Building Community at Camp

ByGuest Writer June 24, 2023March 24, 2026

Inclusive Camp Experiences at Hidden Acres

by Cassie Zehr

photo of multiple female young adults, some with visible disabilities, all smiling and holding up freshly-painted nails

SYAC campers show off their freshly painted fingernails at Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp. Photos provided by Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp.

At Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp, we provide a welcoming, peaceful gathering place where diverse groups of people experience life-giving connections with God, one another, and nature. To do this, we put constant effort into creating programs that are inclusive and provide the correct support for all campers. This is why we created our SYAC and CLASP programs.

Supportive Young Adults Camp (SYAC) is an overnight getaway for young adults with special needs. Created in 2010, SYAC is a great opportunity to meet new friends and take part in both traditional camp activities as well as activities that are unique to this program, and numerous campers and staff call SYAC the highlight of their year. Our Community, Life And Skills Program (CLASP) is a weekly program that creates friendships and teaches life skills. CLASP activities include hikes, cupcake decorating, yoga, learning to knit, a ‘Random Acts of Kindness Week’, cooking, and more!

Both CLASP and SYAC have had many blessings emerge from it. Campers begin the week withdrawn and end the week singing “What a Wonderful World.” Campers share their knowledge and love for God’s word. We see campers spread love and positive ripples beyond our camp. Even with barriers like the 2020 pandemic, our SYAC and CLASP campers stayed dedicated to the camp, excited for when they could come back. Instead of fading away from the camp, campers became closer: starting countdowns for the next summer and participating in all our social media programs. We love building this community and are excited to see all our campers this summer!

photo of two young adults with intellectual disabilities hugging and smiling excitedly at the camera

Cassie Zehr has worked at Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp since 2016 after attending their camps as a child. Cassie has a passion for Hidden Acres and attends the University of Waterloo as an Honors Recreation and Leisure student with a minor in Event Management. Much of her schooling is applied to events and camp programming. Cassie hopes to continue to evolve camps, encouraging better inclusivity and accessibility in all areas of programming.