Parents From all Over the Country Bring Their Children to Summer Camp at Sara’s Garden
Article published Friday, July 11, 2014 by the Defiance Crescent
WAUSEON — Now in its fourth year, Sara’s Garden summer camp in Wauseon has been helping children from all over the country that have autism, cerebral palsy, brain trauma or other disabilities by offering autism intervention, conductive education, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and sensory integration.
The goal of the summer camp, according to camp administrator and New Horizons Academy principal Dave Burkholder, is to help children improve their lives in several areas.
“The concept of the camp from the beginning was to provide conductive education for the families, but it was two years ago that we also began offering autism intervention, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and sensory integration,” stated Burkholder. “When we started this four years ago, we had three kids, now we have 39, and the growth of this camp came from the successes the parents saw in their children. It’s because of those parents spreading the word, that we’ve reached families all over the country.
“Our conductive ed program helps children improve their fine gross motor communication skills,” continued Burkholder. “The goal is to create independence for the kids so they can walk, talk and feed themselves independently. Our autism intervention and sensory integration are for kids on the autism spectrum. They go through individualized programs that enable them to also create independence. Also, about half of the children in camp go through HBOT (hyperbaric oxygen therapy), where the oxygen, in addition to the work the kids put in, helps them make those strides.”
Tiffany Hicks of Leroy, Ala., and Lisa Boylan of Tigard, Ore., are two mothers who have traveled thousands of miles to bring their children to the summer camp. Hicks’ son, Cole, suffered brain trauma when he nearly drowned at 20 months, while Boylan’s daughter, Molly, was born with cerebral palsy. Both Hicks and Boylan have their kids in the camp for the second straight year because they have seen the improvement in their children, and because they don’t have these types of services where they live.
“My husband (Randy) and I were online searching to find what might work for Molly, we found the camp last year, we asked for help from family members, and we were able to get here,” said Boylan. “Molly is 9, she has cerebral palsy and is non-verbal. I can usually figure out what she wants to say, and after being camp last year, we knew she wanted to came back. She loves it here, she doesn’t know she’s working, and because of that, she’s is having a blast and making progress.”
Said Hicks: “Cole wasn’t supposed to be able to do anything, he was supposed to be a vegetable. But I see him being pushed to reach new heights, and it’s amazing. I’ve done the research, we tried different therapies, but what he’s achieved here so far … I’m just amazed, and our family is amazed too.”
Despite the fact the camp costs $35 per hour, runs four hours, five-days a week, and lasts for four weeks, the two mothers couldn’t be happier or more excited about the improvement they’ve seen in their children.
“I’ve seen so many gains since Cole started here, huge gains,” Hicks said. “I’m amazed at what the people here do with the kids, they’re pushed to reach their highest potential. It’s a miracle place, it is.”
Said Boylan: “This camp was very different than anything we’ve done with Molly,” Boylan said. “We had done a lot of physical therapy, but what she does here is fun for her, and I can see her trying hard because she’s enjoying it. We found she has more control of her body, but the biggest thing was her hands relaxing. She had always had her hands clenched, but at the end of last summer, that wasn’t the case, and it was the first time that has ever happened. We saw the potential, that’s why we’re back.”
After enrolling Cole in the camp last year, Hicks liked the program so much that she and Cole moved to Wauseon so that he could be enrolled at New Horizon’s Academy in the fall for the school year. Meanwhile, the Boylan family has also discussed moving to Wauseon to send Molly to New Horizons.
“When I saw what was happening here last year at camp, my husband and I made the decision that Cole and I would move here … we want to do everything we can for our child,” said Hicks, whose husband, Robert, still lives in Alabama. “It wasn’t easy moving 14 hours away from home, but this place is a dream come true. I can’t express enough how happy Cole is here and how much he’s improved.”
Concluded Boylan: “In Oregon there’s physical therapy and there’s school, but we don’t have anything like what’s here. My husband and I have had conversations about moving to this area and having Molly attend New Horizons. We see the benefits of it, but we both have jobs and family back home … let’s just say it’s something we’re talking about and who knows what will happen in the future?”