Testimonials from Camp Kennebec Families

Hi Donna

Thank you doesn’t even begin to express the gratitude we feel for the experience Maya had this summer at camp. As you know, she has never been away from home before for more than 5 nights, and even for a shorter stay, we always got a call, either saying it was not workable or asking how to manage her behaviour. We didn’t get a single call for 3 weeks! And from the reports from the counselors and Maya’s own account, she adjusted relatively quickly, was happy, engaged and actually connected with other girls in her cabin,. For a neuro-normative kid this might not be a big deal, but for Maya it’s HUGE. She’s been home now for a week and seems calmer and more mature. I think she’s really pleased with how well she did, and we are enormously proud of her.

While Maya is a couple of years older than she was the last time she tried overnight camp, I don’t think she would have done as well in a different setting. It is a tribute to you and your staff, who clearly knew how to engage with her, listen to her and take her requests seriously, gently push her to be flexible when needed, and shower her with encouragement. It seemed like a big risk to send her away for 3 weeks, and I could not even have imagined it would go this well.

I couldn’t be happier with the experience you provided. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Sara

Good morning Rob,

I just wish to extend you my great thanks for Harry’s two week stay at Camp Kennebec. Immediately upon picking up Harry at Camp, I could see the impact.  He was so happy, relaxed, and carried himself with independence that I have never seen before in him.  When he was on the telephone with his Grandparents (who reside in the UK) they also noted all the aforementioned.  Everything that I have mentioned before was further reinforced by your warm and kind words about his participation, his “Camper Assessments” and most importantly, his “Academic Report”.

Your staff, facilities, and program are stellar.  You are a beacon in your specialized industry.

I wish to thank you so much for permitting Harry to attend your fine Camp.  Without reservation, I will recommend Camp Kennebec to all who have children with various “challenges” no matter how small or large.   I hope he will have the opportunity to attend your Camp next year.

I remain,

Richard

Hi Donna,

As this summer comes to an end I want to take this time to thank you for a terrific two weeks at camp. My son had such a great time. The care and attention by your entire team was remarkable. We look forward to summer of 2019. Have a great rest of the year!!

Sanford

Hello Donna and Rob,
Thank you so much for giving my son a chance to be in your camp! It was his first experience to be away from home on his own. I think he had a successful week 🙂 Your staff are great! Alex was so great at keeping me updated! She sent videos and pictures whenever I asked! I loved how busy you keep the campers and love the variety of activities you have on site! I was impressed by how organized you are! And loved reading the assessment you sent afterwards. I am so comfortable sending him to camp again next summer!
Thank you so much!!
Randa

Hi Rob!

I am not really sure where to begin this email.  We just have so many warm, lovely feelings after Will & Jack’s camp experience, I cannot even put it into words!

All we know, is that Will and Jack *really* enjoyed themselves!!  When I ask them if they had fun at camp we get the most genuine, emphatic head nod “YES”, and Jack is very honest!  When we ask them if they’d like to go back, we get the exact same response!  We are so pleased and so happy that they had such a great, FUN experience!

From the time we met all of you, to signing the boys up for camp, to the drop off and pick up, has just been extraordinary.  You, Donna, Jay, Elyse and the rest of the staff are top notch.  Everyone put us at ease right from the get go, all the processes we went through were so well organized and executed.  There is nothing you could have said or done to have made our experience any better than it was.   We really cannot say enough good things about your camp!

THANK YOU, thanks to ALL of you for such a wonderful experience!  So looking forward to 2018!

Enjoy the rest of your summer, really hoping the weather co-operates for you!!

With sincere thanks!!!

Jen & Ian, Will & Jack

Hi Rob and Donna

I wanted to thank you for what you do for Camp Kennebec. Liam came home with so much positivity about his time there this summer…. It is great that your organization is fostering experiences like Kennebec so that kids like Liam can find a niche that truly supports valuable life opportunities and just let’s him be himself to have fun! There aren’t enough “Kennebecs” out there for our kids. We can’t thank you enough….

