Columbus State University recently offered children who are blind or visually impaired a chance to participate in all of the activities that make up a traditional summer camp.

“Camp Abilities provides campers with the opportunity to build skills while increasing self esteem and independence,” said Dr. Jeanine Fittipaldi-Wert, associate professor of health, physical education and exercise science, who oversees the camp. “We’re able to show the campers and the community everything a blind or visually impaired individual can do, which is everything!”

Camp Abilities Columbus is a non-profit organization and residential camp for children, ages 8 to 18, who are blind or visually impaired. Campers stay on CSU's campus to engage in an array of sports and recreational activities in a safe and developmentally appropriate environment. Some of these activities include:

·  Beep baseball

·  Beep kickball

·  Goalball

·  Rock climbing

·  Swimming

·  Soccer

·  Tandem biking

·  Tennis

·  Team building activities

Activities are supervised by volunteer student counselors from CSU’s Health and Physical Education, Health Science and Exercise Science programs and Florida State University’s Vision Program. All activities are taught by a specialist in education for children who are blind or visually impaired.

Campers have attended Camp Abilities over Memorial Day weekend every year for the past six years thanks in part to the generous support of local businesses and organizations, including Ride on Bikes, Country’s Barbeque, Zaxby’s, Georgia Eye Care, the Georgia Society of Ophthalmology, and Run Across Georgia.