Lifetime Readiness Program (aka Disabled Summer Camp) year 2
Background:
Let's me explain the point of this Disabled Summer Camp the point of the camp is for us to gain life skills for independent living. and not with family ie cooking, learning to take public transit, going out to activies like movies, bowling (Bowling Never Ends code name ) Camp S (code name) and going out to eat at a restaurant East Side Mariana's (code name) or in this case Monty's (code name) and we start off with $100 in Cash and are suppose to use it through out the week. But as you will see stuff didn't go as planned for us. There were 10 campers, 3 wheelchair users and 8 non-wheelchair users. Beside myself there were 3 other people from my first camp 2 wheelchair users (guys) and Trina. (But seriously I should have gotten the message from Day 1 most of the week was going to not go smoothly with no goal sheet in the folder we get).
Monday July 6
I got up and got ready and went downstairs to eat breakfast. Dad drove me over to the campus and Mom and I waited with some other people for most people to get there. There is once again a new staff member (Susana) and this one is new to the Camp so in that sense the last day was going to be disorganized. The friends "adults" if the an adult was with them went up stairs to get the campers there settled in before leaving. I have no roommate once again this year but not because she's in the hospital Then we settled down to meal plan we got: Pizza, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Garlic bread, Caesar Salad, Cold deli sandwiches, Tacos, Kraft Dinner, hot dogs and burgers, and Grilled cheese sandwiches. As well as snacks and drinks We didn't have time to plan activities so after a quick lunch we brought from home and put lunch stuff in our rooms we went shopping.
To get to the bus stop instead of going through the building with the A/C we instead went all the way around the building and around the bus loop to get to the bus stop and we had to go to the far side of the bus loop and for most of the walk it's in the sun, and I'm a pale so I burn easily. So I wasn't too happy about that. Susana didn't know what stop we were going to get off at, so when we're outside the DQ that's in the same plaza as the Grocery store we need to shop at so I had to tell her when we got there.
We got the stuff in our lists I was with the new kid-Alex, and I don't know who was worse, him or Skye last year who never stopped complaining. At least Skye wasn't in this group but Alex did complain a lot. But let's do one thing at a time. Went back to the campus and then got our bins, and took them downstairs to the community kitchen. I did notice the public bathrooms outside the community kitchen had their own door openers and the one which caused so much problems last year was on the correct side with the trash room. We were suppose to have Caesar salad with Pizza but had no salad dressing. I helped with cooking by cutting up some peppers and then after we cleaned our plates -we did activity planning, things people wanted to do: bowing, movies, eating out at a restaurant.
So the plan was: Tuesday morning-dental people doing community outreach, Tuesday night, movies, Wednesday morning a walk and painting-wish I could show you the picture of my painting), Wed afternoon, at the Police station community outreach presentation, Wed evening was pre-booked Camp S (for swimming and S'mores), Thursday morning-another presentation healthy relationships and boundaries , and in the afternoon we're suppose to play a baseball game-which I didn't get to do last year either, and then go out to eat at East Side Mariana's. And then on Friday morning Bowling at Bowling Never Ends alley followed by DQ in the afternoon b4 friends' adults got there. We then did our nightly routine, and then tried to watch a movie in one of the study rooms. Unfortunely people were talking and it was really heard to hear the movie over it. At least it was The Lion King and I helped myself to some chips we got out. I then went to bed, after I had already set my alarm for 7am (we had to be ready to go down to breakfast at 8am)
I forgot to mention that my rooms looked over the community kitchen, and I thought that would give me a problem falling asleep
Another thing I want to mention after trying to call Mom on Monday before we went downstairs for supper. I called Mom after supper when the phone got to 20% and she told me there was spots avaible, in the 3rd and final week of camp (of the four weeks camp runs) so Mom asked me which one do I prefer I said the final week. I mean Camp, Bible camp, Camp agian right after BC?
Tuesday July 7
I woke up at like 5:35 and then again at 6am and then 6:35am and I just looked there at the celling waiting for the alarm to go off. I wish I knew mom's exercises-so I could do something if I woke up early. Then my alarm went off, and I got dressed and had Katrina, the overnight staff braided my hair. When Susana came, and since everyone was ready, we went downstairs and got our breakfast I had OJ, fruit, watermelon, honeydew, pineapple and a banana, yogurt and I tried Lucky Charms cereal (the other option Cinnamon Toast Crunch was out all week) and I had it with choc milk. We then went back upstairs for the people who needed to take stuff. I only took my backpack down to breakfast so I could have my bathroom supplies nearby but mostly, so I could save a seat
At 10:30 the dental people came to do a presentation about teeth hygiene thank goodness I finally got my question answered that I been trying to ask my dentists for years and with my own dentists it's like I'm speaking Greek or Latin! Because my fruit time is so inconsistent after main course, to just brush my teeth in the mornings after I get up. as long as I also do the evening brushing.
