Nothing beats a childhood full of summertime fun. Summer camps are a staple for many communities, and one special camp in Aberdeen makes sure that all children are able to have that experience.
Camp DreamMakers is a camp for children with physical, hearing, speech, vision, gross motor, or neurological conditions. It was established in 1982 by Maryan Salmi, a PE teacher from Ipswich. Back then, it was part of Camp Courage, which was an overnight summer camp that included campers from Minnesota and South Dakota. Nine kids attended camp that first year, and now about 60 attend camp each year.
In 2007, Camp DreaMakers got its new name. The Aberdeen Family YMCA took over, and they officially became one of their programs. Campers get a free annual membership to the YMCA when they enroll.
The purpose of Camp DreamMakers is to let kids be themselves, have fun, make friends, and have access to other opportunities that they might not have during the school year. Campers spend their mornings playing in the Roncalli Elementary School gymnasium and eat a free lunch before embarking on an afternoon full of activities. This past year, those events included swimming, bowling, boating at Richmond Lake, and a lot of time at Wylie Park.
The 2024 campers started each day at Roncalli Elementary School.
Two nine-day sessions are held in June and July each year. At first, the age range for campers was limited to ages 5 to 14. Rose Kraft advocated for expanding that range up to 21 years old.
There are 11 paid staff members that work at the camp, including a nurse. They try to make sure that things can be one-on-one as much as possible. Volunteers from Aberdeen schools also help out at the camp.
Kids from across the state come to Camp DreamMakers. It’s the only camp of its kind in South Dakota, so campers have traveled from Webster, Ipswich, Redfield, Groton, Mitchell, and Sioux Falls.
Camp DreamMakers wouldn’t be possible without the support of the Aberdeen Community. The United Way has helped with years, as well as Aberdeen Catholic Schools and South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. This year, the Fraternal Order of Police set up their lake day at Richmond.
The campers visit many places around town including Storybook Land.
“People in this city are so giving,” said Mary Marion.
“When we’re scheduling activities, people just say ‘Sure, what do you need?’” said Jessica Cihak. “There is always a ton of support.” //
Camp DreamMakers is always looking for more volunteers. For more information, contact Jessica at campdreammakers@gmail.com or call the Aberdeen Family YMCA at 605-225-4910.
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