SOUTH BEND Wheelchair art is a tradition at Camp Millhouse, a camp for people with disabilities located southwest of the city, off of Kern Road and Indiana 23.
Wednesday was camper Ben Adelman’s first time painting, but with the help of counselors at the camp, he picked it up quickly and created a masterpiece.
With a variety of supplies and equipment — including paint rollers, both to hold and attach to wheelchairs, and flat-bottomed pogo sticks — every camper regardless of ability can participate in the wheelchair art activity.
New this year at the camp is a therapy component to programming, made possible with new hires at the camp who specialize in areas such as art and music therapy.
Ashley Thompson, a recent Union University graduate, came all the way from Memphis, Tenn., to work as the camp’s art director for the summer. As art director, she has facilities a lot of the art programming to ensure it is accessible for all campers.
“The campers get to choose the colors and what they want it to look like,” Thompson said of the wheelchair art. “Of course, modifications are made, but ultimately, everyone can participate.”
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Thompson also works on selling the artworks created by campers in community auctions to raise money for Millhouse.
Although Adelman said the wheelchair art was good, it hasn’t yet won the title of his favorite summer activity, which he said goes to swimming in the camp’s on-site pool.
As Adelman looks forward to celebrating his 40th birthday Thursday, he said there’s nowhere he would rather spend it than at camp.
“This is my family,” he said.
A long history of summer camp gets some adjustments
Camp Millhouse has been hosting campers of all ages since it was established in 1940, first serving individuals with polio.
The camp runs six week-long overnight programs each summer. Of the six weeks, three are designed for ages 18 and older, one is for ages 7 to 17, one is designed as a “one-on-one” program with a staffer paired up with each camper, and the last week is a “sports week” for more independent campers with a competitive spirit.
This summer, there is a 20-camper-maximum each week — 10 boys and 10 girls — a far cry from the usual 60 campers per week. Executive Director Diana Breden said the lower enrollment is to ensure COVID-19 safety protocols can be in place, especially because many campers are at a higher risk for the virus.
“We make sure the campers sleep six feet apart,” Breden said. “And in three of our older cabins, there’s not even enough space to do that.”
It costs Camp Millhouse $1,300 to host each camper for the week, but families pay on a tiered-voluntary basis with a $700 minimum. The rest of the money comes from fundraising, Breden said.
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The campground includes the main lodge, sleeping cabins, a recreational center, swimming pool and a low ropes challenge course for campers to enjoy.
Camp Millhouse looks to raise $1.2 million for new lodge
In June 2020, when Millhouse was making the decision to suspend camps for the summer due to the coronavirus pandemic, the staff received more bad news: the floor of the main lodge was sinking in.
With the 2020 and 2021 sessions offered remotely, the camp had a little more time to create a game plan. For this summer, small repairs were done to ensure the lodge was safe, but Breden says it can’t make it another summer: “It’s time.”
Building a new lodge will cost $1.2 million, of which roughly $880,000 has already been raised. But demolition of the current lodge starts Sept. 1, no matter how much is raised by then. If the camp doesn’t raise the total $1.2 million, it’ll take out a construction loan, Breden said.
“We’re really hoping we can make the money by the end of the year,” Breden said.
It’s been 30 years since Camp Millhouse has constructed a new building; the last time was in 1992 when a sixth cabin was built. The future lodge, designed by Ziolkowski Construction, will feature a spacious kitchen, upgraded spaces for staff and a separate dispensary room for campers’ medications. But Breden says she is most excited about the new bathrooms, which will be transitioned from two crowded gendered bathrooms to three individual unisex restrooms.
“Right now, they have no privacy. There’s just shower curtains,” she said. “With the new bathrooms, they’ll have their privacy and dignity, which they all deserve.”
Camp Millhouse is hosting a farewell event for the current lodge on Aug. 16. All past campers, families and community members are invited to the event, Breden said.
“People love this place,” she said, noting that it’s been there since the camp opened in 1940. “It’ll be emotional to say goodbye.”
Email Alysa Guffey at [email protected] Follow her on Twitter @AlysaGuffeyNews,
