WORCESTER, Pa. (CBS) — A special camp for children and young adults with disabilities is underway in Montgomery County. Variety — The Children’s Charity of the Delaware Valley is all about fun and learning.
Planting seeds for the future at Variety Camp, a special program for children and young adults with intellectual and physical disabilities. The focus is on planting, growing and selling the harvest from the garden.
“It’s a great way to let them explore their environment and experience new things,” said Nick Larcinese, the director of programming. “Thirty kids are in our vocational training program every day, 50 to 60 in our extended school year, about 20 in our day camp.”
The non-profit organization offers social, educational and vocational training programs.
“We want to better prepare people for life. We want them to be more confident and if we want them to live that independently, they will live a life that they have determined will make them happy,” Larcinese said.
Steven Kent, 19, is in the kitchen baking cookies, focusing on an important life skill.
“More independence,” Kent said. “Because independence takes you further in life.”
It is a sprawling 77-acre campus in Worcester with all kinds of possibilities.
“We do things like art activities, nature activities, science, technology, engineering, all that, right? It just depends on what our people are interested in and what their needs are,” Larcinese said.
Regardless of skill level, Larcinese said everyone feels important. Variety has 110 campers ranging in age from 5 to 24 years old.
“The people and everyone here is nice and that’s why it’s such a good community,” Kent said.
Stephanie Stahl
