Nearly two dozen blind, visually impaired and blind-deaf children are getting the opportunity to go to camp this week.
Camp Abilities kicked off on Monday and brought 21 children from across Nebraska to the Iowa School for the Deaf. The camp is sponsored by the Boys Town National Research Hospital and Outlook Nebraska, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering people with vision loss.
Kristal Platt with Boys Town says campers will spend six days and five nights exploring sports and recreational activities in a safe environment. "They don't have to explain their vision loss to the kids, the other kids get it. So it's that sense of community that the kids get by coming to camp."
Camper Miranda Solssa says that sense of community does make camp fun year after year. "Favorite part is making new friends and seeing other friends that I've met over the years."
During the camp, kids ages nine to nineteen work with instructors trained in adaptive physical education from UNO. Campers will explore swimming, beep baseball, cycling, archery, fishing, kayaking and golf, among other activities.
Platt says the camp brings in many children from small towns, who may not have anyone else with vision loss where they live. "This camp allows kids to get together with other youth, when they may not have had a chance to meet other kids who are blind or visually impaired."
Camper McKenzie Gray says that reason, meeting people like her, is exactly why she comes. "I like Camp Abilities because I get to be around people who are blind, like me."