Our mission is to empower children and adults with developmental disabilities to achieve their potential based on personal choices, abilities and interests...

For more information about our recreational services contact:

Dave Gasparri
Director of Recreational Services
(914) 428-8330
ext. 3218
dgasparri
@westchesterarc.org

Westchester Arc
Herbert Katzenberg Center
121 Westmoreland Avenue
White Plains, NY 10606
(914) 949-9300
info@westchesterarc.org

24-hour
Crisis Intervention:
(914) 949-8200

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Recreation Programs Offer Breath of Fresh Air

Nature enthusiasts enjoyed the wilderness at Westchester Arc’s Camp Echo and Echo Outdoors, both held at Fahnestock State Park in Putnam County.

It's easy to make friends at Camp Echo.

Camp Echo offered a full range of outdoor activities for adults 18 and over during its five weeklong sessions, scheduled between July 6 and August 17. Echo Outdoors, held August 13-17, provided young adults, ages 15-21, with a week of nature study.

Nearly 200 individuals attended Camp Echo this year, where daily activities included hiking, boating and archery.
One of the agency’s most popular recreation programs, Camp Echo has provided summertime enjoyment for over three decades.

Daily activities include boating, archery and swimming.

John D. looks forward to attending every year. “I love Camp Echo. It’s really fun there. I liked swimming and hanging out with my friends by the lake. I’ll definitely keep going back.”

During Echo Outdoors, which was launched three years ago, campers attended classes such as “lake study” and “outdoor survival skills,” which promoted independent thinking.

In both programs, participants shared cabins with people their own ages, building friendships and enhancing social skills. This was particularly important to young adults, many of whom had never spent time away from home. In the evening, everyone enjoyed karaoke, movies and other entertainment.

Counselors spell out the word “CAMP.”

Each week of camp concluded with an awards banquet, complete with dancing and certificates of merit. Counselors hailed from Europe, and they introduced campers to new cultures by performing song and dance numbers repre-sentative of their native countries.

“One of the nicest things about Camp Echo is its diversity,” says Dave Gasparri, director of recreational services. “We have counselors from England, Australia, Germany, Russia and Poland and campers with various disabilities. Yet everyone gets along and has a great time. Camp is a real bonding experience.”

What wood you like to make?

Young adults depict a nature scene during Echo Outdoors.