Published on October 7, 2014 by Katie Stripling  
young boy meets dog in CampUs event

CampUs, Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing’s summer camp for children with special needs, returned in 2014 and was bigger and better than ever before!

Throughout the summer, CampUs provided respite care for more than 30 families with children with special needs, ages 4-14. With day camp opportunities throughout the summer, children had an enriching experience at Samford, while parents got a much needed break (respite), and students experienced a unique interprofessional learning environment caring for special needs including autism, fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, seizure disorders, and various additional rare chromosome anomaly syndromes.

Samford’s Pete Hanna Center was home to CampUs this summer, providing campers with a variety of opportunities for fun. Children enjoyed Vacation Bible School, music, arts and crafts, water/bubble play, animal therapy, an indoor playground, and much more as a part of CampUs. 

Generous community partners help make CampUs possible. Special thanks to: Grace’s Kitchen, Hand-in-Paw, John 3:16, Push America-Journey of Hope South Team, Helena United Methodist Church Worship Band, McDowell Environmental Science Center, Alabama Lifespan Respite Resource Network, Ambucs, UCP Life without Limits, Mobility Works of Birmingham, Triumph Services, Coca-Cola, Chick-Fil-A, McAlister’s Deli, Publix.\

Looking ahead

In the coming year, CampUs is expanding into the academic semesters of fall and spring by partnering with Liberty Park Baptist Church for additional respite opportunities. Through this partnership, CampUs will offer additional events that will deepen family connections to a Christ-centered community and better reach families with the life-giving news of Jesus; allowing families of children with special needs to tangibly experience God’s great love for all members of the family. Some of the new offerings include respite weekend sessions, holiday parties, expansion of the summer camp program and numerous other spiritual and social interaction opportunities for families.

To volunteer or learn more about CampUs, please contact Dr. Jill Cunningham at 205-726-2733 or jlcunni1@samford.edu. Convo credit is available for students.

To learn more about enrolling a child in CampUs, please email camp-us@samford.edu. 

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 5,791 students from 49 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.