Dreams With Wings providing a summer camp for those with intellectual disabilities

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A camp in Louisville is helping those with special needs have the best summer they can while making memories in the process.

On a hot July day, campers at Dreams with Wings are doing their best to relax and unwind. The Louisville-based nonprofit is hosting a camp for those with intellectual disabilities.

"It's seven weeks long, five days a week, eight hours a day so it is a lot of joy, a lot of time, a lot of energy," said Heather Sauer, Dreams With Wings Youth Programs director.

Nearly 50 campers ages 13 to 21 are spending the day focusing on yoga, one of several things they do during the summer.

"This kind of sets the mood for the day and then later on they can get all that energy up and moving for the next activity," Sauer said.

It's Mario Cipolla's second year at the camp. He is 20 years old and has autism.

Cipolla's parents enrolled him last year and noticed he gradually became more social and started making friends.

"Coming to something like this gives him the opportunity to experience things that obviously we are not going to be doing at home," said Tony Cipolla. "He gets up in the morning and he knows he has Dreams camp. He says 'I got to go to Dreams.'"

Campers do a variety of activities like spending the day at Lynn Family Stadium with Louisville City FC and going to the movies.

"They get a chance to practice things like socialization, money skills, interacting with folks in the community, all of those things help to build independence and that is one of our goals as well," Sauer said.

Comfort levels in social situations vary, so the camper to counselor ratio is 3 to 1, which ensures each participant takes in experiences at their own pace.

The smiles shared in the room helps each person know they are important, unique and valued.

"There's not any other time where I get to see over 100 faces every single day, they know my name, I know their name and I know that each year," Sauer said.

To learn more about Dreams With Wings, click here.

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