Each year, summer camp is a rite of passage for children. From sleeping in a cabin at night to trying outdoor activities and singing around a crackling fire, camp creates magical memories that last for a lifetime. At Wayfinder Family Services, we believe it’s a learning experience that should be available to every child – even if they’re blind.
Wayfinder’s Camp Bloomfield, which is free to all campers and depends almost entirely on gifts from kind and caring people like you, welcomed a truly special visitor last summer: eight-year-old Eloise. She is the kind of girl who brightens any room she is in, and she’s completely blind. But she wasn’t going to let that stop her from attending her first summer camp.
Upon her arrival, a counselor helped Eloise practice getting around the camp with her cane. Soon, she was confident in her skill, but she wasn’t going to stop there. She encouraged her new friends and visually impaired counselors to use their canes as well. Where some might have seen the cane as a limitation, Eloise showed them it was a tool for independence and confidence.
At summer camp, Eloise tried everything from archery to the climbing wall to playing in the drum circle. She was up for any new adventure, but her ultimate favorite activity was canoeing! Her courage was so contagious that she inspired the other kids to try new things, too, even ones who were older than her.
She rotated who she sat with at meals and made sure every camper felt involved. Attending camp helped her natural leadership skills shine through. While Eloise’s parents had always encouraged her to be independent, it was at camp that her sense of self-reliance rose to new heights.
“Eloise inspired everyone around her to try new things,” says Wayfinder’s president and chief executive officer, Jay Allen. “Camp staff marveled at Eloise’s natural ability to include everyone in her world. Every camper she met benefited from her example.” Everyone was so amazed by Eloise that she was selected for special recognition at our holiday celebration in December.
Aundrae Russell, CEO of Stevie Wonder’s We Are You Foundation, presented Eloise with Wayfinder Family Services’ annual Stevie Wonder Star Student Award. “This award is really for her whole family – her parents Jennifer and Jason have taught her that her vision impairment will never hold her back from anything,” said Russell. “Her courage is contagious.”
The Stevie Wonder Star Student Award was established in 2014 to celebrate our six decades of serving children, youth and adults who are blind or visually impaired and to honor Stevie Wonder, a longtime supporter and member of Wayfinder’s board of directors.
As millions of families prepare to send their children to attend summer camp this year, we hope you’ll think of Eloise and the difference you can make in the lives of other kids like her.
Your gift to Wayfinder helps create magical camp experiences for so many kids like Eloise!
May 11, 2026