Camp Idlewild is a brand-new old-school thrill for wilderness explorers with special needs.
From the rustic main lodge with its mounted animal heads to the cozy sleepaway cabins to all the trails, lakes and wildlife fun, the 140-acre camp in Land O' Lakes is a charming throwback.
Visionary Irene Roach and her family owned the massive property, and in honor of a family member with autism, decided to turn it into a fun getaway for families in the special-needs community.
"We don't advertise that we are a therapeutic program," says camp director Mariah "Commander Moe" Pasko. "We just want to be an inclusive program."
"So we're doing all those classic camp activities, bringing these kids the old-school ways of camping, running around outside, getting hot and sweaty."
Camp Idlewild is a nonprofit whose program was designed for children with autism spectrum disorders, sensory processing disorders, Down syndrome and developmental delays.
For registration information, click here.
