Pinetop summer camp for those with special needs still free for participants after 65 years

PINETOP, AZ — As the school year winds down, families will look to fill their summer with something memorable.

A summer camp for special needs students and adults in Pinetop has managed to stay free of cost since the 1950s.

ABC15’s Jordan Bontke looked into what makes this camp so special.

Going to a sleep-away camp for a week is where grade-schoolers can make new relationships and memories, and leave with new skills. For parents, it provides summer respite.

For families of those with special needs, summer camp options may be limited.

Courtesy of Lions Camp Tatiyee

We can consider ourselves lucky in Arizona because, since 1958, Lions Camp Tatiyee in Pinetop has given those Arizona families a full camp experience for free.

Taylor Reed was born with Down Syndrome. His mom, Charlotte, explains how Camp Tatiyee in the White Mountains is something he looks forward to year-round.

“He was so excited. It’s just so meaningful for him to get that childhood experience. It was just amazing for him,” Charlotte said.

The Executive Director of the Camp says they’ve been able to keep it completely free for that long thanks to charitable tax credits, grants, and individual donations.

From June to early August, the camp designates certain weeks for our deaf community, those who are orthopedically or intellectually challenged, and those with learning disabilities.

For the possible reluctant parent, executive Pam Swanson says they’ve been accredited by the American Camp Association, which includes more than 350 standards to be met.

Upon leaving camp, there’s a newfound sense of community and independence that can last year-round.

“They come and they meet other kids that are going through similar things, and our parents have an opportunity to meet each other and connect those kids, and that’s the big thing — we really work on building the community for them,” said Swanson.

This year, the camp now has go-karts, which were donated, and adaptive kayaking, which is another activity option.

As of early May, there’s still a need for some college-aged counselors.

For more information and how you can help, click here.

Read some of ABC15's other coverage on programs aimed at helping members of the community:

• Special needs adults and kids take to the stage as part of summer camp
• Arizona launches 'blue envelope' program to help autistic drivers navigate contact with officers
• ABC15 story helps spur an increase in specialized smoke alarms for the deaf
• Valley cafe makes positive impact from coffee bean to each served-up cup