By SHANNON CAULFIELD and KRISTINA SCALA
Camp Little Rock has entered its third year of operation, offering kids with visual impairment the chance to experience a fulfilling summer camp while catering to their needs.
The camp was named after Rocco Fiorentino, who is blind due to retinopathy of prematurity.
Rocco was denied admission to multiple camps facing liabilities over the years due to his blindness and inspired Tina Fiorentino, Rocco’s mother, to begin The Little Rock Foundation and Camp Little Rock for her son and others.
“I think it gives a lot of these kids an incredible experience that they don’t normally have and don’t get the opportunity to do. For some of them this is what their whole summer is — they look forward to this all year,” said Rocco, CEO and counselor in training.
Camp Little Rock is an annual, six-week program and is for children ranging in age from 7 to 14. The camp takes place at YMCA’s Camp Ockanickon, offering space for the camp to spread out and use the natural and athletic resources offered by the facility.
“I researched it for about a year to try and find a camp that would be compatible with the challenges that we faced, and the YMCA was very receptive to bringing the children in and allowing me to improve the camp program,” said Tina Fiorentino founder of the Little Rock Foundation in addition to the camp.
Their continued partnership allows for improvement of the camp. The camp and the YMCA are currently discussing the installation of a track for both Camp Little Rock and those utilizing Camp Ockanickon.
The summer programs at the camp are both athletic and educational for the campers.
“We do swimming, archery with balloons so they can hear they’ve hit the target, fishing, horseback riding. We had a drum percussionist come,” said Fiorentino.
The camp brought in a taxidermist for the kids to feel what animals are like, according to Fiorentino.
“We always talk about birds flying, but we never talk about birds having feet, and this gives the chance to really learn about the animals in a different way,” Fiorentino said.
The camp concludes with a talent show and a one-night sleepover, giving the kids an introduction to sleeping away from home, many of whom will sleep away from home for the first time.
“Swimming is my favorite. I even do it at home,” said Mikayla Gephart, an attendee of the camp since the age of 7. “It’s really fun you do a lot of fun activities. It’s a wonderful experience.”
Each camper is paired with a counselor assisting the campers with various activities and directions. The counselors will clap, indicating the distance and location of the goal is with both Frisbee or goal ball, a sport in which the campers roll a ball with bells inside into a goal.
“Rocco has been my best friend since I was 5 in kindergarten,” said Mallory Williams, 15, of Freehold. “I’ve been here since I was 12 as a counselor to assist the kids. It’s a wonderful camp. It’s a great experience, and I’ve learned so much. I have learned to appreciate my sight so much more.”
The Little Rock Foundation funds multiple programs as well, including family resource centers at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Willis Eye Hospital. It funds a scholarship program, a holiday party education for legislators as well as running programs for Blindness Awareness Month in October.
“The Blindness Awareness Walk is Sept. 29 at Camp Ockanickon,” said Debbie Nichols, community events coordinator for The Little Rock Foundation. “There are 44 states involved and we have a walk to kickoff the whole month.”
To learn more about the Little Rock Foundation or Camp Little Rock, visit www.tlrf.org.
“Just because you have a disability doesn’t mean that you can’t do things,” said Simon Bonefant, a camper entering his second year. ”If you have a disability then you can work through your disability and work through your needs. I feel like Camp Little Rock does that.”