Please thank his counsellors Erin, Jas and Ben… Liam spoke very highly of them all.

We feel lucky as a family that we found out about Camp Kennebec and look forward to Liam returning next summer!

Have a blast for the rest of your sessions!

Best,
Tam, Mike and Liam

It was amazing to see how well he is doing and how happy he is. Your staff are so wonderful and it was so kind of them to share with us how impressed they are with Travis and to share with us how much they appreciate having him there. Camp Kennebec is so much more to us than a camp… it is like family/home.

Shana

Hi Donna

I just wanted to thank you for an amazing day yesterday with Jacob. It was the first time I was able to watch Jacob at his activities and speak to the staff. Jacob has been going for 8 years now and every year, I am more impressed! I’d like to thank you, Jay and the staff for your hospitality yesterday and for seeing my son so happy and comfortable in his surroundings.

Best regards
Esther

Hi Donna and Rob.

We just wanted to thank you again for finding space for Joe. The pictures you sent and we have seen over the past few weeks show us how happy he is and how much he is enjoying! Your camp is amazing and how you give all these kids a wonderful summer is beyond words!

In Hebrew when someone does a good deed they say you are doing a mitzvah, you and your staff are doing mitzvot ( many good deeds) daily!  Your warmth and caring does not go unnoticed in any way!

Thank you for including Joseph !

I hope you enjoy the rest of the summer.

Fondly

Shari & Dani

Dear Donna and Rob,

We would like to say thank-you to Dean, Leah, Megan and the rest of the Camp Kennebec staff for giving Ethan a fabulous week at camp!  Ethan is a kid who needs to get his feet under him in a new place to really have fun.  It really made us happy to hear how he was connecting with his cabin-mates and other peers.  He can’t wait to come back, so we’ll look forward to seeing you all again next summer.  Have a great winter, and thanks once again for your fantastic program!

Jennifer

Hi Donna,

We wanted to thank you so much for making Tristan’s week of summer camp one of the most memorable moments of his life.  He can’t stop talking about what a great time he had.  The counsellors were excellent as well as all the activities offered.  He can’t wait to come back next year.

Again thanks.
Julia

Hi Donna,

Wanted to say a huge thank you to you and the team for a fabulous 3 weeks this summer. Aidan has grown so much in the time he spent at camp. And this would not have been possible without the incredible team of counselors and behavioural support ‎staff. He tried new things although there is always room for him to expand in this area. I now have to re-learn how to fish. He made some connections with peers which is a first for him! Needless to say we were thrilled to learn of these strides and even more thrilled when he volunteered to tell us about his time.

Having finished his summer on such a high note, he asked us if he could register for the whole summer next year !

Kind Regards!
Gina

Hi Donna,

Yesterday my husband and I attended Parent’s Day at Camp Kennebec.   We were struck by the energy and enthusiasm of your staff and its positive effect on the campers.   Before coming to your camp,  our grandson had experienced a very difficult few months. but we would never have known it by his attitude and demeanour during our visit.   He was proud to show off all the different buildings and parts of the camp and tell us about the activities in each.  What was even more heartwarming was his enthusiasm for those activities.

Our talks with the counsellors revealed that they understood his needs and respected them.   At the same time,  with their encouragement,  he has been moving out of his comfort zone and encouraged to try again when the first attempt wasn’t to his liking.  We appreciated the frankness of their comments and their enthusiasm to help him grow.

Plus kudos to your chef and his staff for making dishes that work for all diets.

Regards!
Donna

Hi Donna,

Just wanted to say Thank You! Xavier came back very excited about camp. He said he had “lots and lots of fun!”. He said he definitely liked the “Games Club, the island swim, going in the canoe and archery!” He said the counsellors Megan and Skip were very, very nice. He also said “the food was great and no one tried to make me try things I wouldn’t like, the dance was a lot of fun and the other campers were very friendly – there was no one I didn’t like!” The report document from the camp was great to let us know how things went and having all the certificates for various activities made Xavier very proud to be able to show family and friends.

