Summer camp rolls around once a year, and Rachel Kiwaha said it is her favorite week of the year.

Kiwaha serves as Army Community Service’s Exceptional Family Member Program camp coordinator.

EFMP celebrated summer camp Monday to Friday at Nijmegen Neighborhood Center on Douve Place.

According to Kiwaha, 22 children attended the free camp that was supported by 23 staffers, not including six EFMP employees, and four volunteers to provide an adequate child to staff ratio.
“The reason we do such a high, one-on-one ratio is because most of our kids are severe to profound (special needs children),” Kiwaha said. “We don’t take kids that can typically integrate into a regular camp environment.”

The majority of the children have been diagnosed with autism, Kiwaha said.

Some of the camp activities include bowling, swimming and playing on inflatables at Monkey Joes.
Thirteen-year-old Rico Trotter sat poolside Monday with camp counselors Andi Martin and LaTonia McKoy. He snacked on pretzels while waiting out a mandatory pool break.

“I’m coming back tomorrow and I’m going to bring some food,” Trotter said.

After the break, Trotter and Martin waded into the pool and splashed water back and forth at each other.

He normally does not like water in his face, Martin said as Trotter exited the pool. He soon summoned the courage to reenter.

“To me, it’s rewarding to see the little strides they make,” Martin said.
McKoy adjusted a cap on Micah Reclosado’s head. The 6-year-old rested in McKoy’s lap in a lounge chair by the pool.

McKoy said she enjoys her time at summer camp.

“It’s fulfilling,” she said. “You can see that the children actually appreciate it.”

Other camp activities for the children included watching a movie at Carmike Market Fair and visiting Chuck E. Cheese.

Chuck E. Cheese opened its doors an hour before schedule to allow the children private playtime, Kiwaha said.

“We were trying to do something for military kids to make them feel special,” said Daniel McEachern, manager at Chuck E. Cheese on McPherson Church Road.

The company has a history of community involvement, and it is important to help the Families of Soldiers who are deployed, McEachern added.

EFMP summer camp first began in 2003, said Trisha Newton, EFMP program manager.
Last year, it was expanded from a partial day to a full day to make it more of a typical camp, said Kiwaha, whose special needs son had previously attended.

“We try to make sure that they have a camp experience that they aren’t able to get anywhere else,” she said. “So, the goal is to allow them to have the same type of activities as typically developing children. And we just really want to have fun, that’s the goal.”

According to the EFMP Web site, the program provides assistance to Families who have members with special physical, emotional, developmental or intellectual needs. Enrollment is mandatory and updates are required every three years or if the condition changes.

For more information about EFMP, visit its Web site at www.fortbraggmwr.com/efmp.php or contact Newton at 907-3395.

EFMP offices are located on the third floor of the Soldier Support Center on Normandy Drive.