming? Would you like to learn to build a fire or play an instrument? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you’re in luck, because Elementary Camp will teach you how to do all of these things and more! Learn to paddle a canoe or go for a hike in the woods. Play Braille board games or do Arts and Crafts. We’ll cook over the fire and learn to sing “I’m a Little Striped Skunk.” One of our activities this camp session will be going to a local Girl Scout camp to ride horses! Elementary Camp is great time to make friends and learn basic skills of blindness.
Culinary camp- (kids age 7 to 18) July 6 to 13
A special session for kids of all ages.
At Camp you will learn to slice, dice, bake, fry, sauté, broil, boil, scramble, toss and much, much more. This camp is a taste sensation for anyone who likes to cook, prepare, or just eat. We will learn everything from the basics to the garnish that goes on a 4 star meal. This camp also specializes in how to set a table, cut food properly and even includes preparing a formal meal fit for a king, governor or parents alike. Come join us, bring your favorite recipe and a hearty appetite. As usual there will be plenty of time to swim, play outside, canoe, and visit with friends while roasting marshmallows over a warm campfire as dusk falls all around.
Braille camp- (ages 7 to 18) July 13 to 20
Learn to use Braille the way Louis Braille wanted you to. We are going to have FUN reading and writing with slate and stylus plus we will use Braille input note takers with refreshable braille displays. Play games and win prizes while you improve your skills. Of course we will swim, hike the trails and eat campfire food too. Special workshop for parents.
Boot camp prepare for sailing trip (kids 13 to 18) July 13 to 20
Adventure Trip sail a ship on Lake Michigan (kids 13 to 18) July 20 to 26
Quest for success (Michigan Commission for the Blind Clients) July 20 to 26
It’s important to have goals, and Quest for Success is the right place to develop your goals. We’ll teach independent living skills and explore career options so that you can see that believing and hard work are the keys to achieving. You’ll have to be something when you grow up; let Quest for Success increase your confidence about your future. Don’t worry; there will be plenty of time for making friends, singing songs, and campfires. Please contact Faith Meadows at the Michigan Commission for the Blind. 269-337-3855 or your MCB Field Counselor.
Prom Night dinner and dancing Saturday July 25th
Art & Drama Camp (kids aged 13 to 18) July 27 to August 3
Come live out loud with us as we experiment with clay, stone, copper, wood, and words. Come to create sculptures, drawings, poetry and learn about acting. We will have some guest artists visiting to teach us about different forms of art. At the end of the session we’ll have an art show to showcase everyone’s finished pieces. Work together to produce a stage show we will put on a DVD so you can relive it forever. No camp session is complete without campfires, archery, swimming, and silly songs, so we’ll have plenty of those, too. This camp session will challenge you and give you a chance to create something beautiful.
Music Camp (kids age 7 – 18) August 3 to 10
Get your instruments out and be ready for a week-long extended jam session! Come play your instrument, write a song, and share the wonderful fun of music with all of your friends. Of course we’ll have all your favorites, like Arts and Crafts, swimming, campfires, and lots of fun camp songs. At the end of the session everyone will gather for a big final concert, where your performance is recorded for our annual CD. Whether you’re a singer or a pianist, or you can play two flutes with your nose, everybody is welcome and so are their many talents.
GPS Technology Event (age 16 – 99+ or by permission) August 13 to 17
Have you ever wanted to know exactly where you’re traveling without asking a complete stranger? Have you ever wished you could mark your way down a nature trail so you could find your own way back? Then our 3rd Annual GPS Event is for you. This event focuses on the latest, most innovative technology on the market to assist blind and visually impaired people navigate areas that were once considered inaccessible. Join us while we explore the Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Feeling a little more adventurous? Then come along as we plot parts of the North Country Trail in Lowell, Michigan. We will conclude the weekend with a technology fair complete with functioning demonstrations to illustrate the innovative technology available.