More than 200 stay at Camp Grassick

Elks Camp Grassick has completed another season at its facilities five miles south of Dawson, N.D. This summer nearly 115 children and 81 adults with various disabilities and special needs benefited from the therapy programs and special services offered at the camp.

Camp Grassick, the North Dakota Elks summer camp, is operated each summer in the service of children and adults who are physically or mentally challenged or have other special needs. Around 36 children age 7-15 attended a three-week therapy camping session in early June and benefited from speech and language services, occupational therapy activities and reading instruction.

The second session at the camp this year was operated in cooperation with the Anne Carlsen Center, Jamestown. Twenty-five students attended and worked with adaptive technology to learn to communicate better with their peers. The campers also participated in art classes, music, recreation and all the fun activities associated with a summer camping experience.

A two-week camp for students ages 7-17 was the third session held at the camp this year. The students received all the therapy programs offered during the first session but attended in small groups rather than on an individual basis. The students also practiced appropriate interaction with their peers. Craft activities, supervised recreation and swimming instruction were offered at all the different sessions.

The fourth session at Camp Grassick this year was a one-week transition camp for older adolescents. This session was made possible through a grant from Vocational Rehabilitation of ND. During the week, the students participated in various classes and workshops in order to give them information and guidance with issues they will encounter when transitioning or graduating from high school and possibly moving on to their first jobs or independent living situations. Around 21 students attended this session in late July.

Two sessions were also held for adults with special needs. A one-week recreational camp for adults with various disabilities was conducted in early August, followed by a one-week summer session for the visually impaired and blind hosted for the North Dakota Association for the Blind.

Elks Camp Grassick serves both children and adults with various disabilities and special needs. Approximately 40 staff members are employed to offer therapy services and conduct the different sessions.

For more information about the camp, its programs, or applications, contact: Dan Mimnaugh, Director, Elks Camp Grassick, P.O. Box F, Dawson, ND 58428-0005 or call (701) 327-4251 or email: gras bek@bektel.com.

Tags: community, elks, grassick