Then we went upstairs to grab our bins for lunch and then went and waited in the community kitchen for the Tacos to be made. I choose a soft shell because of no gallbladder I need to be careful of fats. I kind of made it into a wrap of sorts. At that point I didn't think I could eat inside the building when the only 2 options was to eat on a high bar table chair or eat off my lap -so i ate outside with the wheelchair users at the picnic tables outside. We did try to do the budget sheet, for the movies later but we couldn't get ahold of the movie theatre but some of us including myself wanted to go see Toy Story 5 and others wanted to go see Minions and Monsters.
After we gave off on that some of us did Karaoke and then went to make supper. I could tell just by the clock we wouldn't be there in time because we started supper late- that instead of doing Karoke we should have had a head start with supper. so we had the Caesar salad we're suppose to have w/ Pizza, Garlic bread and Spaghetti and Meatballs.
We then had to travel up the big hill up the campus to get to a bus stop on the street in front of it, to do one bus to movie theatre in (our town) despite the fact, we have to cross a busy crosswalk twice. We got to the the movie theatre and both sets of people's movies were sold out and only movie left to see ws Supergirl and no one wanted to watch that movie and Anna (A senior student this year who came back after helping last year)suggested rebooking for Friday morning but we said no after she said no DQ if we did that. They did suggested after we left the theatre going to an ice cream place right outside of it but we all said no and Courtney said "When Plan A doesn't work out, everyone has to agree on Plan B" aka comprised, but in my head, that's a rule. So instead we took a bus to Oliver Centre to grab canvases for Wed's painting. But me and Kurtis had to go to the washroom. So we went to the washroom and other people got canvas, but I got my canvas with Courtney after we went to the washroom. We then went back to the campus and I got ready for bed after writing in the journal and calling Mom
At one point when I called mom during Tuesday she asked if I was okay sharing with a guy because that was the only room left. I said I was
Wed July 8th
I didn't wake up until my alarm went off got dressed and had Katrina do my hair. Same routine as the day before with going downstairs for breakfast but with cheerios, a Capp. After going back upstairs we went outside and walked around the campus and found a spot to paint. I painted a blue sky, a sun, and green hill or cliff with some green trees and at the end of of the hill I put some brown to represent some Roman ruins. We then had deli sandwiches for lunch we made ourselves but do to it bein too hot outside I figured out how to eat sideways in a chair.
After lunch we make our way for the 1pm-2pm presentation but we thought it was going to be at the Oliver police station so we got there in plenty of time but we were then told it was in Willow Police station. After one of our wheelchair friends almost being hit by a car coming out of no where we made our way to the correct side of the street, So due to the 2nd bus-we had just missed the one bus, we're there an hour late. It was interesting seeing what I think is a Speed camera but without the speed, and trying to lift the bulletproof vest and looking through a radar gun. After the presentation I said to Mariam, it was sad we didn't get to see a K-9 dog. She said it was because a police officer died but because I was coming back maybe I could see one that time.
Wed con't July 8th
After the police presentation we then went back to the college and had a quick Ice cream and then got ourselves ready for Camp S for swimming, hot dogs and s'mores. We got there early and Anna said they never been early before. The only downside to being early is that the hill into the pool lobby was so steep I was having a bit off difficulty so I had to hold onto stuff. But Trina notice that and was helping me and Anna asked us to go ahead because I deiced I was going to pay myself with my cash (and not have staff handle it) , and Trina had her Access card but when we went in to pay we discovered we didn't have to pay this year for swimming (or the Cabin). So going swimming was really fun even though it was really crowded I need to ask my parents later about something about the pool but I don't have words to describe it. But I got out after awhile- and I got changed and then after I didn't have to guard other people's stuff, I want and waited with Anna for everyone else and we went up to Cabin 2 and after helping to collect sticks for the firepit we cooked some hot dogs on sticks others who had left earlier for the cabin to cook on. And we also had Mac salad, potato salad to eat. After that we made s'mores. I almost lost my marshmallow until Courtney said I was going to loose it so I went over and someone got the crack and choc on the marshmallow and after everyone who wanted one ate one, I had a 2nd one.
We then went back to catch the bus, and i helped by leading the way!! We then went back to the campus and got ready for bed. I then realized we never cleaned our bowls, thank goodness I had left my bowl and spoon sitting in the sink w/ water before we left. I then went to bed.
Thursday July 9th
Got up got ready and went downstairs for breakfast. I had same thing as yesterday but with a Cafe mocha. We then waited around for our 10ish appointment I and some others with Susana went downstairs to be the greeter for Sharon, the presentation for this morning. The presentation was really interesting and due to my familiarity with Not Always Right as well as stuff i accidently overheard from my previous day I knew some stuff about controlling behaviour.
We after that we went and made Kraft Dinner for lunch. While waiting for lunch Susana was checking with Mariam about baseball we're suppose to play that day because of a risk of thunderstorm and Susana didn't want us to be stuck out there in the thunder.
