Making the Fun In The Sun Day Camp a little more fun for some, the Weyburn Young Fellows recently donated the funds for a sensory room swing for Inclusion Weyburn members who will attend the day camp this summer.

“Approximately 20 of the children at the camp are typical children who don't have disabilities and about 10 children at the camp have intellectual disabilities,” said Inclusion Weyburn president Jackie Wilson. “To help them at the camp, we have a special room that has equipment and tools in it the children can use to self-regulate.”

This will be the second summer Inclusion Weyburn children have been able to participate in the FITS six-week summer program, and Wilson said it makes a huge difference in their lives.

“Children who have intellectual disabilities often find that downtime, like summer holidays, very, very difficult, because they need routine and structure,” she explained. “So this day camp just gives them that structure that they need. We had so many positive reports back from parents last year who said the whole summer experience for the child and for their family was so much better than other years when the days are long and they can’t predict what’s going to come up next and what’s going to happen.”

“They sometimes get very anxious and nervous and they need help when that happens, and a common tool that children like to use is a swing,” said Wilson. “So we needed one in that room and the Young Fellows gave us money that we put toward a frame and a special swing that the children can use.”

She said the specialized equipment will last for a long time.

“We use it with the camp during the summer and the rest of the year we store those things in a safe place,” said Wilson. “What was in it last year, in our first year, were things that we found at home or things that people borrowed so we're trying to build up the equipment that we need in there.”

She noted other items in the room have included a bean bag chair, a sensory table, a hammock, and mats on the floor.

“Different children like to use different things to relax, but anything that swings is very, very popular,” she said.

A total of ten spots are reserved in the program for Inclusion members. Last year eight were filled.

Wilson explained the program is costly to run because they hire one staff member for each child in the camp, as they each need that one on one attention. She said once finances are in order to do so, they hope to make the same partnership with the Weyburn Family Place for preschoolers.

She said they appreciate the support not only of the Weyburn Young Fellows, but of the community as a whole.

“We very much thank the community for their support,” she said. “We’ve had so much encouragement and support and financial help from so many in the community.”

“We’re blessed with good staff from our community, and good support and lots of help from Tina Clay at the pool,” said Wilson. “[2018] was a wonderful summer for all of us.”