YOUTH
The Salvation Army is working to better belonging for everyone, starting at camp.
‘Everybody deserves a place to sit at the table’ BY CHRISTIN THIEME
C
ameron Helms attended his first summer camp last summer at age 29. Helms—who is deaf, has cognitive delays and cerebral palsy on one side of his body—was one of the campers at The Salvation Army High Peak Camp adaptive camp for young adults in Estes Park, Colorado. The pilot camp included 12 young adults with disabilities, adding to some 1,000 children across 10 weeks of summer camp there, The Salvation Army’s only camp surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. “It’s been a journey of many disabilities and many learning opportunities and a way to see the world and even the Church in ways I probably never would’ve if it weren’t for Cameron,” said Major Nancy Helms, Cameron’s mother and
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a Salvation Army officer who now serves as the Disabilities Ministries Director in the USA Western Territory. In her role, Helms aims to provide training on disabilities ministry and opportunities for individuals with disabilities. “There’s a lot of fear behind disabilities and misunderstanding of the unknown, and we want to bring along resources and elements of training that will help people feel comfortable being a part of the disability community,” Helms said. “We want to figure out ways of providing opportunities for individuals with disabilities to be a part of every facet of The Salvation Army ministry—everything we do.” One of those facets is camp. “Cameron has never been invited to anything, and by comparison, Nick has been affirmed over and over and over