My husband Bill did the drop off and pick up drives and he said he found the place to be unique and very soothing – even with all the campers the cabins were separated and allowed for peace and very little noise. Bill was very impressed.

Thank you for the efforts of everyone to help Xavier and he didn’t have a single negative thing to say. He loved it and said he wanted to go back again! That is the best endorsement possible!

I am so happy that this experience was so positive.

Regards!
Marian

Hi Donna,

Just wanted to tell you how awesome Camp Kennebec has been for Stephen over the past 5 years. You welcomed him with open arms, made him feel wanted and special and he always had a great time.

He grew, he developed, he made some great friends … He will always remember Kennebec fondly. Alas, I think that Stephen has reached the point that he is ready to move on to a strictly mainstream camp experience next year, although he still had a lot of fun this year at Kennebec. He may still change his mind and decide that he wants to return next summer. I just wanted to let you know for planning purposes, and to take the time to thank you for everything that you have done for Stephen and for being such an important part of his growth and development in his formative years. If you should ever need a recommendation or referral, please do not hesitate to contact me.

With most sincerest thanks again,

xoxoxo

Lisa

Hello Donna,

Just a quick note to thank you for a great time at camp. Phil looked like he had a lot of fun, he was happy/calm /no anxiety/haven’t seen any negative signs/comments when I picked him up. One thing I noticed that he was much more amicable with all his roommates when time to say goodbye! He put his hand on each of his friend’s shoulder and said bye! I thought it was very nice!

Again, Congrats on a fantastic summer and wishing you a well-deserved remaining break after this summer.

Sylvie & Philippe

Hi Donna,

Cassidy tells me she had a wonderful week. Thank you to all of your team. It was a good experience for her and for me to let her go. She has lots of good memories, just like I do of my days at camp. Wishing you and your staff all the best.

Pascale

Hi Rob and Donna,

First off let me say my son jumping in the van (at the end of his camp session) and actually talking non-stop about camp for a half-hour was music to my ears!! I can’t thank you both enough for making me the happiest mom, her son finally having a good camp experience! Thank you again both for a wonderful time for Richard :), I expect he’ll be back next year!!

Kathryn

Hi Donna & Rob,

Thanks for assisting Derek in having possibly the best summer of his life. He has already asked if he can return for the summer next year. I said yes of course. Thanks for making his summer so special. I will be registering him for next year’s camp.

Norma

Hi Donna & Rob,

Just a quick note to say thank you for giving Maddie and Ian another great week at Camp Kennebec this year. Both kids were excited to tell us about their activities for the week. (The lovely blue merit certificates are proudly displayed on our refrigerator door…great conversation starters when visitors to our home ask Ian and Maddie about camp.)

Thanks again to you both, and to your terrific staff for the care and support you give to our two…we are grateful.

Chris

To All Parents of Children with ADHD, Autism or Special Needs:

As a parent of 4 children (with autism and ADHD plus scoliosis…) I was fortunate to find out about Camp Kennebec approx. 8 yrs. ago. I work for a school board, have my E.C.E. and have specialized in the behaviour field for almost 30 yrs. I was terrified of sending my very behavioural Asperger’s son to camp. We had tried a few and well, all camps basically sent him back and asked that he not to return. A camp where he’d stay overnight and be too far away for me to go rescue him or the staff in the event that he had another volcanic meltdown…how could I even consider it? I didn’t want him to fail and I didn’t want to fail him. So I talked to Donna and Rob a lot on the phone and they in turn co-parented my child’s needs by talking extensively to me and the school and ultimately my son for several weeks (dare I say months?) before I succumbed and cut the apron strings so he could hopefully? finally? have a positive camp experience. As he boarded the bus I recognized a classmate of his (that for lack of a better wording…did not get along with my son) and I just sent him on a 3 hr. bus ride with him! OMG!!! Panic. Great Mom set your kid up for failure or worse…what if they fought on the bus? What if someone got hurt? What did I do? I got to a phone and called the camp immediately. Rob answered and promised he’d talk to the counselors on the bus and call me when they got there. He let me vent all my fears and assured me it would be fine. My son spent 1 week there the first year. Thanks to the co-parenting of the staff, my son (now 20) and THAT boy are still best friends. My son returned every year until he was 18. Each of his younger siblings have attended and each has grown. My second eldest insists on having his birthday at camp every year. He turns 16 this summer.

