City Parks Department Receives Grant for Summer Camp Inclusion Services

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2008

For more information contact
[Amy Shrake|mailto:shrakea@bloomington.in.gov], Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department, (812) 349-3747

Bloomington, IN - The City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department's Kid City Summer Camp was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Bubel/Aiken Foundation to implement Let's ALL Play-Inclusion in Recreational Programs. The grant will allow children with developmental disabilities to enjoy a successful summer camp experience in an inclusive setting.

According to Amy Shrake, Inclusive Recreation Coordinator with the Parks and Recreation Department, the grant will help fund salaries for counselors who work with children whose accommodation plans for summer camp include one-on-one staffing.

Kid City Summer Camps, which are accredited by the American Camp Association, have been completely inclusive since 2003. "The Parks and Recreation Department is committed to an inclusive approach to recreation," Shrake said. "We are excited to work with The Bubel/Aiken Foundation to further open Kid City to children with disabilities. These funds will enable us to give more children the chance to participate in activities they and their families never thought possible."

Registration is currently open for [Kid City Summer Camps|541], which are held in one-week sessions. Kid City Original serves children in kindergarten through fourth grade, while Kid City Quest is open to grades five through seven. Teen X-Treme and Teen X-Treme Travel camps offer high adventure in the form of rock climbing, caving, hiking, biking and trips around Indiana and the Midwest for teens in grades eight through 10.

The Bubel/Aiken Foundation provides services and financial assistance to promote the full integration of children with disabilities into the life environment of those without. The Foundation strives to create awareness about the diversity of individuals with disabilities and the possibilities that inclusion can bring. In addition to Kid City Summer Camps, the Foundation is supporting more than 30 recreational programs across the country.

For more information about Kid City Summer Camps, [visit the Kid City Web site|541]. To learn more about Inclusive Recreation Services offered for Park and Recreation programs, [visit our Inclusive Recreation Web site|Inclusive Recreation] or contact [Amy Shrake|mailto:shrakea@bloomington.in.gov] at 349-3747.

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