It was great to see more campers return in 2023 and we’re looking forward to welcoming even more campers in 2024 as we leave the Covid-19 days in the dust! We certainly hope that you/your loved one will be one of the campers we welcome to one of our sessions for awesome individuals with special needs.
As a parent, guardian, social/case worker, advocate, or house manager of one of our special needs campers, we think you’ll agree with us that making sure they are well cared for is of utmost importance (even when there isn’t a pandemic.) We do not anticipate needing to require the wearing of masks, but we will be requiring that individuals pack at least one for each day they’ll be here at camp just in case they are needed (in 2023 those masks came in really handy on days when outdoor air quality was impacted by the wildfires in Québec!) We also strongly encourage everyone to get vaccinated/boosted to help lower the risk of Covid showing up at camp.
As you are likely aware, out of our desire to provide an unparalleled camping program for persons with special needs we made the transition several years ago to an application process rather than allowing direct registration. While we would love to accept everyone who applies, we recognize our limitations—the volunteer deans of each session of camp have years of experience of working with individuals with special needs, however most of our other camp staff tend to be college-age and have less specialized experience in this field. The application process helps us better determine camper eligibility and placement. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in making our camp even better!
Download the application for the 2024 Sessions of Special Needs Camps at Sky Lake. Please read through the application carefully. Once it is complete, you may either mail a physical copy directly to Sky Lake, or scan it and email it to: registrar@skylakecenter.org. If there have been any major changes to the applicant’s ISP (Individualized Service Plan), IEP (Individualized Educational Program), or IPOP (Individual Protective Oversight Plan since the last summer your camper was here, please mail or email those changes with the application. Otherwise, we will be in touch if we need any additional information on the camper this year.
There are a few things for Summer 2024 that we want you to be aware of:
- Our placement process will be done on a twice-monthly basis (rather than monthly.) Applications will be reviewed on the first and third Wednesdays until all spots are filled. Applications received after 9:00am on those particular Wednesdays will be held for the following round. Decisions will be mailed on Thursdays. If placed, a $75 deposit will be required within 21 days of the decision being sent. Remember that the application process itself is free;
- Our special needs sessions begin on Monday mornings again this summer. Campers will be assigned a designated check-in time between 10:00am and Noon;
- We have been hard at work updating most of our forms over the past year, so please make sure you read through them carefully
Please note that even though we have more spaces than last year, space is still limited so apply soon! And keep in mind that campers do not need to be United Methodist to attend Sky Lake—we welcome special needs campers from a wide array of faith traditions each summer.
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