“As a former camp counselor, I know how a positive camp experience can transform a child’s life. My dream is that children of all abilities will have an opportunity to experience the magic of the outdoors.” – Zac Brown Band
Hey everyone! This blog I wrote on Zac Brown Band and my journey on the autism spectrum has been moved to our brand new Patreon page. You can view the blog post here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/zac-brown-band-27637925
When you join my Patreon page you can read exclusive content about my journey on the autism spectrum, news stories in relationship to different diagnoses, tips I’ve learned from job in professional speaking along with helpful resources to benefit our community which are perfect for educators, parents, family members and self-advocates! All the proceeds from Patreon will be going to charity to provide scholarships for students with autism to go to college while helping with our video series at A Special Community and so we can make our full-time job traveling the country to do on-camera interviews to give a platform for individuals like Liam here, a 10-year-old boy with autism, to share their stories within our community.
We often say it takes a village so we thank you for supporting our scholarship winners, our loved ones impacted by a diagnosis who are featured in our videos and our movement to make the world a more accepting place for everyone.
Best, Kerry Magro
CEO, A Special Community
Note: Kerry is not affiliated with the camp just a fan of their effort to help people with autism & special needs like I do. Follow Kerry’s journey on Facebook, his Facebook Fan Page, & Instagram!
Kerry Magro, a professional speaker and best-selling author who is also on the autism spectrum started the nonprofit KFM Making a Difference in 2011 to help students with autism receive scholarship aid to pursue a post-secondary education. Help us continue to help students with autism go to college by making a tax-deductible donation to our nonprofit here. Also, consider having Kerry, one of the only professionally accredited speakers on the spectrum in the country, speak at your next event by contacting him here.
We’d also appreciate if you could start a Facebook Fundraiser to support our nonprofit’s scholarship fund! You can learn more about how you can do just that here.
We were at the same PNC concert and my son who loves Zac Brown Band asked if I would fly him to Georgia to go to Zac’s camp. Joey has cerebral palsy. He attends Elks Camp Moore in NJ for special needs kids.
My Grandson has Ash burgers. He had a very rough start to life with his Mom walking out and leaving him and his 1brother, he was 3 and his brother was 1 with their Dad that was only 22. He was determined to raise his boys but had to come home and live with me as he couldn’t work and take care of two babies. I raised these boys on Zach Brown and their favorite song was free. My baby learned that song word fro word at age 5 and it has always been apart of his heart! Not too long ago I got him to sing it with me and you can see at times he tears up and tries to be silly, but he is awesome at singing this song. I would post it to you but don’t see a place. If you can send me a way to send it to you its on my FB. Thanks just wanted to say how great Special Needs Children are and Zac Brown as well!!!
I work for an organization in Minnesota called True Friends we have 4 camps and as the director of Healthcare I get the joy of making it to all of our camps we serve pretty much everything physical and developmental challenged work with special diets and soon with also be having programming for veterans. So blessed to have such an awesome job. We also encourage campers to bring friends and family with them no matter what their ability level. We care for campers from a 1 on 1 care need to nearly independent. We already have a high ropes course at one camp and will have another one that will be fully accessible. There is nothing like seeing the joy on a camper who is in a wheelchair or uses a walking aside as they litre up from zip lining or even just getting off the ground. I could go on but here check out the website. http://www.truefriends.org
Zack Brown is a cool, awsome dude to be helping those less fortunate. I wonder if he has enlisted Chris Cornell who sang on his las album with Zack. He is an awsome singer and a very decent guy. I am sure he is the kind of guy who would lend himself to this worthy caese.
I have a 23 yr old autistic son. High functioning but not academic capabilities. He currently is attending Chapel Haven in New Haven, Ct. An awesome school that is helping him learn to live independently as well as learn vocational skills. It is a bit pricey but it is so worth the outcome.
I have a daughter that had a speech impediment, thanks to special therapist she is a soldier in the U.S. Army and speaks perfectly. My other daughter had a few problems not severe and now she is earning all A’s at the University of Mississippi, Go Army and go Rebels
bless you i would love to visit, and help at this! We need one in Mo.
My son has autism, he’s doing great. Loves life, outside, swimming, and especially dancing with mommy to country music. He loves Zac Brown band n Tim McGraw so much. Wants to see them live but crouds and loud music stops him from doing so
I wish I can take my daughter to something like that. She has add/adhd and I’m having alot of problems with her.
My youngest daughter has PVL it is brain damage in the white matter in her brain she also has cerebral palsy and developmentally delayed and failure to thrive which means she’s not growing like she should she also has a genetic disorder. She is also anemic and might have a blood disorder and she receive physical therapy occupational therapy and speech therapy I think the camp would be great for my daughter but I also live in Gainesville Florida
This is great! Folks, there are other camps out there for children and adults with disabilities. You can search for a camp in your area on the American Camp Association website http://www.acacamps.org Go to “campers & families”, then “find a camp”. You can specifically look for camps by disability or special needs. I am with Camp Millhouse located in South Bend, Indiana. We serve children and adults with special needs (ages 7 to 70+).
My daughter with Asperger’s is 18 now. Wish we could have found something like this that was affordable when she was younger! We are now trying to help her find a job, but with a math disability and anxiety issues, it’s not very easy.
I would love for my grand son to go there.He suffers from aspergers and bypolar and has a big issue with being around other children.
This is amazing my autistic son loves music especially country and loves outdoors I would love to find our info, opening, donating time and money, and how to go about getting him in! Is it in TN
We live in WI and have a similar camp! Camp Awesum(that is how it’s spelled) has been one of the best experiences my son has had! All the luck to Zac and this camp!
Where is the camp in wi?
I have a daughter who is autistic and Goten autistic school and she has done a big change going from public school to her she can feel comfortable I have another daughter who is ADHD West oppositional defiance disorder explosive disorder and they possibly think she will be diagnosed with PMS disorder and I have a youngest child who is ADHD oppositional defiant disorder with emotional issues and dyslexia it’s amazing what you’re doing with the camp I wish I had lived closer my children would enjoy it I am a single mom raising them alone and wish something was like that around my area or I was able to afford something like that for my children but it makes me smile to see how people are starting to get involved caring …
my daughter with autism has a dream and it’s been her main dream for a while she is a WWE diehard where’s Kane’s mask everyday and she would love to meet him when I just love seeing her show happy about an individual that inspires her…..
thank you
JJ, you are not alone raise your children. I’m a single mother of a 13 year old boy, who has ADHD and Oppositional defiance disorder , sensory issues and possible austism as well. I wish I live close tot he camp myself, I know my son would benefit it from it. i’m hoping this year to take him to some pow wow’s. I know the beat of the drum will be healing for him, because the beat of the drum is the heartbeat of the tribe. just like when a child is in it’s mother ‘s womb the first thing they hear is the beat of your heart.
This is awesome! I want to come volunteer here and bring both my daughter’s(1 typical and 1 with ass/spd/food issues/speech delays).
i have 2 boys with aspergers and they are doing great. they are both working. i;m so proud of them .