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'It's only hurting these kids' | Parents heartbroken over disability camp dispute

A camp for disabled children and young adults is now in a dispute with its longtime partner and it's the campers who might suffer the consequence
Credit: Buchanan, Christopher

WARM SPRINGS, Ga. -- A camp for disabled students that has found itself without a home over an accreditation dispute says it isn't accepting a compromise proposed by the state.

Camp Dream has operated on the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute grounds in Meriwether County for more than two decades but was told in the last year that it must have American Camp Association accreditation to move forward with their 2018 camp.

The Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA) said that the move was all about safety, making sure emergency transport, counselor training and an acceptable counselor to camper ratio were in place.

"We want the students to enjoy a safe, fun, summer, and we want to approach every decision like we would on behalf of our own kids," GVRA Executive Director Sean Casey said.

The agency said that the opportunity could continue Camp Dream for students at no cost to families.

Camp Dream, however, countered that all of this was ready, but the process to get the accreditation - which can take 18 months - was insurmountable by this year's camp since they didn't find out until May of 2017.

"They're requiring us to do everything at lightning speed time that's basically impossible," Camp Dream Executive Director Gary Marshall said. "We did it in good faith thinking that they're going to do the right thing."

Camp Dream was founded as a special program that allowed children and young adults with disabilities, regardless of how severe they are, to have a camp experience.

Alisha McGlawn's sons both go to that camp and it's all the two 5-year-olds talk about.

"This one asks me when we're in the car each week, when are we going to Camp? Where is camp? Camp is this way," she said.

New requirement kicks decades old camp for those with disabilities to the curb

And Alyssa Zerges son has gone for years. She said it gives him the break he so desperately needs.

"We found out yesterday his tumors have grown," she said in tears. "So I just want him to have fun. I want him to be able to be a kid. To make these precious memories."

It's a camp that accepts everyone it can that's struggling with disability.

Now, that inclusivity presents a problem for many of these 200 campers since there are few other camps that would except them all - especially on such short notice. It also makes moving the camp to another location that is set up for the varying needs very difficult.

On Tuesday, GVRA released a statement that they may have found an option to facilitate many of the young campers. Their plan would send 128 of the campers to a new venue in collaboration with Camp Dream.

However, Camp Dream has since declined the offer because a large number of their participants who are young adults would have been excluded and their programming and staff involvement wouldn't be allowed.

"We don't think it's a good deal because it didn't include all of our campers," Marshall said. "We wanted to make sure that 100 percent of our campers are able to go to summer camp. They already registered, they're expecting to be there."

Marshall said they intend to continue fighting the decision and hope that at some point the GVRA overturns it.

"We want him to do the right thing by these campers," he said. "There's no reason we should have to tell them they don't have a place to go to camp."

Since speaking with 11Alive, both Camp Dream and the GVRA claim that they are exploring yet another option but have not yet released what that may include.

In the meantime, parents are just asking that both groups come to an agreement, too.

"It's only hurting these kids," Zerges said. "And that's not right."

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