The Tahoe Fund is partnering with Camp Wamp, a sleepaway camp for children with physical disabilities, to give campers a unique experience on the shores of Lake Tahoe in 2022. The Tahoe Fund is currently raising $25,000 to fund field trips for the campers to visit the Tahoe East Shore Trail and Sand Harbor State Park. The funds will cover the costs to transport the 20-25 campers and their camp counselors in each weekly session.
At Camp Wamp, outdoor summer camp experiences are provided to kids ages 10 to 18 that have physical disabilities. The kids learn about self-reliance and their own ambition. They push their limits. They sleep outdoors on the 129-acre property on cots under the stars. They hike. They fish on 9-acre Deer Lake. They climb a rock wall. They do arts, crafts and have competitions. Most importantly, they have fun.
“One of the best parts about the Tahoe East Shore Trail is that it was designed specifically to offer greater accessibility for people of all ages and abilities to some of the most stunning vista points of Lake Tahoe,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “Being on Donner Summit at the campsite is an amazing experience for these kids, but you can’t see Tahoe from there. Through these field trips we can give them the opportunity to experience the extraordinary beauty of the Lake from the new trail, and the iconic beaches of Sand Harbor.”
Started in 2002 by Stephen Wampler, Camp Wamp offers six one-week sessions every summer in July and August and has hosted over 1,250 kids over the years. Wampler, who grew up in Northern California and has used a wheelchair for mobility for his entire life due to cerebral palsy, knows first-hand the significance that camp experiences like this can have on kids with disabilities.
“We want the Tahoe community to know we’re here, and we’d like to welcome them to get involved with camp and what we’re doing at Donner Summit if they have interest. The kids who come to Camp Wamp have a variety of physical disabilities that range from mild all the way to using a wheelchair, and the experience truly is life-changing for them,” said Camp Wamp founder Stephen Wampler.
Camp Wamp has a one-to-one camper to counselor ratio, with counselors typically consisting of college students who are working to earn their degrees in a variety of capacities — from recreation to therapy and nursing.
This summer, high school students who are part of the Tahoe Fund’s new Teens 4 Tahoe program will join with the Camp Wamp team to help make repairs and accessibility improvements to the property.
Learn more about Camp Wamp and how to contribute to the Tahoe Fund’s fundraising effort at www.tahoefund.org.