Worried? Anxious? Not even close.

If Toni Boyd could have described her emotions on the day she dropped off her daughter Samantha at summer camp for the first time, she would have used one single word: terrified. The fact that millions of children in America attend camp every summer is no consolation for Toni, as it would be for other parents. Toni is accustomed to fears that many parents will never face as Samantha was born with cerebral palsy. Despite her apprehension, Toni let Samantha attend a camp program last summer, entrusting her daughter to the care of others for one of the first times. Samantha’s physical and verbal barriers require special care and undivided attention, which Toni has found difficult for others to lend if they are unfamiliar with individuals with special needs. So, when the phone rang only hours into Samantha’s first day at camp, Toni immediately sprang into emergency mode: something has happened to my daughter. Toni was halfway into the car when she SHADES OF SUMMER: (Above left) Samantha and Toni Boyd enjoy camp Hooray’s pool on a sunny day; (Above right and opposite page) ESP’s dream is to make Camp Hooray the most accessible, technologically advanced camp in the country, offering an unprecedented experience to the more than six million children with disabilities in the U.S. playfully, joyously laughing while interacting with peers her age at summer camp, a scene Toni had only ever dreamed of while raising a child with special needs. And now, Samantha was living that dream. As parents of individuals with special needs know too well, many answered the call, breathless and prepared for the worst. “What’s wrong? I’ll be there as soon as I can. I’m calling 911.” The excited voice of a camp volunteer on the other end of the line surprised Toni. “No, Mrs. Boyd, everything is fine! There’s just something we wanted you to hear.” That “something” was the most beautiful sound Toni had ever heard. Samantha was laughing. Her daughter was passionately,

“Parents find that giving their children with special needs the same experiences as everyone else is difficult and financially draining.”

playfully, joyously laughing while interacting with peers her age at summer camp, a scene Toni had only ever dreamed of while raising a child with special needs. And now, Samantha was living that dream. As parents of individuals with special needs know too well, many dreams remain dreams. Whether it’s the lack of a community’s resources, or the large expense of attending special needs-specific programs, parents regularly find that giving their children with special needs the same experiences as everyone else is difficult and financially draining. As summer rolls around and kids head to water parks, summer camps and baseball games, those with special needs rarely view those activities as a possibility. Despite the difficulties, there are still those who dream. But, more important, they strive to make dreams a reality. Martha Wyllie was one of those dreamers, and it was her specific dream that kick-started the journey that led to Toni hearing a laugh from Samantha that she never thought she would. In 1986, Wyllie saw a need for inclusivity in Watkinsville, Georgia, a small town with big plans, located 65 miles east of Atlanta.

SHADES OF SUMMER: (Above left) Samantha and Toni Boyd enjoy camp Hooray’s pool on a sunny day; (Above right and opposite page) ESP’s dream is to make Camp Hooray the most accessible, technologically advanced camp in the country, offering an unprecedented experience to the more than six million children with disabilities in the U.S.