I believe that my son and my other children grew more in 2 weeks of camp each year (more than school or therapies combined) because of the staff caring enough to help them grow. Donna and Rob train their staff well and are always available. They see the person each child is, and who they can become.

My eldest graduated high school last June with 37 credits and the confidence that he could become a chef. In August he will graduate from Humber with his Blue Seal. Could he have done it with just his parents behind him? Maybe, but he would not stand strong and tall the way he does now because he wouldn’t have learned a very valuable lesson…other people…people who aren’t family…can care about you and believe in you when you are at your worst self and show you a way to be YOUR best self!

My kids will continue to go to Kennebec and I will continue to promote it for as long as I am able. God willing my grandchildren will go there too! Every child has the right to learn how to grow through going away to camp but it can only happen for our kids if it’s the right camp…Camp Kennebec.
Sincerely
Annette

Camp Kennebec is one of Erin’s favourite places in the world! She gets to be herself in a warm, respectful and inclusive environment. Camp staff members are always welcoming and share her enthusiasm. Every summer there seems to be security in familiar experiences and friends, and then new challenges too. Erin always comes home bubbling with so many stories! She looks forward to returning more and more each year.
Dave

Matthew’s first year at Kennebec was for two weeks; he enjoyed it so much he wanted to return the following year and stay four weeks. Meeting a new friend on drop-off day, he shared how much he had enjoyed his first year. We found out that his new friend loved Kennebec so much that Matthew was determined to come back to camp too. This year, Matthew is returning for the full six weeks, his friend returning the first four weeks.

Kennebec has given Matthew the confidence not only for himself but also to want to help others (which he thoroughly enjoys doing) and has asked to assist in some capacity this year; potentially working towards a form of Leader-in-Training capacity.
Teresa , Waterloo, Ontario

Can’t imagine our lives without Camp Kennebec…

Our daughter is globally delayed with anxiety driven by obsessive-compulsive disorder and attention deficit hyperactive disorder. When our daughter was eight years of age, the psychologist working with us asked what we thought about sending her to sleepover camp. My immediate response was “How can we even entertain this idea? She’s never ever slept over anywhere, not even for 5 minutes! The seed was planted. After some investigation, we nervously sent her off to Camp Kennebec for three weeks the following summer!

Without a doubt, it’s a break for parents, but more importantly, it’s a wonderful break for our kids. As adults/parents, we often forget how difficult it is for them or certainly can be, on a day-to-day basis always having to toe the line throughout the year and although they still have to ‘toe the line’ at camp, it’s just different. They get to relax and be silly and just have fun.

As to how our daughter feels about Camp Kennebec … 2013 will mark her 22nd summer and I think that says it all.
Thank you Camp Kennebec from all of us,
Deb, Norm and Vicky

This was the second year that we have sent our son to camp. We tell everyone about this amazing camp; all the staff are qualified to handle children with special needs. They are patient, kind and caring. They are always willing to discuss any concerns you may have and respond to your calls or e-mails in a timely manner.

When I send Zachary to camp, I feel that he is safe and I do not have to worry about him getting hurt (i.e. bullying).

Zachary loves Camp Kennebec and wears his camp shirt proudly throughout the year. He enjoys all the fun activities and the counselors. He grows/matures with each year he attends. He has increased his social skills and ability to self-regulate. Our hope is that this growth continues with each year; even baby steps are improvements, but he has made some leaps. With all the everyday struggles that he may face, when he talks about camp, his demeanor changes. He lights up and his entire mood changes as he talks about his memories at camp and how he looks forward to the next year. The camp days are very well structured and fun-filled. Although our son sees camp as the best place on earth because of all the great activities (especially his favourite, tubing), we see all the social and emotional benefits to sending him to Camp Kennebec.

