About Camp Abilities

Camp Abilities Columbus GA is a comprehensive developmental sports camp for children who are blind or visually impaired. Camp Abilities provides a 1:1 instructional situation for each child. Camp Abilities Columbus GA will provide various sporting and recreational activities for participants with visual impairments who vary in socio-economic status, ethnic background, and skill level. Sports and recreational activities include: goalball, beep baseball, beep kickball, tandem biking, rock climbing, tennis, soccer, swimming, track & field and team building activities.

Purpose of Camp Abilities

Empower Children

First and foremost, our purpose is to empower children who are blind or visually impaired to be physically active and a productive member of their schools, communities and society in general. Because children with visual impairments have been shown to have lower levels of health-related physical fitness than their peers, the camp plays a vital role in reinforcing each child's self-esteem and confidence in their ability to master specific sports, recreational and social activities.

Educate Columbus State University Students

Secondly, this will provide undergraduate and graduate level students a hands-on learning environment on how to teach sports and recreational activities to children who are blind or visually impaired. This opportunity will aid in preparing them for their future careers.

History

Dr. Lauren Lieberman established Camp Abilities over 20 years ago in Brockport, New York. Her vision was to expand the camp to other areas. There are currently active camps all over the world, to a name a few locations, Brockport, NY, Long Island, NY, Columbus Georgia, Alaska, Brazil, Ireland, Vermont, Tucson, AZ, West Chester, PA, Delaware, Oregon, Michigan, Texas, Merrick, Maryland, Andover, North Carolina, Iowa, Utah, Toronto (Canada), and Puerto Rico.

Jeanine Fittipaldi-Wert, PhD has been involved in Camp Abilities for over 20 years. She started as a camp counselor at the Camp Abilities Brockport and spent a total of 9 years attending Camp Abilities Brockport as a camp counselor, assistant group leader, group leader, sports specialist and behavior specialist. While she was volunteering at Brockport Camp Abilities, she was offered the unique opportunity to be the Assistant Director of Tucson Camp Abilities, which she held for 9 years. She is now the Director of Camp Abilities Columbus, GA.

Since 2012, Camp Abilities Columbus, GA has extended the opportunity to children with visual impairments to attend camp. During camp, campers participate in ice hockey, tandem biking, goalball, beep baseball, beep kickball, rock climbing, tennis, soccer, swimming, track & field and team building activities. Camp Abilities Columbus, GA is organized and staffed completely by volunteers and funded through donations. The camp counselor volunteers are CSU Health & Physical Education majors, alumni and students from other universities majoring in physical education or in the vision field.

Camp Abilities Columbus, GA is very fortunate to have the sports taught by professionals in the field who volunteer their time to aid in creating a successful and positive environment and experience for the campers and counselors.

Camp Abilities Columbus, GA would not be possible without volunteers and monetary and food donations.

Check out the below websites for additional information about the sports at Camp Abilities Columbus, Ga

Beep Baseball: Beep Baseball's website.

Beep Kickball: Beep Kickball's website.

Goalball: Goalball's website.

Tandem Biking: the Paralympic's website.

Tennis: An introduction to visually impaired tennis – Tennis Foundation.

Soccer/Football-5-a-side: the Paralympic's soccer website.

Blind Ice Hockey: Blind hockey demonstration at Bell Centre website.

To learn about other Camp Abilities, refer to Camp Abilities website.