Some area children with disabilities are having a ball this week attending the Danville AMBUCS annual summer camp. Bill Pickett has the story…
Lori Lyons and Terri Hoskins are co-directors of the camp this year which is based at the Gao Grotto. Lyons described some of the things the kids are doing this week…
{Audio: “We go out to Illini Skateland. This year we’re going to go to Weiner Works, Lincoln Lanes. Today we’ve got Zeke’s Eats out here and some slushies. And we’re going to go on boat rides. We’re going to make a day trip to to the trampoline park in Champaign. So, yow, we’ve got a lot of activities planned for today – this week.”}
On Wednesday the 5 to 11-year-olds at this week’s camp were taken on boat rides on Lake Vermilion. The boats were provided by some members of the Gao Grotto and Danville Boat Club.
Lyons has been helping lead the AMBUCS Summer Camps for over forty years….
{AUDIO: “I love AMBUCS Summer Camp. This is so much fun. The smiles on the kids faces, the joy that we bring to them with our activities. And I really feel like, too, the relief we give to the parents for their kids to get to experience these kind of activities – and just get a break in the summer.”}
Lyons says there are about 35 children attending this week’s camp, and next week’s camp will involve 45 young people with disabilities. They range from children in middle school to 22.
There is no cost for young people attending the camps. So Lyons was asked where the money comes from to run them….
{AUDIO: “Well, the AMBUCS do a raffle. And then we get money from our ‘AMBUCS Friday Nights’ – the sponsors and the sales of the beer and the drinks that they provide at ‘AMBUCS Friday Nights’.”}
There are also some sponsors that help with the camps.
Although Lyons has been helping lead the AMBUCS summer camps for more than four decades, she is not sure what year they started. And Lyons added the Gao Grotto has been a great partner over the years…..
{AUDIO: “The Gao Grotto – it’s so great to partnership with them. They provide us with this facility – and have since day one of camp. They provide our boats and our drivers. The Ladies of the Grotto make sure every one of those kids get a life jacket on. And they’re providing the Zeke’s Eats and slushies for us today.”}
The Grotto upgraded its playground – including adding a pirate ship in recent years. Other improvements included making restrooms more accessible for people with disabilities.
There are extra precautions being taken with the kids because of this weeks hot weather. And even Danville firefighters have helped. Some firefighters sprayed water for the kids to enjoy on Tuesday.
