When I pick him up from camp he is glowing, beaming with Camp Fitch joy. He told me that camp is his summer home and the Camp Fitch Bunch is his family.

First and foremost he really loves to be there and has lots of friends. As a parent, camp provides good, wholesome supervision and activities while we are working. He would just be hanging around the house otherwise.

My daughter and I are very close. I feel at times that this bond has been her crutch to break out and believe that she can do things without me. Camp allows her to see in herself what I see in her every day.

Kyle has come out of his shell during the three years that he has attended the camp. Because of the Leadership Development program he has started being more involved with teaching at church and volunteering for mentoring programs through the school system. He very much wants to spend the summer at camp next summer as a counselor.

It gives him a chance to explore life in a controlled setting while gaining needed social skills and computer programming skills. As a high functioning teen with autism he needs to learn how to connect with others on his own.

I love that there are no electronic devices allowed. Camp provides a beautiful outdoor space, fun activities and a unique experience to sleep outdoors in the cabents. My daughter also made a lot of new friends and tried a lot of new activities. It was an even better experience for her (and us) than I had anticipated!

It shows him that there are many other types of people out there in the world. The school year can be very stressful with nasty kids singling out any one who is not popular. Puberty intensifies these feelings of being left out.

At Camp we have an extra energy. We have the opportunity to do new activities, hear each others stories, learn new cultures, make each other happy, and experience the best week of the summer!

One of the best parts about Camp Fitch is that you can be yourself because your friends encourage you not to be like everybody else. Every year I can't wait to go back because I know that I'm going to meet new friends or find my best friend. Thank you for giving me all of these life changing opportunities!

Camp has been a great chance for her to totally be herself. No one has any preconceived notions about who she is. She totally came out of her shell last year at camp, after not being so sure if she wanted to attend. There was never a question about if she would attend again. She just loved it.

Alex has enjoyed each year. He is enthusiastic as camp approaches and looks forward to the adventure, new activities and friendships. As an only child, I love that he adapts to being part of a larger group. I like that the days are full and no electronics are around. The fact that he plans his own schedule and is independent is a big plus.