Sometimes you want to go, where everybody knows your name. And if you have a "special child" that place just may be Our Victory Day Camp (OVDC). This is a small camp for special needs kids in Dobbs Ferry, NY. The camp has room for 40 kids, and this year, 30-something kids from across the New York Metropolitan area were lucky enough to spend their summer there. Nathan was one of them. This was his third summer at OVDC, and he looks forward to these seven weeks all year long.
This place is so much more than a camp, it is a family. Fred and Iris Tunick started OVDC 21 years ago and they know each and every child who goes to camp there, but they're not the only ones. Everyone who works there from the counselors to the lifeguards know every child. It amazes me every morning when I drop Nathan off, there is always someone (or several someones!) outside the door to greet each child by name- and usually a big hug! They know more than their names. They know their strengths as well as their challenges. But here, in this place, it's all about the strengths, unlike in school, where the challenges are the focus. The kids are encouraged to explore their interests instead of being forced to suppress and ignore them.
"We Are the Champions!"
All the children and staff end every Family Day with this song!
This place is so much more than a camp, it is a family. Fred and Iris Tunick started OVDC 21 years ago and they know each and every child who goes to camp there, but they're not the only ones. Everyone who works there from the counselors to the lifeguards know every child. It amazes me every morning when I drop Nathan off, there is always someone (or several someones!) outside the door to greet each child by name- and usually a big hug! They know more than their names. They know their strengths as well as their challenges. But here, in this place, it's all about the strengths, unlike in school, where the challenges are the focus. The kids are encouraged to explore their interests instead of being forced to suppress and ignore them.
The program from this year's show the theme was:
New York
Every year, a week before camp ends, they have Family Day and put on a show. Here, we as parents, get to really see how amazing the directors, assistant director, staff and children at OVDC are. No one bats an eye if one of the emcees disappears in the middle of the show, or someone needs to be prompted to say their lines, or if my son screams and runs off as his part starts, only to return moments later to take the spotlight along with his group. None of that matters, the only thing that matters is that this is a safe place where the kids are accepted for who they are. No one pushes or expects them to be anyone other than who they are.
Group 1 performing "This Land Is Your Land"
"Game Theory Cubed", brought to us by Group 3
All of this love, acceptance, and encouragement makes a huge difference in the kids. Before this year's show, Fred told the story of a boy who, on a scale of 1-10, was about a 3 at the beginning of summer and now he's an 8! Nathan has also had an amazing summer. During the school year he would have temper tantrums almost daily, now he hardly ever has them. But the biggest difference is how engaged he is. He played a board game this summer with his brother, Drew, and two of his cousins- for the first time EVER, he asked a woman working at an ice cream shop about their broken restroom, he even called Home Depot to talk to someone about construction materials for a tree house (that's a long story and another blog for another day!), and, the most amazing one of all, he was so engaged during a trip to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, he now wants to play baseball- an actual organized sports- with actual other children!
Group 5 singing "Welcome to New York"
A duet of Katy Perry's "Firework"
In our family, we consider ourselves lucky and thank God everyday for Our Victory Day Camp. We are thankful not only that we found this “special camp for special children”, and that it’s so close to our home, but that it exists at all, not only for Nathan, but for each and every one one of those 30-something kids!
Group 4 split up for an "Epic Rap Battle"
"New York, New York", presented by group 2,
including Nathan!
Each year at the end of the show when the entire camp, children and adults, takes the stage, to sing "We are the Champions" there is neither a dry eye in the room, nor any doubt that everyone on that stage is 100% a champion and their victory is truly Our Victory too!
"We Are The Champions"
I am so overwhelmed by what we just read that it hard to write thru my tears. You articulated, so sincerely and succinctly what we know in our hearts is the essence of Our Victory.
ReplyDeleteFred and I were were sitting at our kitchen table, drinking our morning coffee, when I casually checked Facebook. Oh, My Gosh, Becky, it's hard to believe that the universe answered the question that we ask each other at the end of each camp season. "At ages 78 and 75", can we do this again. As Buddhists, we have been chanting for that answer, and you,Becky , turned out to be the catalyst for guiding us to our decision.
To the staff that makes the phenomena called Our Victory a reality every day ...."This ones for you!" Thank you, again for your heartfelt encouragement! Iris and Frd
No, thank you! Thank you for everything you do for Nathan, for us, and for all of the children at Our Victory Day Camp. This was honesty the hardest blog to write. I wanted to make sure I articulated exactly how we feel and how important OVDC is to us. I didn't want to let you or Nathan down.
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful blog honoring an amazing experience.
ReplyDeleteI feel blessed to have been able to witness Our Victory Day Camp at Family Day. One can't help but sense that you are in a very special environment when you are with this camp. The celebration of life, where everyone is celebrated for their individual talents, creates an incredibly warm, embrace of acceptance.
Nathan has grown in leaps and bounds. We are so proud of him! Thank you OVDC for providing him with the understanding that nurtures that growth. Thank you, too for setting an example for the world to go beyond awareness to acceptance.
And beyond Acceptance to Appreciation!
ReplyDeleteHi Becky! I hope you are doing well. I saw someone post this online, and it made me think of Nathan and this post. I don't know if he's still interested in baseball, but this might be an option:
ReplyDelete"There was a post a day or so ago about Miracle League. My daughter got back today from volunteering and told me that there are MANY less kids in the 9:30 -10:30 slot than there have been in the last several years..literally 3-4 teen buddies for every child. I say this because if you have a child who is around 5-10 years of age who might like to learn baseball in a supported environment that is very gentle and in no way competitive - just throwing, catching, running bases, there are still several weeks left of the program. It ends around Halloween. Think about it - lots of great teens there ready and waiting to help!"
If this is something you are interested in, let me know and I will reach out for more information!
thank you! I think we are going to try it in the Spring. We are so busy this fall and trying to get back into the swing of things!
ReplyDeleteIt's the second day of June 2016 and we are involved in studying the Parent Packets, staff orientation and group placement. We are also starting to think about a theme for "Parents Day, August 4th. Love it!
ReplyDeleteFred Iris Samantha