Every summer, from June to August, the PA Lions Beacon Lodge Camp in Mount Union, PA holds weeklong summer camp sessions for adults and children with disabilities. Beacon Lodge is set on 583 acres of land near the Juniata River. It is completely funded by Pennsylvania Lions Club and private donations. The camp was originally established in 1948 for blind residents of Pennsylvania. Today they accept residents with varying physical disabilities and mental challenges. “Beacon Lodge is special, because many of the campers don’t normally have the opportunity to leave their group homes, so it is great to see how excited the campers get and you can see it on their faces when they arrive at camp,” said the camp coordinator, Kristina Brockman. The
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The nature trails are equipped with braille signs for guests who are blind or visually impaired. The lodge is currently accepting applications for camp counselors. Counselors stay with the campers throughout their session and also help with the camper’s personal care needs. “Being a camp counselor is exhausting sometimes, but it is also fun and incredibly rewarding. I have learned so much from my experience as a camp counselor, and I have also met many people that I would not have had the chance to meet, without this experience,” said former camp counselor, Lyra Schroeder. Many people have been attending the camp since they were children, and 90% of the campers are returnees from previous years. “Overall, Beacon Lodge is a great place for people with disabilities to come and have the typical summer camp experience but adapted to their unique needs. In the adult camp, the campers have friendships with other campers that go back decades. It’s also an opportunity for the campers to come back to a place they know well and feel comfortable in, and be able to participate in activities they may not get to do out in the world,” said
The nature trails are equipped with braille signs for guests who are blind or visually impaired. The lodge is currently accepting applications for camp counselors. Counselors stay with the campers throughout their session and also help with the camper’s personal care needs. “Being a camp counselor is exhausting sometimes, but it is also fun and incredibly rewarding. I have learned so much from my experience as a camp counselor, and I have also met many people that I would not have had the chance to meet, without this experience,” said former camp counselor, Lyra Schroeder. Many people have been attending the camp since they were children, and 90% of the campers are returnees from previous years. “Overall, Beacon Lodge is a great place for people with disabilities to come and have the typical summer camp experience but adapted to their unique needs. In the adult camp, the campers have friendships with other campers that go back decades. It’s also an opportunity for the campers to come back to a place they know well and feel comfortable in, and be able to participate in activities they may not get to do out in the world,” said