By Brenda Erdahl
Blake is confined to a wheelchair but when he’s on the dance floor he’s as free as a bird. At Camp Courage in the summer dances happen a lot, every Thursday at the gymnasium in King Recreation Center, in fact. Campers look forward to the dances because it’s a chance to dress up, socialize and have a good time.
“Blake will come in and spin around and be with people, then he’s off into a corner where he’ll spin all night. You can just see the freedom and you think wow, that’s how you dance,” said John LeBlanc President and CEO at Camp Courage in Maple Lake.
For people like Blake, camp is a place where they can be themselves and no one thinks twice about it.
Camp Courage is part of True Friends, a nonprofit agency that provides life-changing experiences that enhance independence and self-esteem for more than 5,000 children and adults with disabilities, of the 23,000 served annually through its many programs and services.
Earlier this summer, True Friends was awarded $10 million from the Minnesota State Legislature to support the construction of a new recreation center at Camp Courage.
“After more than 50 years of use, the current pool and gym can no longer support the thousands of participants we serve every year,” LeBlanc said. “The new Recreation Center will provide enhanced accessible amenities for individuals of all abilities; to continually improve the experiences we provide.”
Besides the weekly dances, the gymnasium is a place for campers to explore new activities, like wheelchair basketball, soccer, or floor hockey. It also serves as the training camp site for the United States Power Soccer Association. This power wheelchair league has been coming to Camp Courage for the last 10 -years to take advantage of its unique, wheelchair accessible facilities. At Camp Courage, people like power soccer players don’t have to worry about fitting through doors or if handicap accessible restrooms are available. What’s even better, is they can bring their families and while they train, their families enjoy a summer vacation on the lake.
Campers pass by King Recreation Center at Camp Courage in rural Maple Lake. The center is more than 50 years old and can longer support the thousands of people who use it every year.