Unfortunately, there are no volunteer opportunities at Camp ALEC.  We already have a very high adult-to-child ratio between the camp counselors who support the campers throughout the day and the literacy counselors who pay to receive the intensive, hands-on literacy training, there isn’t space to invite volunteers.

I would encourage you to consider participating as a literacy counselor. There is a cost involved, but the experience repeatedly proves to be valuable for those who participate. I anticipate that applications for literacy counselors will go live in mid-to-late January at campalec.com 

You can also follow the Camp ALEC facebook , Instagram and TikTok pages for updates. Camp ALEC, TikTok, Instagram

This is an independent camp.  Parents and caregivers do not attend.  This gives your child the opportunity to work on becoming as independent as possible in a safe environment.  You will be amazed at the confidence your child comes home with!

In addition to being a camp which can support your child’s medical and physical needs, we are also a teaching camp. Because we are a camp, and not a school, we cannot implement behavior practices typical of school environments.   Professionals in the field pay to attend this week-long training to learn from our literacy experts, and to trial what they have learned under their direction. 

There is a nurse on site 24/7 who will dispense medications as needed.  Camp counselors have been trained in the feeding and care and can provide 1:1 direct care as needed.  Everything is accessible, and there is special equipment for daily care needs and sleeping. Contact us if care involves a trach.Item description

There are no strict requirements, but you should be familiar with AAC and the strategies used to teach our campers.  You will be given an opportunity to share any training you may have had, or strategies you have implemented from Drs. Karen Erickson and David Koppenhaver’s book Comprehensive Literacy for All

Yes, most parents will stay nearby. Georgetown is a quaint town that has a few hotels. It is only a few minutes down the road. Many parents will find an Air BNB in the area. You can find more hotels as you get closer to Denver.

We have decided to reduce the cost for all campers in the place of scholarships.

We are working to see if we can have any sponsorships from businesses. We encourage you to look at the “how to fund my camper” page for ideas.

Denver international is the closest airport. There are many ride services that you can call ahead to arrange transportation if you need to. A google search will give you a list. Many people use these services especially to go into the mountains during ski season.

Yes, you will work with the camp nurse to organize this. You just need to make sure everything is clearly marked with your camper’s name.

We hear you! No one can take care of your child like you do. No one. However, your child WILL be well cared for and it WILL look different. With a nurse on staff 24/7, the camp staff and the literacy counselors (who mostly are made up of moms), there will be many, many eyes on your child. In addition, you can reach out to your child’s camp counselor, the nurse, director or myself (Gina) at any time to check in. It is the hardest thing to do, to entrust your child to someone else’s care, we know. To be honest, and this is hard to hear, it is usually us, the parents, who hold our child back from having this independent experience. We are afraid to leave them. We know. That is why the lines of communication are always open. We also send many pictures through our private facebook page for you to view during the week. Your child—although they may get homesick—are usually ok with the idea of being at camp by themselves. You will pick up your camper and see a noticeable change in their confidence!

If there is an issue for which you’re needed, the nurse, myself or someone on staff will contact you. We do not have visitors during the week so that campers can truly get that sense of independence and so it does not disrupt any other campers who may be dealing with homesickness.

Camp staff is prepared for this! And you can talk with them if you are very concerned. We recommend campers bring something from home that is familiar-whether it be a favorite stuffie or a blanket or even a picture. We recommend that you do not send emails or text messages as this only leads to homesickness.

We ask that you let your child experience camp as any other child would. If you need to connect to see how your child is doing, connect with one of us or the staff please!

Yes, you can. Because of our location, we encourage you to send letters early. A mailing address will be provided in our communication with you. You can also leave letters with us, as if they were mailed and we can deliver them throughout the week.

We have a social story we can share with you to help ease any anxiety your camper may have. This is usually sent out as we get closer to camp.

If you are coming from outside the area and are not used to the elevation, it is VERY important for your child to get lots and lots of water at least a few weeks prior to camp, and throughout the week at camp so they do not get elevation sickness.

Unfortunately, no. This is an opportunity for your child to have an independent camp experience in a safe environment. If your child needs a nurse to care for them 24/7 due to a trach, then we will have a private discussion with you about how that can work at camp. It is very important to us that we give your child the experience of independence in a safe and caring environment.

We will send along a packing list for you. The most important items to bring are your chargers for wheelchairs and AAC devices. Back up switches, if they use them, a manual board and an extra g-tube for feeding, if needed just in case.