Et cetera : NCCC Team Maple 7 Gets Courageous

By: Ashley Carmichael For eight weeks, Maple 7 is working at Camp Courageous, a year-round respite care and recreational facility in Monticello, Iowa. Camp Courageous serves over 6,000 individuals with disabilities annually and with the help of a NCCC team they are able to take campers off the waiting list. The team is providing personal care for the campers and leading camp activities. The facility offers activities such as canoeing, swimming, dancing, art and entertainment as well as adventure opportunities for campers including a ropes course, a zip line and caving explorations classes. Maple 7 dove right in during their first week at camp, spending three days in orientation and training before joining different camper groups at the end of the week. During orientation and training the team received a tour of the Camp Courageous grounds, training on disability awareness, wheelchair safety and personal care. The team also got the chance to try out the rock wall, archery and super zip, as well as dress up and join the campers at the weekly dance. The mission of Camp Courageous is to provide exceptional year-round recreational and respite care opportunities for individuals with special needs and their families. The camp is run primarily on donations, giving all individuals the opportunity to give through gifts of time, materials, money and other means that support the camp.