Wellness G.I.F.T.S. Inc.is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization that offers camping retreats to families who have a family member with developmental disabilities, living at home with their parents or caregivers. Respite, Recreation, and Rejuvenation are the three ‘R’s we strive to achieve. Our families enjoy a weekend camping resort experience in a same family friendly, atmosphere. Wellness G.I.F.T.S. Inc. provides a catered breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the families throughout the retreat. In the welcome bag that we give to families upon arriving are T-shirts that help our volunteers and staff (who also wear specific shirts) distinguish our campers from Hickory Hill Family Camping Resort campers.
Unlike many other camp programs, whose focus is primarily on the family member with a disability, Wellness G.I.F.T.S. Inc. focuses on the family unit. The idea is to take a holistic approach to strengthen families by offering education, respite, and networking opportunities. The connections and friends made during the family’s stay have a lasting positive influence when the family returns home. We understand that stronger families create stronger communities.
2. Family Fun
Wellness G.I.F.T.S. is a
local not-for-profit
agency grown from a
grassroots effort to
meet the needs of
families who have
children, of any age,
with special needs.
3. Respite, Recreation, and
Rejuvenation are the three ‘R’s
we strive to achieve.
Hosted by Hickory Hill Family
Camping Resort, Wellness
G.I.F.T.S. Inc. is located in the
heart of the Finger Lakes.
Our families enjoy a weekend
in a safe family friendly,
atmosphere.
4. History
Wellness G.I.F.T.S. Inc. was
started by Janet Opila-Lehman in
2001 with a vision of providing
educational, social, therapeutic,
and respite activities for children
with special needs and their
family members. The Board of
Directors is comprised of
volunteer members who are
dedicated to the Mission &
Vision of Wellness G.I.F.T.S. Inc.
5. Unlike many other camp
programs, G.I.F.T.S.
focuses on the whole
family.
7. Each Season begins with a
new and exciting theme.
Themes help to create a
whimsical, retreat, get-
away atmosphere.
8.
9. Upon arriving, every camper receives an interesting theme-based Welcome Bag of
retreat supplies. Once the families check- in (at 3:00pm), a schedule, lodging key, and
parking pass are made available to our guests.
We provide every family member a matching T-shirt. This helps our volunteers and
staff distinguish our campers from Hickory Hill Family Camping Resort campers. Our
staff and volunteers also wear matching shirts that are easily identified by our guests.
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12. Wellness G.I.F.T.S. Inc. provides a catered breakfast, lunch, and dinner for
the families throughout the retreat.
13. As you can see by this
August 2015 Retreat
schedule, there were
plenty of interesting
activities planned for our
astronauts!
Children- Planned Open Parents
Friday
3:00 Check in Check in
5:00
6:30
Taco Dinner/unpack
Amazing Space Race
Meet & Greet Crafts,
Hiking,
Mini golf
Taco Dinner/unpack
Amazing Space Race
7:00 Opening Ceremony Opening Ceremony
7:30 Movie/Popcorn/S’mores Movie/Popcorn/S’mores
Saturday
8:30 Breakfast Breakfast
9:30 Space Stories
Crafts
Hiking
Mini golf
Play Ground/ Field
Icebreaker (Lounge)
10:00 Sandy and Joseph Windwalker
(Hall)
Teena Fitzroy - Speaker Lounge
11:00 AstroBall - VB court
11:30 (11:45) Group Photo (11:45) Group Photo
12:00 Lunch Lunch
2:00 Rocket Race Cars Swimming
Crafts
Hiking
Mini golf
Play ground
Fields
Ties (Speaker)
2:45 Ice Cream Social
Assistant Break (2:45- 3:45)
Ice Cream Social
Assistant Break (2:45- 3:45)
3:45 Wagon Ride
Rocket Creation- Launching
Wagon Ride
Reception/Networking Activity
Hall
4:00
4:30 Rocket Races
5:00 Pizza Party/DJ Tent Parent Dinner
6:30 Talent Show Talent Show
Sunday
7:00 Continental Breakfast Continental Breakfast
8:30 Make noise makers Crafts
Hiking
Mini golf
Play Ground/ Field
Make noise makers
9:00 Parade Parade
9:30 (Check out)
10:00 Brunch Llamas Brunch
11:00 Closing Ceremony Closing Ceremony
14. Although our theme changes from year to year, there are some activities
we do annually at every retreat.
• Opening Ceremony
• Group Picture
• Ice Cream Social
• Parent Dinner
• DJ Dance and Pizza Party
• Talent Show
• Parade
• Closing Ceremony
15. The Opening Ceremony
After dinner, and everyone is
unpacked and settled in we meet
in the Activity Hall for the Opening
Ceremony. At this time we go over
the specifics, expectations, rules,
regulations, and policies.
It is a great time to for everyone
to get to know each other and for
Assistants to get to know their
families.
16. Activities
During retreats, campers are
encouraged to participate in
recreational physical activity.
Emphasis is placed on team
building, communication,
good sportsmanship, and
every effort is made to
include campers of all
abilities.
