As a parent of a child with Asperger’sSyndrome, Misti Moxley is always looking for ways to help her son connect with his peers. As children, both Misti and her husband, Ian, went to camp every summer. It was a special kind of experience that cannot be matched in any other setting, forming deep friendships and leaving with a sense of pride and independence. This is an experience they want for all of their children.
When they started looking for an overnight summer camp experience for their son with Asperger’s Syndrome, they quickly found a lack of available programs to meet his needs. The closest camp they found was in Minnesota, but at $1700 for a week, they quickly abandoned that idea.
They realized that if this was a need for their family, there must be other families with the same need and so Camp Quest was born. They put on a camp for kids 10-15 years old with High Functioning Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome. The first year they started with 30 campers. It was life changing for the Moxley’s as well as most the campers and staff.
Their number one goal is to provide a typical camp experience. They do not do therapy, they just have fun! There is a sense of confidence that grows from this independent experience. Many of these campers have never been away from home before coming to Camp Quest.
“If I have learned anything from this experience, it is that these are amazing kids. They are kind, thoughtful, loyal and funny. They work so hard to fit into what we as a society say is “normal”. They are kids, and they want to have fun, go swimming, canoeing, fishing, and hiking. They teach us to see things differently and to be more understanding of others. We are blessed to be able to work with these kids and to learn so much from their perspective”, says Misti.
This summer will be the third year for Camp Quest.There are two sessions that can take up to 40 each! For more information visit: www.asdoregon.org
