The Tribune

BY DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A SUMMER camp was launched in Freeport on Monday for Grand Bahama children with disabilities.

Kendrick Rolle, chairman and executive director of the Bahamas Coalition of Advocates for Disabilities Awareness, said 40 children registered to attend Camp Inclusion at the Freeport Seventh Day Church from July 29-August 4.

The camp was initially launched in New Providence in 2022 - with 20 children from Grand Bahama attending.

“After hosting it in New Providence, we found it necessary to host one in Grand Bahama,” Mr Rolle said.

The idea, he said, is to bring children with and without disabilities together so they can learn about advocacy and inclusion, among other things.

Campers will learn about the various kinds of disabilities. They will participate in activities, learn sign language, and how to use a wheelchair. They will also part take in sporting activities, including beep baseball for blind and hearing impaired.

There will be a field trip to the Obadiah Wilchcombe Government Complex in Eight Mile Rock. The camp will culminate with a family fun day at the Independence Park at 2pm on Sunday, August 4. Partners include the Department of Social Services, the Ministry for Grand Bahama, Aliv, Freeport Seventh Day Adventists and the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities.

Brennamae Cooper, chief social worker with supervision for Senior Citizens and Disabilities Affairs Division, said they are pleased to partner in organising a disabilities camp in Freeport.

Joel Lewis, permanent secretary in the Ministry for Grand Bahama, said the ministry will provide breakfast and lunch to campers.

Peter Watson, of the Seventh Day Adventist Youth Ministry, said: “We have a programme for disabled called possibility ministry, and we thought fitting to partner with Mr Rolle.”

A representative from the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities is also in Grand Bahama to identify and register people with disabilities.