Attending Easterseals New Hampshire’s Camp Sno-Mo was a huge step for Lucas. It would be the teen camper’s first extended period away from the familiar walls of his home. His mother, Heather, admitted she wasn’t initially sure how well her son would handle being in such a new environment for an entire week.
To Heather’s relief and delight, Lucas thrived at camp. For the first time, he enjoyed outdoor activities like horseback riding and canoeing and even learned how to build his own rocket.
“Camp Sno-Mo just expanded his world so much more than we could have thought it would have,” Heather said. “There was a good routine that allowed him to stay engaged but also take breaks when he wanted to.”
Heather shared that, the previous winter, Lucas had come close to going into a residential placement due to the level of supports he receives. “It was a very emotional time for everybody,” she said. “We were just really stuck, so we worked hard to kind of crawl out of that a little bit.”
Fast forward to the onset of summer, when Heather knew it would potentially be a more challenging time for Lucas due to the lack of a structured schedule. While there is a four-week summer program at the Monarch School of New England, where Lucas is a student, there are a few gap weeks on the calendar. Heather started researching other opportunities for where Lucas could spend those weeks, which eventually led her to look into enrolling him at Camp Sno-Mo.
Lucas’ excitement at seeing the camp and meeting the staff at the annual open house in early June was enough for his family to enroll him in a weeklong session later that month. Lucas enjoyed it so much—developing a close friendship with his one-on-one support counselor, Ismael—that he returned for a second session that August.
“They would send us videos and pictures while he was there … and every picture showed that he was just genuinely happy and confident,” Heather said. “Even with communication challenges, the staff found ways to ask questions in a way that they could understand his response. I would’ve never anticipated for the staff to be as amazing and adaptive as they were.”
Even upon returning home after the first session, Heather noticed continued positive changes.
“His independence skills just flourished during those first few weeks at home, just with activities of daily living, like cleaning up after mealtime and toileting routines,” she said.
When Lucas returned in August for the second session, he was able to spend time with Isamel again. During one of their arts and crafts activities, he built his own wooden American flag that Isamel brought home to Spain with him as a memento and symbol of the pair’s bond. “Ismael just about climbed into our car when we were leaving, which was a really great feeling,” Heather joked. “They didn’t even want to separate.”
Above all, Heather particularly appreciated both the open line of communication and the individualized approach of Camp Sno-Mo staff. “One of my other favorite things about it is the integration with the Scouts of America,” she said. “There are not a lot of opportunities for Lucas to be around typically developing peers, and that is how he learns best, by peer modeling. So, having them integrated into all aspects of camp is a great benefit.”
Lucas and his family will attend the New Hampshire Snowmobile Association’s annual Ride-In fundraiser for Camp Sno-Mo in early 2025 as special guests. Meanwhile, he plans to return for another fun-filled session at camp next summer.
“Easterseals NH values Lucas for Lucas. They don’t look at him for his disabilities or his behaviors or the intensive support he needs—they value him as a person and his sense of humor,” Heather said. “Camp Sno-Mo has truly changed his life and our family’s life. … It gives us a little hope that there are spaces where he can have a greater sense of belonging.”
Learn more about Camp Sno-Mo by visiting eastersealsnh.org/camp.