19. When naming our sports
events, Wellness G.I.F.T.S.
takes in consideration
possible negative associations
to typical sporting activities.
20. For example, this year to
coordinate with our Space
Camp theme we renamed
kickball ‘lunar launch.’ This is
an effective way to promote
participation and creates a
new enthusiasm for physical
activity.
21. Samu from Ability Yoga, a yoga program designed for children with
disabilities, held a class with our children and provided an informational
presentation to our parents.
33. Arts and Crafts
A popular activity for many of
our campers is arts and crafts,
which is made available
throughout the retreat. Our
organization understands the
importance of creativity and
art in the lives of our
campers.
36. The most important rule of the
arts & craft tent is to ‘Respect
other’s Artwork.’ This helps each
camper to be comfortable in being
creative, promoting the
importance of each individuals
‘work of art’ building self-esteem
37. Ice Cream Social
This time honored activity is
such a sweet treat. We all
scream for ice cream in the
summer!
38.
39.
40. G.I.F.T.S. opens this up to all
the guests of Hickory Hill
Family Camping Resort for a
small $2.00 fee. This helps to
bring campers together and
helps offset the cost of the ice
cream.
41. Our program has effectively
integrated the creative process with
education and social integration. Last
season our campers created rockets
out of recycled bottles which were
launched into the air by ‘the rocket
man’, a local science teacher, as
parents and fellow campers watched
on in amazement.
This was not only a fun and
educational event; it was an
experience that will remain in the
memories of our campers and their
families for years to come.
46. Parent Dinner
One of the highlights of
the retreat for the parents
is a specially decorated
and catered ‘Parent
Dinner’. Parents order
their meal choice ahead of
time and we do our best to
create a beautiful
ambiance for networking.
47. Parents and caregivers dress up, enjoying the company of their
spouses and other parents while their children are busy
enjoying a DJ dance and pizza party.
50. DJ Dance & Pizza Party
While the
parents are
enjoying grown
up time, the
kids are busting
a move!
51. The Talent Show! Our Camper’s Favorite!
The Saturday night talent show is
always a highlight of each retreat
weekend. Researchers report that
preforming on stage can be an
incredible tool to encourage
socialization, communication, and
greater facial recognition skills in
children with autism.
52. We love to celebrate Birthdays with song and
silly hats just before the talent begins!
54. Many of our returning
campers plan, prepare,
and practice for our
annual talent show year
round and our new
campers are excited to
join in and have their
time in the ‘limelight.’
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58. For parents, this event fills their
hearts with pride. One parent
wrote an email after the August
retreat that said her daughter “has
always dreaded Talent Shows. She
went up twice to sing with the
volunteers. Amazing!!!”
59. Social Interaction and Networking
We know that our retreats serve
as an important social experience
for the campers and their families.
Parents/Caregivers, the children
with special needs, and their
siblings have unique opportunities
to connect with others in their
own peer groups.
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61.
62. These retreats provide a much-
needed reprieve for both the
caregivers and the children. Because
their children with special needs are
nearby in the campground with their
assistant, parents can relax with the
knowledge that their loved one is
close and well supervised. “It felt so
nice to take a shower” explained one
parent during the July 2015 retreat.
To many, taking a shower may seem
like a simple task, but to parents
with children with special needs it
can be a daily struggle.
63. Parents also have the opportunity to attend educational training
seminars, explore networking opportunities, speaker presentations, or
simply relax by the pool.
68. Closing Ceremony
One of the most
touching parts of our
retreats. We pass
around the ‘talking
stick’ and everyone
gets a turn to speak
about their experience
at the retreat.
73. Volunteers – Assistants and Helping Hands
Each of our campers is
assigned a trained assistant
for the weekend that
supports them with various
activities that are both fun
and motivational. Our
organization is volunteer
based with two categories of
volunteers, assistants and
helping hands.
74. Assistants
Assistants who are ages 17
and older are background
checked, fingerprinted, and
receive training in compliance
with New York State law to
assure safety for our families.
Assistants are the backbone
of the organization and the
ones who spend the most
time with the family.
75. Helping Hands
Helping hands are teenagers
ages 13 to 16, who also
attend training. They help the
assistants and staff during the
retreats wherever there is a
need. Several of the helping
hands are siblings of the
children with special needs
and some are Hickory Hill
seasonal campers.
76.
77. . Wellness G.I.F.T.S. Inc. recruits at area colleges and high
schools for students who are looking to gain professional
and personal experience working with children who have
disabilities.
78. Many of these young adults are
working at our retreats to fulfill
field period, internship, or
community service requirements.
The Wellness G.I.F.T.S. Inc. retreat
program allows these students to
gain valuable experience that will
help them in their educational and
professional endeavors
79. We are fortunate to have
outstanding members of
the local community who
bring their entire family
to camp to help us from
set up to the final clean
up. Many campers have
gone from attendees to
volunteers to board or
committee members.
80. All of our volunteers work and play with the
children during the retreat, forming bonds
and relationships with the families and each
other. These wonderful humans are the
heart and sweat of the Wellness G.I.F.T.S.
Inc. organization.
