Easter Seals' Camp Fairlee gives camper once-in-a-lifetime experience

There is no place like home, or so the adage goes, but for Luz and her 10-year-old son Ariel, who has Down syndrome, their Panamanian home lacks the services he needs. Luz dreamed of a place where Ariel could be among his peers and be supported by staff who are reliable, trustworthy and understanding. That is when she found Easter Seals' Camp Fairlee.

“I can’t find what he really needs in Panama. You have to find the best you can and live with it,” Luz says of the services available to people with disabilities in Panama. “There are no camps in Panama. I saw Camp Fairlee as a great opportunity to learn from his peers who are more advanced than he is because they have experienced so much more.”

Ariel was the recipient of the 2013 Sandy Tuttle Endowed Campership designed to allow at least one camper to enjoy a week of camp each year. Easter Seals established the fund to honor Easter Seals' former President and CEO Sandy Tuttle, who began her service with Easter Seals at age 15 by volunteering at Camp Fairlee.

“It is because of the endowment funds we are here. It is not something that happens to everyone all the time,” Luz says. “We’ve been really blessed to have this opportunity for Ariel.”

Luz has enjoyed her time of respite in the United States, visiting with family who live in the region. She has enjoyed the simple pleasure of sleeping late, something she is never able to do because Ariel wakes up at 6 a.m. every morning. While Luz enjoyed her time in the states, she is always thinking of Ariel’s future.

“I want Ariel to be independent and functional, since I won’t always be here,” Luz says. “Camp Fairlee opens Ariel’s eyes to the fact that he can do more things. He is more accepted here. There is a community out there that he fits into. In Panama we are on our own.”

Anyone interested in contributing to the Sandy Tuttle Endowed Campership to give individuals with disabilities like Ariel the opportunity to go to camp should contact Sarah Driscoll at Easter Seals at 302-221-2032.

Easter Seals' Camp Fairlee outside of Chestertown, Md., is the only camp in the region that provides a typical residential camp experience for children and adults with disabilities on a year-round basis. Campers enjoy a fun, supportive camp environment while family members enjoy time off from continuous caregiving. Fairlee offers weeklong camp sessions throughout the summer, as well as a weekend respite program from October through May. Learn more about Camp Fairlee at www.de.easterseals.com/fairlee.

To learn more about how Easter Seals helps children and adults with disabilities, call 1-800-677-3800 or go to www.de.easterseals.com.