Camp Wamp

As you may or may not know, I care for a 10 year old boy with Cerebral Palsy named Laird. He is by far the strongest, most resilient and most intelligent child I’ve ever known. His body does not function but his mind is completely intact if not more so than most able bodied humans. He communicates using eye gaze technology where he is able to type using a computer that tracts his eye movement. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be best friends with a 10 year old in a wheelchair when I moved to California. 

I recently returned from a sleep away summer camp near Lake Tahoe where I took Laird for a week.  This camp is run by the most incredible human beings I have ever met in my life. Stephen and Elizabeth Wampler run Camp Wamp in Soda Springs, CA. Camp Wamp is a sleep away camp for children like Laird. It allows them to acknowledge their capability and realize that they have the potential to live a fulfilling life. 

Stephen Wampler, the owner of Camp Wamp, is similar to Laird in the fact that he has Cerebral Palsy, lives his life in a wheelchair and has a brilliant brain. Stephen, unlike Laird, is able to talk. 

Stephen has defied all doubts that society has had of him. He has attended college, he is married to Elizaeth, he has two children and last but not least is the first disabled human to ever successfully climb El Capitan. There is a movie called Wampler’s ascent which will hopefully be on Netflix in the future. Stephen not only has defied society’s expectations but now runs a camp to help children similar to him realize that they can also do great things and live purposeful lives. 

Because I had such an incredible experience and was able to see first hand how much of an impact Stephen and Elizabeth’s camp has on children who were born with physical disabilities as well as show Laird that his life can and will be just as great as any other humans, I am asking people to donate to their mission and cause, something I a believe makes an honest and true difference in our world.