Rotary Camp History

Celebrating 80 years helping us all reach beyond our limits

Over eighty years ago, two Rotarians had a vision to serve children with disabilities in the Akron community. Hezzelton Simmons, a former president of the University of Akron, and Walter Hoyt, an orthopedic surgeon, founded the Rotary Camp for Crippled Children in 1924 so that kids with polio and cerebral palsy had a place to spend their summers, just like every other child – where disabilities and limits did not matter. A year later, the Rotary Club of Akron purchased the six acres on the Portage Lakes where the vision of those two men is still very much alive – serving over 400 children and adults with disabilities each summer.

Dr. Hoyt and Dr. Simmons met with members of the Akron Rotary Club, who welcomed the idea with great enthusiasm. On June 10, 1924, they rented a YMCA camp for 10 days; the Rotary Camp for Crippled Children was born.

In 1925, the Akron Rotary Club purchased six acres on Rex Lake. In 1926 the Camp began operation for a four-week period. During the early days, the campers were mainly children with polio and cerebral palsy. Dr. and Mrs. Simmons moved to the Camp with their family and operated the Camp for the first several years. Rotarians and Rotary Anns were active in caring for and entertaining the children.

The Camp’s physical structure changed a great deal over the years. First, the campers moved out of tents and in to wooden cabins. In 1955 the Club erected the Walter Hoyt Recreation Hall. Seven new concrete block cabins became part of the Camp in 1959. The Hezzelton Simmons Lodge, constructed in 1963, included a new kitchen, dining room and craft center.

Because of the advances in medicine over the years the campers served at the Rotary Camp have changed more than the buildings. The Camp began as a camp for children with physical needs, but has grown to meet the needs of a broad scope of children with physical, developmental and mild behavioral needs ages 6 through adulthood. While children used to be patients, they are now campers, who hail from diverse parts of our community. Some campers come to Camp through social service agencies or friends, while others are referred through hospitals, Rotarians and other camps.

The camp and its activities have been a source of pride for its owners since 1924. For more than two-thirds of a century, volunteers from the Rotary Club of Akron ran the Camp. Due to the complexity of the campers who attend the Rotary Camp it became necessary to have a professionally trained director and a mature staff of counselors, trained to handle the specific needs of these children. Thus, the Rotary Club hired a camp manager in 1991, United Disability Service. In 1995, the Rotary Camp formed a successful partnership with the Akron Area YMCA. The YMCA provides professional staff and manages the daily operations of the camp. In support of the Y’s mission, our goal is to enhance the development of our campers’ self-confidence, independence and social skills.

The goal of the camping program is to build each child’s character while he or she is here for the week. Campers participate in outdoor pursuits, creative arts, sports and games and waterfront activities. Trained staff lead the children throughout the week. Evening activities include scavenger hunts, performance nights, campfires, chapels and all camp events such as carnivals and quests.

Primary funding for the Camp’s budget comes from the Rotary Club of Akron. The Club raises funds through private donations, grants and fundraisers. For several years, proceeds from a contract with the Akron Public Schools assisted in the funding of the Camp. A major fundraiser for the Camp today is the Wayne Homes Chili Open.

Rotary Camp serves people with disabilities throughout the year through Respite Programs. These weekends allow campers to enjoy all the traditional camp activities and seasonal activities as well. It’s a great opportunity for campers to see their old friends and to make new ones. Most importantly, these weekends provide opportunities for parents and care givers to get a much-needed break.

Rotary Camp for Children with Special Needs, Inc. has been and will always be a strong link to serving people with disabilities in our community. For more information about any of these programs please contact the camp office at (330) 644-4512.