In 2010, we had been a part of Otter Creek for little more than a year. That summer, Reagan would be a rising 4th grader and Pierce a rising 6th grader. We expected for Reagan to go to camp, and wondered if Pierce would be able to handle it. We were encouraged to sign Pierce up. Camp director Jamon Martin met with us a couple of months beforehand. If you know Jamon, then you’ll recognize the title of this blog post as his “catchphrase”. He told us that Pierce would be their first autistic camper, and he was EXCITED about the challenge. He wanted camp to be a place for ALL children. He didn’t sugarcoat anything; he was scared, but not so scared that he wasn’t willing to give this a shot. He knew we were nervous about sending our child, who was prone to wander, out to a large wooded camp in the middle of nowhere, but Jamon assured us that someone would be with Pierce 24/7. We told him that we felt relieved that his little sister (who very much acts like his big sister) would be there with Pierce, but we didn’t want her to miss out on any fun because she was constantly looking out for him. He said he’d try to make sure this wasn’t an issue. 

The day came to drop our kids off at camp. I was a nervous wreck. This wouldn’t be Pierce’s first sleep away camp, but his other experience was Camp Discovery, a camp specifically for special needs kids. Most of my fears subsided, though, when we pulled up to Pierce’s cabin. One of the 6th grade boys, coincidentally Jamon’s son Gunner, yelled out, “Pierce is here!!”. He and a couple other boys came running over to greet him. I can’t explain the peace I felt, but I just knew that Pierce was in a place where he would be loved on and watched over. I heard nothing but great things at the end of the week. Reagan was able to enjoy herself, although she did admit that there were times she worried a bit about how her brother was doing. At Camp Night a few weeks later, I saw a slide show filled with happy pictures of Pierce. To my knowledge, there weren’t any meltdowns or incidents of him trying to run from upsetting situations. It seemed to be a place where he was happy and carefree, and the campers loved having him there. He loved it! Every year, anticipation for camp was almost greater than that of Christmas. 

This year, I was blessed to experience camp first-hand. Pierce was totally in his element, as comfortable as being at home. This was his last year at camp. The rising seniors dress up in a different theme before dinner every night. After a mix-up the first night where Pierce didn’t make it out in the clothes I’d labeled for him, those senior guys made sure that Pierce was ready for all the theme nights to follow. They watched out for him, almost more than the counsellors and staff, and made every effort to include him in all the senior rituals. One night, they dressed in 50s attire, which I thought was an odd choice. Then during dinner, We Go Together from Grease came blaring over the speakers. The seniors jumped up and did a choreographed dance number…and Pierce was right up there with them! The seniors had met a few times before camp, but didn’t know how to get Pierce there without tipping us off. They met and rehearsed the first night of camp, and Pierce learned the whole dance with them that night. Turns out Pierce likes to dance. On Monday night, we had a dance party. He was right in the middle of it, jumping all around. At one point, he grabbed an inflatable flamingo that was on the stage as part of an earlier skit. He had it by the neck, shaking it and dancing. I got coaxed out onto the dance floor when the Spice Girls came on, and he came wandering over. I took his hand, and, floppy deflating flamingo in his other hand, we danced together for a minute or two. Then he and his flamingo danced away. Such a sweet moment that I’ll never forget. Years ago, the loud music would’ve sent him over the edge. But in recent years, he’s learned to appreciate the loud youth group environment. Game nights were always some version of “capture the flag”. Pierce mostly wandered the field during these games, but occasionally his teammates would remind him whose flags he was supposed to pull. He’d target someone and chase them relentlessly, until the kid being chased finally gave up and let him pull their flag. EVERY. TIME. Trust me, these kids wanted to win, but they had a soft spot in their heart for Pierce and didn’t mind losing their flag to him. Some of them even cheered with him when he managed to “catch” one of them! He loved all of the silly camp songs, but also loved the worship music and would sing along just as loudly as the other kids. It was such a joy to watch him praise God with all of his friends.

Staff that had been going to camp since Pierce’s first year told us how much they loved having him there. Some even said that they felt it was just as beneficial to the other campers as it was for Pierce. One day, I was sitting with Jamon as we waited out a giant storm. He echoed the sentiment that having Pierce there was great for the entire camp. I told him how grateful I was for Pierce to be there. He admitted to me then that he’d been terrified that first year, but so glad he took the challenge. He said that these kids will carry their experiences with Pierce into other aspects of their lives. It will forever change the way they interact with people who are different than they are. He thanked ME for trusting HIM and for sharing Pierce with camp. On the last morning of small group time (a mixture of campers and staff), we decided to go around the circle and tell our camp highlights. When it got to me, I couldn’t hold back the tears. I told this group of kids that the whole week had been a highlight. That they couldn’t possibly know how much it meant to me to watch how loving and accepting they were of Pierce. That I was so grateful for all of them. When I finished, one of the senior boys in our group quietly said, “Pierce is special to us, too”. 

I was teary all week long. My heart was about to burst witnessing the joy Pierce was experiencing, watching my children together in a place that’s so dear to both of them. And along with that emotion, I felt profound emptiness that his camp journey was over. Every “last” of camp was bittersweet. Sure, he’ll still be able to go to Camp Discovery (they take campers from 8-years-old to 80), but it won’t be the same when he’s surrounded by kids like him, most of whom can barely communicate with him. Being with his “normal” peers stretches him in ways I’d never imagine. And knowing that he won’t have this kind of camp experience again makes me ache. It has been suggested that maybe there’s a staff position he could fill so that he could be at camp another year or two, but there would be lots of logistics to work out before that could be a possibility. Reagan has 2 more years of camp left, and I’d love for all of us to be at camp together again before she graduates. So, I’m not ruling anything out.

OCCC has been a gift to our family, one I wouldn’t trade for all the money in the world. Oh that every church had a Jamon Martin, a man so passionate about camp being a place for EVERY kid. He never once suggested that either Tim or I would need to accompany Pierce for him to be able to attend camp. And we had faith in Jamon and other OCCC staff that they would not simple “babysit” Pierce for a week, but that they’d include him in camp activities and make him feel like any other camper there. Thank you, God, for people that dedicate their lives to being the hands and feet of Jesus to “the least of these”. Thank you for Otter Creek Christian Camp. Thank you for these campers that gave Pierce the same respect they’d give any “normal” camper. Thank you for the opportunity to watch Pierce be a part of a church family. In the words of every OCCC camper every morning, I LOOOOOOOVE CAMP!!!