Shady Oaks Camp offers summer experience to people with disabilities
Originally published July 19, 2015
Inspiration comes from unusual places. While visiting Kenwood Liquors in Homer Glen, I met an Orland Park mother and son raising money. Janet Douglas and her son, Kevin, explained the reason for their collection.
Kevin is a camper at Shady Oaks Camp, located at 16300 Parker Road, Homer Glen. The camp is fully supported by a parent group that utilizes the facility as a two-to-eight week summer experience for people with cerebral palsy and other disabilities. The parents fund raise and donate time, energy and other resources in order to gain “points” which transfer into time at the camp. The cost of the camp is out-of-reach for most, so this system makes the dream a reality for parents who get a slight reprieve from the responsibility of raising a child with CP.
Shady Oaks Camp is located on 30 beautiful acres in Homer Township. It is a safe haven and creative gathering place for people with CP. The history of the camp and its future plans were explained by the camp’s director, Scott Steele.
Their mission statement: “At Shady Oaks Camp, we create outstanding camp experiences that enrich the lives of our campers. Shady Oaks Camp accomplishes this by providing outdoor fun and recreational opportunities for children and adults with disabilities.”
The camp was founded in the 1940s when a group of dedicated parents of children with CP formed The Parents Association for Cerebral Palsy Children Inc. They acquired 30 acres in Homer Township and had dreams of hosting a summer camp that would serve the needs of the CP population and those with similar disabilities.
In 1947, Shady Oaks Camp for Individuals with Cerebral Palsy opened, and for 68 years, the dream of a few caring parents has been a reality. The camp now accepts people with all disabilities.
Steele provides, “We end up targeting the older, out-of-school aged, who have no other services available. We have campers with higher needs; as young as age 7, and the oldest was 74 last year! We hope he returns this year! We don’t have a cut-off age. As long as the parents/families are involved, you can be any age and attend. The only restriction — campers may not be violent.”
Steele attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, and, in 1992, served as a camp counselor. He worked his way up to camp director in 1996. Since 1999 he has served in an executive position at SOC. Discussing the history of the site and the various updates over the years, Steele said the current dining hall was once a chicken coop! However, a facility such as this takes an enormous amount of work to keep operational.
With $300,000 operating costs, each camper would cost $8,000 just to attend with $21,000 being a more realistic estimate. The cost was supplemented by bingo, which raised $150,000 per year, but that has ended. Events and fundraisers, along with volunteers, keep this happy place open.
SOC does not receive state or federal funding. Local business and volunteers help keep the camp operational. Sidewalk repair and basic landscape and grounds management keep the site safe for the campers who need to navigate the property.
The workforce is one-on-one counselors. Ninety percent are resourced from Camp America and Camp Counselors USA. The reason for the international staff, as Steele explains, “Previously, we would lose 50-75% of counselors, as this is not an easy job; however, currently we recruit worldwide – now we see about one counselor leave per summer session. The international staff, which have been at SOC since 1996, bring games, foods, and ideas, and give an international flair that these campers would not have an opportunity to experience otherwise.”
The counselors begin with a week-long orientation and bonding event to learn how to work together. They work on different approaches, as well. A variety of assistance techniques can be used — 1:1; hand-over-hand, or utilizing feet and mouths for crafts. Steele says, “We get campers that are disabled and need extra care, and we are able to provide that to them.”
Janet, and her husband, Roger Douglas, attended Shady Oak Camp’s talent show on July 9. Janet saw such joy in her son Kevin’s face during the show, and the care and generosity given by the counselors made her glad she found this “hidden gem in the south suburbs” as she calls it. “I wished that I could have bottled all the love and positive vibes! It was truly a night to remember,” she says.
An African safari-themed open house is scheduled from noon until 3 p.m. July 19, with free food, games, raffles and a performance by the SOC staff and campers. “It is sure to be a roaring good time and I ain’t lion!” the camp website states.
The 12th Annual Shady Oaks Benefit Motorcycle Run begins with registration at 9 a.m. July 26. First bike out at 11 a.m.; last in at 4:30 p.m. Cost is $25 per rider; $20 per passenger.
For information, visit during the open house, or check out the website http://shadyoakscamp.org/ to see how you can donate your time, money or services.