So baseball got cancelled so instead we walked around the campus to find Tim Horton's instead turns out it was the same Tim's we past by when we're making our way back from police station the day before. Since there are two sides to the Tim's there- one side is the queue line (with the line dividers) and the other is pick up line- the staff told us to line up and somehow we started to line up at the pick-up line. I think I might have been the 2nd or 3rd in line so I tried to get a staff's attention and eventually called out "Susana!" and when she notice me having my hand up -i said "I think we're on the wrong side the queue's side on the other side because of the queue thing" So we went to the correct side where I ended up first in line - I did have to ask for help with my money since I didn't know how much I needed because I don't normally work w/ cash. I paid for my Oreo ice Capp (I had been waiting it the previous week) and a I asked for a chocolate glazed donut but got a double chocolate donut instead-that tastes a lot better.
We then went back to our rooms to relax. What we really should have been doing was packing up for the next day because we had to have the bags down in the staff room b4 breakfast because check-out time is at 11am.
After relaxing before heading to supper- Courtney asked if we wanted to go to Bowling Never Ends tonight instead of tomorrow morning and then try to see movies on Friday morning. I pointed out what Anna said on Tuesday about DQ they said they would still try to fit it in but there's might not be any possibility of that. I felt like I had to say yes because of what Courtney said on Tuesday "
But I still got upset about that it just difficult for me to cope with changes like that when I much rather go to DQ the next day. i just took several deep breathes
We then got ready to go out and once we got to East side Mariana's we discovered it was closed for plumbing reasons. So we decided to go to Monty's steakhouse instead.. one camper and a staff member went inside (to see if they could seat us) , 8 of us (and 2 wheelchairs) and the 3 other staff members waiting outside and Jesse, in the wheelchair was blocking the vestibule between the two doors. While waiting people tried to line up (only 1 person and a few mins later a 2 people) behind Jesse-so I just told those people that Jesse and I are in a big group waiting to be seated and to go on ahead of us. Then a few minutes after that group that the one staff person came out and said that the restaurant said "All they can do is two bar tables otherwise we have to split up" and I guess they didn't understand we had 3 wheelchair users. So we ended up splitting up, Stefanie, and a different Luna, Trina, and I at one table with Courtney and Anna, and the rest of the group at the other two tables. I got a burger that had peameal bacon on it and I had fries since I'm not much of a salad person. Courtney got their nachos, but couldn't eat all of it because it was about the size of a pizza.
After paying we then went to Bowling Never End's and Luna and Trina didn't bowl but the rest of us did- and I got 100 as my score. Oh and I gave Courtney a toonie (a Canadian $2 coin) because she forgot the bowling cost $8.00
Now the interesting part the saga of not getting back "home" aka campus until midnight. After Bowling Never End's we waited for the bus going past the alley and the bus was 3 mins late so we missed the transfer on Amanda street. So we went to the Oliver mall and discovered that the 901 bus we want doesn't go there after a certain time. We then went through a park, to Park road, and just as we're walking up the bus we wanted turned the corner so we had to wait awhile for the next bus. While waiting some of us ate some of Courtney's cold nachos because we're hungry.
We got on our bus and made our way to college and I was on the verge of potty dancing when we got back so Anna and I raced to the bathroom and apparently is was a good thing I had to potty dance because it put me in a position to over hear a conversation a few mins later. In the elevator the overnight staff was waiting for us and Courtney was telling her about our evening and how we're planning on going to the movies tomorrow morning and Katrina asked if we booked the tickets online yet and Anna said "we were going too but we got back so late the box off is closed" I got ready for bed after trying to pack in a hurry except for a few last mintue items.
Friday June 10th- half day
I was the 3rd person up and I told Trina and Stefanie in the room beside mine what I overheard the previous night. That we might not be able to go to the movies and then after Susana and another staff member got there they're telling us to get all backed up so basically we didn't get down to breakfast until about 8:40am. So after getting breakfast - I somehow carried 3 bowls in one try with no trays to the breakfast and after getting some drinks I asked the staff about movies and it took Susana a second to figure out "Big hill what big hill?" So the staff figured out between us getting to the breakfast late + 15 mins for the big hill + 30mins for the bus ride, we would really be late to the movies and only other set of movies is at 1pm and that's too late for us.
So after breakfast we went to Dairy Queen's instead we had to wait until it opened to go in. I just wish Alex wasn't first in line through because he had to order a huge meal to eat there. I just got a Medium Oreo blizzard. While waiting to go to DQ I was explain to Susana the history of Cinderella and how Perrault updated it for the French Court.
After everyone got their food and ate it we then went back to the campus and got lunch ready I cut up some strawberries for lunch. I had 2 halves of Grilled Cheese sandwich, mac salad, and some Ketchup and BBQ chips. Then after Mariam arrived I went and got my suitcase. and my painting and brought them down and then our parents arrived and the presentation happened and I got a certificate for "Going with the flow" dealing with changes in plans. Some cake and helped myself to a Doritos chip bag and ice tea drink and then came home. Unfortunely I lost my good slippers somewhere so I'm in my bare feet until new ones come.
