Why this camp
The most frequently asked question I get behind my motives for this site/fundraiser is why does Thatcher need THIS camp? There are so many reasons, a few of which I will share, but above all else it is because I believe that this is what my Heavenly Father wants me to do. We often pray for Thatcher, his needs and guidance. I truly believe that those prayers are often answered and quite a few have very clear instruction. It was part of the reason we sold our last house and moved to where we did (it wasn’t the plan and didn’t make total sense at the time), but we listened, and we have seen so many blessings and positive changes as a result. One of those blessings being Mrs. Chris. Christine Burkhart is the founder of Building Connections LLC and she is our social coach. She also serves as our IEP advocate because she worked in the public-school system before leaving to serve more kids in a private setting. Chris knows her way around all the lingo and helps us navigate a world that is very new and pretty overwhelming to us as parents. We have also been given very clear instruction from our team that early intervention is imperative for progress and our window is a lot smaller that it use to be. This particular camp, Building Connections Summer Camp, was specifically designed for kids like Thatcher. It caters to kids on the Spectrum, learning and speech delays, as well as a multitude of other developmental delays, but in truth it was created for the kids that don’t fit under a specific diagnosis, but still need so much support to just exist. I also believe that at the time that I received this answer to make it happen, that I was also presented with a way to support the desire. Like anything in life, if it’s worth having then you will have to work for it. Making things out of wood, being creative, and interacting with new people are things I love to do and, well, things I consider myself pretty good at. I want to meet people in my community, mothers, mothers of kids who don’t quite belong and people who genuinely want to do good. I want to hear your story, what you love about life and then I want to give you something tangible to remind you of that thing you love everyday via quote, name, word, phase, number and I want to remind you of things and people and spaces that you love. Top Notch Signs was created to support someone I love, while reminding you of the things you love.
Let’s talk shop: Why is this camp so expensive? The cost is based on the fact that all paid employees are trained professionals. These women (they just happen to all be female) have spent years studying, training and working in various environments with exceptional children and are very good at what they do. If you, like me, believe that it takes a special kind of person to be a teacher, because let’s be real, that’s a hard freakin’ job, then imagine the kind of person it takes to work with kids who have so many challenges beyond just learning basic expectations. It’s hard, you get burnt out, you are wildly underpaid and yet, you don’t quit. Our kids, my son, needs this type of compassionate person to learn from. So yes, we are paying them a decent working wage and that just costs money. Next up, the camp is on a horse farm. Equine Therapy can help individuals build confidence, communication, trust, perspective, social skills, impulse control and learn boundaries. Since horses display similar behaviors as humans it is easy to for people to form relationships with them and other equines. This means the kids are learning from peers, professionals and animals. How cool, right? Well, again, Horses are expensive to upkeep and they deserve decent living conditions and its necessary for them to be effective in there abilities as therapy animals. The camp lasts from 9am-3pm and includes a variety of other activities, like fishing and pond exploration, obstacle courses, sensory hikes, outdoor play kitchen, scavenger hunts, crafts, experiments, chill skills and more. These activities are designed like any other summer camp, but they introduce the kids to uncomfortable situations which force them to problem solve, learn to communicate effectively (or at all) and it is guided by the aforementioned professionals. This means the kids are learning how to coexist in new, uncomfortable or challenging situations, all of which can be big problems socially for us at home, at school or just out in the community. These individualized social skill lessons are invaluable. Learning in real time in the trenches is when the lasting impressions are formed for Thatcher. We do a lot of emotion work at home and in therapy, but noting works as well as real, in-the-moment experience. Ultimately, you get what you pay for, and we want quality intervention. I wanted to share more about the camp because I wanted people who purchase from our family to see exactly what you are supporting. This is not typical summer camp and it’s not something we think would be “so cool,” it’s another service that will help Thatcher continue to build on the progress he has made.
I have heard your feedback and I have been hard at work sign making. Stay tuned for a page of pre-made signs that you can order!
