Every child deserves to experience the wonders of summer camp while making lasting memories they will cherish for the rest of their lives. At Camp Big Heart, children and adults with developmental disabilities are invited to partake in a week of fun that is perfectly tailored to their interests and capabilities. 

    The overnight summer camp is made possible by its many sponsors throughout Georgia, including many Georgia Civitan clubs and our local Warner Robins Civitan Club. This nonprofit volunteer organization is dedicated to serving individuals and the community with a major emphasis in providing aid to those with disabilities. Each year, they help sponsor individuals with special needs who wish to attend Camp Big Heart. 

     At Camp Big Heart, their mission is “To provide the highest quality summer recreational camping experience for Georgia’s developmentally challenged children and adults.” With over 30 years of providing safe, affordable, high-quality camping programs, staff and volunteers have mastered the individualized care that makes each camper feel right at home.  

    Camp Big Heart runs for two weeks every summer at Camp John Hope in Fort Valley, Georgia. The first week June 12-17, 2022 includes adult campers ages 18-60 while the second week, June 19-24, 2022 is for younger campers ages 8-17. The camp runs from Sunday to Friday morning in a flurry of activities, meals and events for all. 

    Mary Coon has been a member of the Warner Robins Civitan Club for 33 years before becoming the Camp Big Heart Treasurer. “Our Civitan Club has been sponsoring kids to go to this camp for years,” she recalls. “Being on the other side of it just opened my eyes to a whole lot more of what is being made available to families.” 

    Mary explains the wonderful opportunities the camp includes. “There’s something going on all the time,”

  she tells me. The camp offers arts and crafts, sports, Wacky Olympics, cooking, swimming, rock climbing, water slides and more. “There’s no time to just sit and do nothing. We keep them very busy. They just have a ball.”

    Mary talks about the benefits of exercise included in these activities. “Our group will push them to their limits, but they’re having such a great time,” she says. If a camper chooses to sit out of an activity, a volunteer will happily sit with them and watch the games. However, campers are eager to join the fun and rarely choose to miss out. 

     Every year, they throw a talent show where campers perform in front of their new friends. Mary describes this night with enthusiasm for the life and energy each camper displays. Encouraged by their peers, they spend the evening in smiles and laughter as each camper takes their turn to perform their chosen talent. 

    To conclude the week of activities, a dance takes place on the very last night. Campers enjoy the music, dancing, photo booth and laughter entailed in this festive evening. A highlight of Camp Big Heart, it is a chance to celebrate the week’s events and the friendships made along the way.

    It takes a team of passionate and caring individuals to make this camp happen each year. With a director, managerial staff, unit managers, activity directors, medical staff and volunteers, they are properly equipped to serve the campers and provide safe fun for all. Volunteers are needed!

    “I didn’t realize how difficult it was,” Mary admits when she talks about running the camp. But each year, the reward for their hard work is more than worth the effort. They are proud of their volunteers and touched to see them return to give of their services time and time again. “I think they have as much fun as the campers do,” Mary shares. 

     Mary describes the apprehension some campers experience when they first arrive at camp. With new faces, new activities and the absence of family, it can at first be overwhelming. However, the volunteers and staff understand this and work extra hard to make each camper feel at home. 

    “The volunteers just come in and envelope them and say, ‘You’re safe here. We’re going to have a fun time,’” Mary explains. Their reassurance helps ease the campers into the week, and soon they have forgotten all about their original hesitations. 

    The most exciting part for returning campers is being reunited with last year’s camp buddies. Mary 

 describes this annual reunion as heartwarming and joyous to witness. Camp is a haven for these children, and it is made even better by the familiar faces that joined them on this adventure the previous year. 

    Volunteers have reunions of their own, and it is a joy to serve alongside these friends each summer. “It’s kind of like family,” Mary says. While your child is enjoying this annual adventure with the team at Camp Big Heart, your family can rest assured that they are having the time of their lives.

    Mary talks with great respect for the parents of each camper. While camp staff and volunteers only work with the children for one week out of the year, parents exhibit unmatched selfless devotion to their children year-round. Mary only wishes for more parents to learn about the opportunity for their children to attend Camp Big Heart. 

    Civitan Clubs throughout Georgia also recognize the tender devotion of the family members of these campers. The boundless love of the parents makes each member of Civitan Clubs proud to provide these families with this opportunity. In addition, their efforts extend throughout the year in continued support of children and adults with developmental disabilities. 

  Debbie Crenshaw, a Warner Robins Civitan Club member, Camp Big Heart board member and retired special education teacher, says, “One of our favorite things that our Warner Robins Civitan club helps with is a prom for all high school friends with special needs in all five high schools in Houston County.” Usually occurring in March during Exceptional Children’s Week, the prom is complete with festive decorations, wonderful food and lots of dancing. “It’s a magical night for these kids,” Debbie says. 

    In addition, Warner Robins Civitan Club sponsored Easter egg hunts for several local elementary special education classes in 2021. Their community contributions have also included adaptive playground equipment and teacher mini grants. In everything they do, they strive to enrich the lives of our community’s special children. 

    Camp Big Heart would not be possible without the donations and support of our generous community. They rely on volunteers, contributors and sponsors to continue impacting the lives of these children. They are committed to providing a special, memorable experience for each camper, and are honored to do so year after year.  Additional information about Camp Big Heart may be found at www.campbigheart.org or on Facebook: Camp Big Heart.