AKRON, Ohio — Ben Fink loves camp more than the average person.

What You Need To Know

  • Akron Rotary Camp hosts children with special needs

  • The staff says it offers STEM, cooking, nature and sports programming

  • Parents of the campers say the program offers an opportunity for respite and social interaction

He actually lives at Akron Rotary Camp, where he serves as its program director. The camp hosts children with special needs. The camp recently had an overnight session where it had three boys' cabins and one girls' cabin filled. 

Before the children arrived, Fink needed to prepare for the campers.

“It should be an awesome weekend with a lot of campers,” Fink said.

One of the first things Fink had to do to prepare for the campers was to set up their multi-sensory relief room. 

“Half of our campers have autism,” Fink said.

Fink said that he and his staff prioritize the specific needs of each camper. 

“We have campers who need full assistance. We take care of every need that they come to with camp,” Fink said. “Then we have kids who don’t need any level of assistance.”

He said it’s the staff's goal to provide a typical camp experience. 

“We normally do STEM activities, cooking, nature, and sports and games,” Fink said while arranging logs for a camp fire. 

Fink said he first learned about Akron Rotary Camp when he was looking for a summer job. Now, five years later, he said the camp has changed his life in ways that he couldn’t have imagined. 

“This population changes your life. You learn so many profound lessons about working with these kids and adults that transcend every aspect of life,” Fink said. “I couldn’t be more happy to do something like this.”

The camp also impacts the families of the kids. John White said his daughter Angel looks forward to each session that she attends. 

“I’m really thankful for it because Angel needs respite. She needs to get away from home for a little while. She’s always talking about wanting to go somewhere, going somewhere,” White said. “This is a good opportunity for her to go somewhere where she can interact with other kids, and gets really fun programs and she really enjoys it.” 

The camp staff says they offer day and overnight sessions. If you’re interested in donating to Akron Rotary Camp, please visit their website.