Life Matters

Volleyball, bowling and kayaking blind

By Linda Petersen
Posted 8/12/16

I had the great pleasure of working at Camp Mauchatea last week, a summer program for children who are blind and visually impaired. (The names means “guide” in Narragansett Indian, chosen by the …

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Life Matters

Volleyball, bowling and kayaking blind

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I had the great pleasure of working at Camp Mauchatea last week, a summer program for children who are blind and visually impaired. (The names means “guide” in Narragansett Indian, chosen by the campers because so many of them need a sighted guide.) It’s my 29th year with the camp, started when my own son started school and had no contact with other students who were legally blind. It is the 28th year it has been funded by the RI Lions Sight Foundation. Local Lions Clubs, such as our own Greater Warwick Lions Club, generously provide funding for the children in their communities.

The first day of the program, 30 campers of various ages and degrees of vision loss visited Meadowbrook Lanes. The campers were excited to have a ball they could fit their hands around, instead of the ten pin balls so large that they have to drag them, ape like, to the alley. Many of the younger bowlers were mesmerized with the round smoothness, running their fingers over and over the balls. With the bumpers, most children also experienced the joy of getting a strike. Not being able to see the ball go down the alley, they listened attentively to the pins as they fell, jumping up and down with excitement when they heard the loud, echoing sound of the pins crashing together. What they didn’t realize was that the gutter bumpers acted like an old-fashioned pin ball machine with the ball bouncing back and forth until ultimately hitting the pins square in the middle. Everyone was a winner that day.

The campers also enjoyed swimming at McDermott Pool, overwhelmed by the largess of water where they could swim seemingly forever without bumping into the side of the pool, and where they some could fairly play Marco Polo without shutting their eyes.

That evening was the first of a week-long dance contest where campers moved their bodies lithely to the tunes of the Cha Cha Slide, YMCA, Chicken Dance and something called the Ney Ney, (all of which described the dance moves within the song.) The children and counselors all laughed and mingled and bounced around to the music. It was a regular evening activity because it was sure to wear them out for bedtime.

Tuesday they went to Slater Park where they rode the Loof Carousel. Many children would feel for an animal of their choice, running their hands over the lion’s mane or the giraffe’s tall neck, either choosing that animal or moving onto another, more preferable animal to ride. The carousel went fast and the children squealed with delight, asking for another ride when it was finished. After a hearty lunch, they went to a trampoline park where they dared to do summersaults into a pit of foam blocks. Jumping in was easy, maneuvering out was more difficult, because they would have to crawl out towards the sound of their counselor’s voice beckoning them back onto solid ground! With only one camper allowed per trampoline, this possibly dangerous activity of jumping into each other was avoided.

Wednesday they spent the day at Spring Lake Beach where they played water volleyball with a bright, extra-large beach ball, (which landed gently on their raised hands, giving them a chance to return it rather than getting hit on the head with a regular volley ball.) Creatively designed sand castles littered the beach, and a group of tweens climbed high onto a jungle gym where they sat and talked.

Thursday was a special day going deep sea fishing on the Gail Francis boat out of Galilee. Given appropriate dosages of Dramamine prior to boarding the boat generally prevented sea sickness, except for a few stalwart motion sickness regulars, (myself included.) Almost every camper caught at least one fish and learned to be very careful around their sharp fins. Some even learned to bait the hook themselves, and to assist others in doing so. After the day of fishing and back at camp, children ventured out alone in canoes and kayaks, using the sounds of the adult voices calling them when they were out too far. (Of course there were counselors scattered among them for assistance if needed.) Some took great joy in accidentally “flipping” the kayak over, but were easily able to maneuver back onto the child sized boat.

Friday, the last day of camp, was spent at a pool with lifeguards. With every ounce of their remaining energy, the campers splashed and jumped and dove and played while the counselors, who had worked so hard all week, were able to relax poolside. The bus returned them to the camp just in time for the awards ceremony, where they found an audience of waiting parents and interested others. Each child, when his/her name was called, proudly made their way to the podium where they received a backpack and a trophy, turning to pose with a big smile for a Kodak moment.

Each year during camp, the children usually work on a public service project such as making bag lunches for CrossRhodes RI or toiletry kits for the military. They purchase the items and assemble the bags themselves, including a hand written large print or Brailled note card wishing the receiver well. Educating them in a direct way that there are other less fortunate people than themselves gives them a sense of something beyond their own disability, empowering them to be more aware of the needs of others.

The benefits of the camp are not the many places they get to go, although many of the campers live in urban areas where deep sea fishing and splashing in a pool are not an option. The benefits are being with other visually impaired children where they are accepted as they are, disabilities and all. Friendship and consideration of others are forefront lessons, as is the reality that they are capable of amazing things! This is most dramatically played out among the counselors, all of whom are visually impaired themselves, having grown up attending the camp through these past 29 years. Role models, these inspiring young adults develop a bond with the campers that is symbiotic. The counselors are capable and caring and expertly work with their younger counterparts. They are in charge, whereas in the “real world” they may be overlooked as successful leaders.

Next year will be the camp’s 30th anniversary. Dancing, (which comes in handy for senior proms), being comfortable socializing in groups, consideration of others, and a deep sense pride in their capabilities have followed many campers as they have passed by on their way to a successful adulthood. Thank you, Lions Clubs, for allowing this to happen.

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