Camp Awakening

Camp Awakening provides integrated summer camp, leadership & outdoor recreation programs for youth with physical disabilities ages 9-24 years.

Our campers & program participants have a wide range of disabilities such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, juvenile arthritis, epilepsy, spinal cord injury, acquired brain injury, vision loss and amputation.

SUMMER CAMP for boys & girls 9-18 years

• Boys' Program operates out of Kilcoo Camp in Minden, ON.
• Girls' Program operates out of Camp Oconto in Tichborne, ON.

YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT (YLD) RETREAT for young adults 19-24 years

• Introduced in 2012, the Youth Leadership Development (YLD) Retreat is a one-week, co-ed program offered in partnership with March of Dimes Canada for young adults with physical disabilities 19-24 years of age.
• The retreat currently operates out of the YMCA Geneva Park Conference Centre in Orillia, ON.

SUMMER CAMP ACTIVITIES

Activities at Camp Awakening and our host camps include, but are not limited to:

• Archery
• Arts & Crafts
• Aerial Course (boys only)
• Ball Hockey
• Basketball/Wheelchair Basketball
• Baseball
• Canoeing
• Ceramics/Pottery
• Chapel (non-denominational Sunday morning gathering)
• Climbing Tower
• “Crash-surfing” (Windsurfing Awakening-style!)
• Dance
• Diving Tower
• Drama
• Field Trips (e.g. Strawberry Festival, Haliburton Forest & Wildlife Reserve, etc.)
• Frisbee Golf
• Horseback Riding (girls only)
• Kayaking
• Land Sports & Activities (e.g. obstacle courses; KOOB; bocce ball; yoga)
• Low Ropes Course
• Nature
• Paddle Boarding
• Sailing
• Sauna 
• Sledge Hockey (inline)
• Soccer
• Special All Camp Games
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Volleyball
• Wilderness Canoe Tripping
• Woodwork
• Yoga

*Please contact the camp office or visit its website for further details (schedules, fees, registration, policies, etc) or the latest updates.

Camp Awakening is a registered charity and operates on a shared cost basis. Camper families are asked to pay only a portion - usually less than 50% - of the true cost for a camp session. 

While Camp Awakening prides itself on having never turned a camper away for a financial reason, we rely on camper families to secure funding from outside agencies to help send their camper (AGED 9-18) to camp.  

It is imperative that parents & guardians start a sponsorship program for their camper as soon as possible.  

The camp office has access to lists of outside agencies & sponsors who believe in the power of a summer camp experience and provide funding to send kids to camp.  Camp Awakening's own amazing and generous donors also contribute to our Sponsor A Camper Program to provide camper fee subsidies.

Unfortunately, few funding opportunities exist for young adult participants seeking financial support for the YLD Retreat.  For these reasons, March of Dimes Canada and Camp Awakening have made a commitment to secure donor subsidies to keep the cost per participant more accessible.

Please call the camp office at (416) 487-8400 during regular business hours to discuss financial assistance options.  

The Executive Director is happy to speak with you privately and confidentially about all financial matters. 

• Photos