We have tried other camps in the past with very little success; Camp Kennebec is our camp choice for years to come.
Tara

Toby obviously had a great time. You have done a fabulous job there. Toby has never expressed this level of approval of any activity he’s been sent to. I hope we can manage to get him back to camp next year. We’re really proud of what he accomplished, and we’re really impressed with your professionalism and caring.
Regards,
Bruce

Thank you all so much for your caring and support. We really do feel that Emma was very successful in her time there and has certainly brought home memories that she will cherish for some time to come. Eric and I are so impressed and touched by the haven that you’ve created for special kids like Emma and for your personal dedication in helping each to be successful in their own way. Please convey our thanks and appreciation to Steve and everyone who was involved in Emma’s stay with you this summer.
Thank you,
Lynn O.

I can’t say enough about all Kennebec has done for Chris. From his first summer several years ago, Kennebec staff has shown an innate understanding of who Chris is, have fostered his strengths and have helped him work on areas of challenge….all in a positive ego-enhancing manner as opposed to the authoritarian, critical, humiliating and exclusionary ways he had so often experienced in other settings. As I look now at my mature, confident 16 year old with a strong circle of friends, and more importantly a strong sense of who he is and who he wants to be, it is hard to recognize the young boy who first appeared at Kennebec. While I don’t pretend to attribute all of Chris’s gains to Kennebec, I truly do not believe he would be where he is today without the support, acceptance and opportunity for growth he was given each summer.
Thanks Kennebec for the difference you’ve made in Chris’s life.
Debbie

I thought you might enjoy some feedback on David’s stay with you. He had a wonderful time – I’m so happy for him. Camp Kennebec was a wonderful, positive experience…it’s heart-warming and to see all the different people he interacted with is just a wonderful thing. What a kid! I asked David if he wanted to go back to camp next summer and he informed me that he would be attending Camp Kennebec for the entire summer. I guess that is a good thing!

He really enjoyed the dance (wish I could have been a fly on the wall for that) and that he made a good friend in Monica and really liked his counselors. That was one thing he said he didn’t like about other camps. Oh, I loved the feedback by the way. It was good to see how David managed over the two weeks without being on medication. Again, a real positive. Just what children need in their life.

Thanks again Donna and Rob…you certainly are keeping up the standards of what Camp Kennebec is supposed to promote – what a wonderful learning opportunity for children.

All the best and see you next year.
Lesley

Dear Kennebec,

I felt driven to send a little note thanking you for the extremely enjoyable experience I had at Kennebec last week. I was completely bowled over by what I saw as a passionate, fun, life-affirming, positive environment that you have provided for kids who ordinarily would not get to experience that in one place. I had no idea what to expect—myself with little camping experience and of course I only hoped Ellen would show you her high potential as she had shown us at school this year. I think it is incredible that this place exists solely on the dedication and support of a loyal and talented staff. I don’t mean to romanticize it—it’s true. Some things you can’t fake. Staff sweating their buns off to provide such amazing opportunities for these special children is to be commended. Thank you and my hopes and wishes extend for a continued safe and happy summer.

Sincerely,
Susan K. – Woodview Learning Centre

Only a few days and David will be arriving at camp. He is really excited and looking forward to a great month. Thank you all so much for all that you do. We really appreciate your caring and patience with our son. Have a great summer.
Janice G.

Thank you all for your effort and encouragement, which made Jonathon’s experience at Camp Kennebec a positive one. Although most of his activities are ‘top secret’ according to him, he is missing camp and can’t wait to go back next year. Once again, we sincerely appreciate your commitment. Thanks again.
J. Jacobsen

Thanks for giving Joshua a very good summer so far. Given how hard his year was, it was great that he stayed, participated and seemed pleased with his experience. Thanks from both of us to you all.
Dr. Randy G.