Robin was born with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare eye disease that affects the retina and causes vision loss over time. Today, Robin is legally blind, but she’s always been encouraged to live a full life thanks to her mom, Shirley.
That encouragement included attending Wayfinder’s Camp Bloomfield each summer, from 1984 to 1990. Funded almost entirely by caring supporters like you, the camp offers activities adapted for children of all ages and abilities and gives them a safe environment to build self-esteem and independence.
Shirley knew that her daughter deserved to experience summer camp and that she wouldn’t grow if she didn’t have the opportunity to fail. “My mom was the one who was always willing to give me a kick in the pants to go try something,” says Robin, a senior manager for a large bank and a mother of two.
So, with love and trust, Shirley sent her daughter to Camp Bloomfield, the only one of its kind for children with multiple disabilities and blindness in the state of California that’s offered free of charge. Robin remembers those summers fondly, because at camp, she wasn’t different, but a regular kid.
“There were times at night, when we were coming back from the campfire, I couldn’t see. We might hold arms or something, but it wasn’t like a formal guiding of a blind person. It was like, ‘Hey, hang on to me’ kind of thing,” she remembers.
Eventually, Robin tried hiking and cross-country skiing. She even did a 60-mile tandem bike ride with Wayfinder’s recreation program and worked as a counselor at Camp Bloomfield. With each new adventure, Shirley watched Robin grow more comfortable and confident.
Robin knew how camp positively impacted her life, but what she didn’t know was that Shirley was an annual supporter of Wayfinder for decades. Sadly, Shirley passed away recently, but she included Wayfinder in her will to help continue the work that meant so much to their family.
Shirley’s belief in her – and her willingness to let Robin try new, sometimes scary, things – was a lifelong gift that echoes today. “My mom always loved kids,” says Robin, who hopes to bring her own kids to Camp Bloomfield in the future. “She was a teacher, and often taught students who had come from really tough upbringings. So she always had a heart for kids.”
Leave a lasting legacy by remembering Wayfinder Family Services in your estate plans.
For more information, contact Randy Sprabary at (323) 290-6290 or rsprabary@wayfinderfamily.org.
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May 11, 2026