Joshua Center for Neurological Disorders

400 E. Bannister Rd.
Kansas City, MO 64131
phone: 816-763-7605
website: www.joshuacamp.org

The Annual Joshua Center Residential Camp is a residential camp experience held at the Rotary Youth Camp in Lee’s Summit, MO, for children with a primary diagnosis of Tourette Syndrome , Asperger Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

For many of the children, it is the first time they have met someone else with TS, OCD, or AS. These children are often misunderstood by peers and educators, thus they frequently have a great deal of problems in school. They often have few friends.
Campers are assigned to a six camper cabin with kids their own age with at least two wonderful cabin counselors. In 2010,we had 87 campers with a staff of 60, including 3 full-time nurses.

This may be the first time in their lives the children are truly accepted -- tics, obsessions and all. Our goal is for each child to have a positive, nurturing “typical” camp experience like their peers – experiences they will treasure for a lifetime.

Since many of our children do not have the opportunity for positive social interactions (invited to birthday parties, team sports, clubs, etc.) camp becomes essential for building self-esteem.

Our goal is that every child leaves camp knowing they have found a friend. Camp truly changes lives.

Activities include arts and crafts, swimming, team building, cook outs, fishing, singing and performing skits around the campfire, and boating rides on Pontoon boats.

New campers often come to camp a little apprehensive, but on the last day they are crying because they don't want to go home. When asked why they will say, "I don't want to go home because this is the first time in my life I have been accepted."