Campers in search of fun, friendships at SOMO sports camp

Victoria Pineda waits in line with her parents Aravella and Juan to register medication Sunday, June 26, 2022, at Special Olympics Missouri Gary Brimer Sports Camp. Special Olympics Missouri has hosted the sports camp for 26 years but only located it at the Training for Life Campus in Jefferson City. (Ryan Pivoney/News Tribune photo)
Victoria Pineda waits in line with her parents Aravella and Juan to register medication Sunday, June 26, 2022, at Special Olympics Missouri Gary Brimer Sports Camp. Special Olympics Missouri has hosted the sports camp for 26 years but only located it at the Training for Life Campus in Jefferson City. (Ryan Pivoney/News Tribune photo)


Summer camps are all about creating special memories. Special Olympics Missouri's Gary Brimer Sports Camp is no different.

More than 50 campers arrived Sunday at the Training for Life Campus with luggage and excitement. Special Olympics Missouri kicked off its 26th annual sports camp with a Jefferson City Renegades game.

Charlie Phillips, 25, of Savannah, said he's expecting to have fun throughout his first stay at the week-long Gary Brimer Sports Camp.

Although his favorite sport is powerlifting, Phillips said what he's looking forward to most is meeting new friends.

More than half of the campers are newcomers.

And new friendships are a classic part of camp, said Susan Shaffer, Training for Life Campus outreach and programs director.

"That's the biggest thing of all," she said. "It's the friendships and bonds -- just like when we probably went to camp and learned and met new friends that you have probably the rest of your life. That's what they want too and that's a great opportunity."

The camp, which runs through the end of the month, engages special needs participants with sports, crafts and life-skill programs. After checking in bags and registering medication, campers met with team leaders and their smaller camp cohort to begin socializing.

Shaffer said campers often leave and then recognize each other at other events across the state. They might come in shy but quickly find strong connections, she said.

A lot of campers also learn new skills and become more independent through the camp, Shaffer said.

Among the list of activities this week are fishing and archery, which Shaffer said many have never done before.

"That's a skill that you can learn and take, and those are a little bit about what they're going to learn this week," she said. "It's a lot of stuff that maybe they can take home or it's a first. I always say they're going to make a lot of firsts this week."

Shaffer said this year's camp is smaller than usual and campers are staying in local hotels for the first time. The camp has previously been held at larger facilities campers could sleep at.

"We made a choice when we built the building that we'd use stuff in the community," Shaffer said. "And that's part of us giving back because the community in Jefferson City has given us so much to be able to have this building here."

She said it's exciting to see so many new faces and it signals the organization is reaching a new generation of special needs athletes.

Ryan O'Neal, 29, of Raytown, is another camp newcomer. He said he was feeling alright about the sports camp because it beat work as a janitor and would be a good way to leave stress at home and have fun.

O'Neal said he plays most sports and is looking forward to those, but he also wants to meet new people.

"Just basically get to know them so they can get to know me and what kind of personality I am," he said. "Simple things."

Melesia O'Neal, Ryan's mother, said they've been involved with SOMO for years and decided to join the camp after talking about it with Shaffer. She said it's a good opportunity for her son to learn new skills and make new friends.

"I think it's a great opportunity for Special Olympics to allow the guys to learn so much more and I think that's what we'll see this week," Shaffer said. "You just stand back and watch and it's pretty amazing what they learn how to do."

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PHOTO GALLERY: Happy campers at Special Olympics Missouri