Spirits soar at Camp Blue Jay
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Pictured from left: Happy campers Madison Moore, Sarah Churchwell, Katrina Holiday and Anastasia McGrath enjoyed their tour of KCFD Helicopter 408.
Each Camper was given the opportunity to sit in KCFD Helicopter 408 from Keene, and like Braedon Bruce, they each had a long list of questions to ask. Pilot Pat Williams gave an orientation of the helicopter’s capabilities and functions to a rapt audience.
Camp Blue Jay counselor Haydee Garrido smiles as camper Elaina Valdepena gets a turn using a fire nozzle while firefighter Jessie Waldowski helps keep the water pointed downstream. The Kern County Fire Department made a special presentation at Camp Blue Jay, a summer camp for disabled children, during a field trip to Cub Lake on June 21. Campers also went fishing and fed the ducks.
Sleep-away camp, horseback riding, swimming, crafts, and playing games with friends are all pretty standard fare for most children who spend their summers in Tehachapi. But for those who attend Camp Blue Jay, a residential summer camp for disabled children held at Tehachapi Mountain Park, it's a special experience like none other.
The Society for Disabled Children, a Bakersfield non-profit organization, has been organizing Camp Blue Jay since 1975, offering a true summer camp experience to children with disabilities ranging from mild to moderate.
“We don't focus on one particular disability,” Joanne Wolaridge, program coordinator said. “They face challenges in life that most of us don't face. It gives them a sense of confidence. They come back smiling and they're happier.”
For the past three years, Tehachapi resident Pamala McCarver has taken time off from her job at San Joaquin Community Hospital to volunteer as the camp's nurse.
“The first year I have to admit that I wondered what have I gotten myself into,” McCarver said.
But her hesitation only lasted a brief moment, she said.
“I'll be here until I can't walk anymore,” she said. “It's become a retreat, my sanctuary. I love it. I get way more out of it than I give. Just hearing their hearts. They have hard lives. They are burdened. It's all worth is just to see the happiness and the joy.”
McCarver administers medications and “cuddles” as needed. And for many of the campers, plenty of both are required as they face the day-to-day challenges of autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, vision impairments and a variety of emotional, developmental and physical disabilities.
“This is so needed for these kids,” McCarver said. “They just get to be kids. They're not stared at here. They're all different.”
Camp Blue Jay doesn't just benefit the children, she said.
“It's very hard to find somebody to watch them for long periods of time,” McCarver said adding, “It's a great break for the parents.”
Wolaridge said that for many parents, it's the first time they've been away from their special needs children for any extended time period.
“It's a natural concern to worry, 'is my kid okay, is he safe?'' Wolaridge said.
McCarver said the professional staff quickly allays any parental concerns.
“They trust us here,” she said. “The Society has been around for a long time and they have a very high reputation for this camp.”
She added, “I don't hear a peep [from most parents]. I call if I have a problem,” which she said is a rare occasion.
With a counselor-to-camper ratio of 2-to-1, campers receive constant care and supervision.
“The counselors do the physical work,” McCarver said adding, “The counselors inspire me. They're doing a lot of stuff that a lot of people won't do.”
That includes everything from personal hygiene to carrying those who can't walk up to the top of Tehachapi Mountain, which was the case with one little girl with cerebral palsy who had never been “hiking” before.
“She was just screaming her head off - giggling, laughing and screaming. It was a beautiful thing to see,” McCarver said.
As a non-profit organization, The Society for Disabled Children raises funds to provide scholarships and subsidies for those who can't afford to send their kids to camp, which costs $750 per camper.
McCarver urges supporters to give freely to the Society for Disabled Children as she has witnessed first-hand how much Camp Blue Jay means to parents and campers alike.
“These parents don't have the money for things like camp, they're burdened enough with all the physical needs,” she said.
Wolaridge said, “We try to accommodate everyone that wants to go. We try to make a way for those who want to go and those who need assistance.”
The Society for Disabled Children's mission is to identify and deliver programs and services that improve the quality of life for disabled children in Kern County. For more information or to donate to Camp Blue Jay call 322-5595 or click: www.societydc.com
