Biweekly Community Spotlight:
A Summer to Remember

This summer, 233 children/youth — from babies through 12th graders — had somewhere to be, something to learn, and someone in their corner.

Camp Huckleberry

For Lopez children entering grades K–5, Camp Huckleberry is the heartbeat of summer. Six weeks of full-day programming brought campers through themed adventures. From the depths of the Salish Sea to the far reaches of outer space, kids spent their days crafting, making music, telling storytelling, and enjoying outdoor time, complete with the water games that campers look forward to all year.

The signs of a good “Tot” time have simply shifted with the season: from an empty coffee pot and toys scattered across the playroom in winter, to sandy, happy kids waving goodbye as they head home exhausted for lunch and naps.

“Thank you for holding this every week — it encourages us to get out the door and meet people.”

“I loved making hummingbird food and getting a hummingbird feeder at camp. It’s so fun having hummingbirds come to our home now! I also really liked doing Legos and making houses out of popsicle sticks. And I loved the Missoula camp!!”

— Camp Huckleberry camper

The highlight of the summer came during Week 3, when the Missoula Children’s Theatre arrived on Lopez to bring Cinderella to life. Campers auditioned, rehearsed, and performed in a full-scale production that filled the LCCA with families, friends, and more than a few proud tears.

“Seeing my son onstage as part of the Missoula Children’s Theatre performance!”

— Camp parent, when asked about their favorite summer moment

Week 6 brought Camp Read-a-Rama, led by their Executive Director, Dr. Michelle Martin. All books and activities were woven around an Outdoor Odyssey theme. Katy Hill, Early Learning programs manager, read A Walk in the Woods, a beautifully illustrated watercolor book that travels with a boy as he finds peace on a walk in the woods, noticing all the critters large and small and drawing them in his journal.

Campers then made their own nature journals and headed out on the Life Trail to notice three things: a bird, a bug, and a plant. Other highlights included making paper from scratch, pitching a tent on the playground, and reading together in the tent with friends. The songs from camp were still being sung on the playground, on the trail, and at home long after the week ended.

“I loved hearing my daughter share about a book they read as a group in such detail and with such passion during Read-a-Rama week.”

— Camp parent

Camp Buildability

Now in its third year, Camp BuildAbility is a collaboration between LIFRC, Advocates of Lopez Island Gathering for Neurodiversity (ALIGN), and Lopez Island School District. LIFRC provided the summer camp experience and 1:1 support, ALIGN contributed expertise in inclusive learning environments, and LISD delivered Extended School Year academic services for youth with disabilities. Together, we built a camp where every child could learn, belong, and thrive.

This summer brought something truly remarkable. Over the course of six weeks, campers learned more than fifty words and phrases in American Sign Language. What began as a way to support one camper in communicating more easily with those around them quickly became a practice the whole camp embraced together

The milestones campers reached this summer were extraordinary: getting in and out of multiple vehicles with minimal support, developing the physical strength to assist in transfers from a wheelchair to other surfaces, navigating independently through hallways, participating in social circles using augmentative and alternative communication technology, expanding vocabularies, and finding new ways to express themselves when others weren’t understanding them. And so much more.

This summer also marked the second year LIFRC hired a recent graduate who had himself been a special education student. He got himself to and from work each day, communicated with colleagues, and took on new responsibilities in a professional setting as a caregiver rather than a peer. By the end of camp, students were more confident, more independent, and more connected to the community around them.

Specialty Camps for Grades 6–8

Middle schoolers had no shortage of ways to spend their summer:

Bookbinding & Printmaking: Campers designed their own prints and hand-bound them into one-of-a-kind books to take home.

Culinary Camp: Junior chefs learned the art of Mexican cooking, mastering salsas, flautas, chicken tinga, pozole, and vanilla flan from scratch.

Robotics Camp in partnership with the Economic Development Council of San Juan County: Campers built and programmed their own robots using VEX IQ technology, ending in robot races and a memorable moment when one robot became very committed to untying the instructor’s shoelaces.

Soccer, Tennis & Pickleball: All three sports camps were taught by paid staff/sport coaches or volunteers from the Lopez Island Community Tennis Association. We are so grateful for the neighbors who gave their time.

Teen Events
The Youth Health Advocates brought high schoolers together twice this summer for events designed by youth, for youth — a beach BBQ and a Capture the Flag showdown in the Lopez Village.

What's to Come this Fall

Summer may be winding down, but the learning hasn’t stopped. The After-School Program for grades K–8 will return in late September, and the LIFRC Literacy Intervention Program will continue with in-school support. For the younger kids, Parent-Tot play group meets on Fridays from 10:00AM – 12:00PM.

With Gratitude

None of this summer would have been possible without the generous support of our funders and community partners. Deep thanks for the funding provided by the 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant, the Lopez Thrift Shop for funding nutritious snacks, the Washington State Department of Health Youth Cannabis and Commercial Tobacco Prevention Program (DOH YCCTPP), WellPoint, McEachern Foundation, and San Juan County Health and Community Services. Thank you to Lopez Island School District, Lopez Library, Lopez Island Community Tennis Association, the Economic Development Council of San Juan County, and every guest instructor who came and shared their talents and expertise with our campers.

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