Planning for the summer can be a big ordeal, especially when you must find activities for your children during the summer months, while you work. Summer camps are always a fun way to keep children active and engaged while they are out of school. Camp Conquest is a camp designed specifically for individuals with special needs and disabilities. “We create a culture where every individual with a disability has purpose, value, and a place in the kingdom of God,” said Mark Price, founder & CEO.
Around 1,100 camps across the U.S. serve individuals with special needs and disabilities, but 97% require the camper to bathe, dress, and feed themselves. Most of those camps will age the campers out by 18 – 22 years of age. That leaves less than 40 camps that serve all ages, diagnoses, and all disabilities, and Camp Conquest is one of them.
Camp Conquest provides a 1:1 ratio (camper: counselor) for the entire week, so campers have the best week ever. Activities include horseback riding, canoeing, archery, fishing, a 600′ zipline across the lake, nightly-themed parties, and much more.
Many of our campers come from different backgrounds, yet all leave transformed. Lukas is just one of our incredible campers. Lukas’s parents shared that they were unsure how Lukas would respond to camp. “Due to his disability, Lukas has difficulty with expressive and receptive language, so we worried no one would ‘get him’ and that he would struggle to understand ‘them,'” Lukas’s parents shared.
Yet they decided to see how this experience would go for Lukas, and they were blown away.
His parents say, “He went from watching others on the sidelines to ziplining! Our family couldn’t believe our eyes when we saw the pictures of him in a canoe, swimming in the lake, and on the zip line. Smiles to melt our hearts!”
Even in growing his sense of community, Camp Conquest was where Lukas was able to exercise and continue to develop skills.
During the pandemic, Lukas was unable to attend speech therapy and had not communicated verbally for an extended amount of time. Yet, just one week into camp and with our dedicated staff and volunteers, Lukas had spoken! He explained “Water” to one of our volunteers while swimming in the lake! His parents share, “It has been a remarkable journey, and we love seeing what he will try next!”
Camp Conquest is adding two more weeks of camp this summer to impact more lives, just like Lukas.
The fantastic outcomes for campers like Lukas are the overwhelming grace of God at work through people who open themselves up to be used by Him. We ask that you consider spreading the word about Camp Conquest and partner with us, whether through prayer, donation, or volunteering.
Camp Conquest is located in Millington, Tennessee. For more information visit their website at www.campconquest.com.
