We decided this year to start calling our annual trip a “HEART Family Vacation” rather than a camp. Sure, we do camp activities like swimming, hiking, and campfire ghost stories, but we feel that the greatest takeaway is that it’s a chance for all of us to hang out together as a family.

This was our third year of “camp”, and second year at Camp Rockmont in beautiful Black Mountain, NC. We had 19 HEARTists and 5 staff stay in the Grey Eagle Lodge for 4 nights and 5 days. And woah, what a full 5 days we had! We planned, shopped, and prepared all of our meals together at the cabin, aside from our lunch downtown. We kept a full schedule, but also made sure to have some free time to relax. Here’s a glimpse at some of our activities:

Hiking
Swimming in Lake Eden, jumping off the high dive, and bouncing off the Blob
S’mores and ghost stories around the campfire
Cuddle Puddle movie night
T-shirt and rock decorating
A talent show
Playing in the creek
Exploring downtown Asheville
Visiting the Puppet Clubhouse with Jen Murphy

These trips are extra special because it is rare that families with children with special needs have the opportunity to spend time away from each other. Some HEARTists had never spent a night away from their parents until our first year of camp in 2017! We find this temporary separation to be super important in giving adults with special needs a sense of independence and parents the opportunity to watch their adult children grow in confidence . Who doesn’t enjoy a vacation with all of your closest friends away from your parents?! We look forward to this fun-filled trip every year and are excited to watch it grow and evolve in the future!