Tag Archive

Enchanted Hills Camp

Gill Benefit for Enchanted Hills Session Raises over $7,000

In January beloved former Menlo School teacher Steve Gill, his daughter Anne and a team of talented current and former Menlo School students and faculty, treated audiences to two evenings’ worth of songs by the great American songwriter Harold Arlen, co-composer of many memorable songs such as Blues in the Night, Get Happy, That Old Black Magic and It’s Only a Paper Moon. This year the “Annie and Her Friends” concerts raised more than $7,000 for Special Needs sessions at Enchanted Hills Camp.

The Gill Family connection to Enchanted Hills Camp goes back to the late 1990’s when Anne, who was just out of high school, was in a near-fatal car accident that left her blind and brain injured. After a long rehabilitation period, the Gills learned about the Enchanted Hills session for blind adults who also have other disabilities and Anne began attending. Soon after they began to fundraise for the Enchanted Hills session and with this year’s concert have brought in nearly $95,000.

We offer our profound gratitude to Steve and Nancy Gill, Anne and all of “Annie’s Friends” for the great shows they put on to support us.

It’s easy to donate to Enchanted Hills Camp.

Portrait of Anne and Steve Gill

Saddle Up – Learn How to Ride and Take Care of Horses at New Equestrian Camp Session

At our new Horse Camp you’ll have a chance to learn from avid horseback rider and wrangler, Diane Starin. Starin, who is blind, has owned, ridden, taught and cared for horses for more than 30 years. She has an Associates of Science degree in agricultural business, a Certificate in Horse Husbandry and is a certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor.

This camp session is for blind or visually impaired riders, ages 16 through 24. It is geared for those that have ridden before, but not a lot. Starin has a wealth of knowledge about the proper care of horses, and students will have a truly unique chance to learn from a blind professional how it’s done with little or no sight.

Diane told us, “Horses have been my passion since I was about two and I have wanted to teach a horse camp for as long as I can remember. This is especially important to me, because blind people don’t have as much of a chance to ride and handle horses.”

Monday, August 3 through Sunday, August 9
Where: Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind near Napa, California.
Cost for each camper is $300.
Space is limited to eight participants,
so sign up while spaces are available. We expect this session to be very popular.

A separate application is available for this session. Campers must have independent mobility skills.

Objectives are to:

Teach safety
Teach grooming
Teach tacking up
Teach good care and maintenance
Expand each camper’s knowledge of different kinds of equipment and their different applications
Riding and lessons as time and skill level allows

To find out more about this session, contact Camp Director Tony Fletcher at afletcher@old.lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7319, or visit enchantedhillscamp.org.

Blind instructor Diane Starin rides Jester

Learn the Best Ways to Work with Horses at our New Horse Camp Session

Please note – see date changes below!

At our new Horse Camp you’ll have a chance to learn from avid horseback rider and wrangler, Diane Starin. Starin, who is blind, has owned, ridden, taught and cared for horses for more than 30 years. She has an Associates of Science degree in agricultural business, a Certificate in Horse Husbandry and is a certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor.

This camp session is for blind or visually impaired riders, ages 16 through 24. It is geared for those that have ridden before, but not a lot. Starin has a wealth of knowledge about the proper care of horses, and students will have a truly unique chance to learn from a blind professional how it’s done with little or no sight.

Diane told us, “Horses have been my passion since I was about two and I have wanted to teach a horse camp for as long as I can remember. This is especially important to me, because blind people don’t have as much of a chance to ride and handle horses.”

NEW DATES: Monday, August 3 through Sunday, August 9
Where: Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind near Napa, California.
Cost for each camper is $300.
Space is limited to eight participants,
so sign up while spaces are available. We expect this session to be very popular.

A separate application is available for this session. Campers must have independent mobility skills.

Objectives are to:

Teach safety
Teach grooming
Teach tacking up
Teach good care and maintenance
Expand each camper’s knowledge of different kinds of equipment and their different applications
Riding and lessons as time and skill level allows

To find out more about this session, contact Camp Director Tony Fletcher at afletcher@old.lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7319, or visit enchantedhillscamp.org.

Diane Starin rides Jester

Now You Can Saddle Up and Learn How to Ride and Take Care of Horses at New Special Camp Session

Please note – see date changes below!

At our new Horse Camp you’ll have a chance to learn from avid horseback rider and wrangler, Diane Starin. Starin, who is blind, has owned, ridden, taught and cared for horses for more than 30 years. She has an Associates of Science degree in agricultural business, a Certificate in Horse Husbandry and is a certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor.

This camp session is for blind or visually impaired riders, ages 16 through 24. It is geared for those that have ridden before, but not a lot. Starin has a wealth of knowledge about the proper care of horses, and students will have a truly unique chance to learn from a blind professional how it’s done with little or no sight.

Diane told us, “Horses have been my passion since I was about two and I have wanted to teach a horse camp for as long as I can remember. This is especially important to me, because blind people don’t have as much of a chance to ride and handle horses.”

NEW DATES: Monday, August 3 through Sunday, August 9
Where: Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind near Napa, California.
Cost for each camper is $300.
Space is limited to eight participants,
so sign up while spaces are available. We expect this session to be very popular.

A separate application is available for this session. Campers must have independent mobility skills.

Objectives are to:

Teach safety
Teach grooming
Teach tacking up
Teach good care and maintenance
Expand each camper’s knowledge of different kinds of equipment and their different applications
Riding and lessons as time and skill level allows

To find out more about this session, contact Camp Director Tony Fletcher at afletcher@old.lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7319, or visit enchantedhillscamp.org.

Blind instructor Diane Starin rides Jester

Music Academy Returns to Enchanted Hills

Trumpet, trombone, piano and bass - students and teachers make some musical noise at last year’s music academyPlease note – see date changes below!

Dancing Dots and its founder Bill McCann have developed software and procedures which allow blind musicians to read and emboss Braille and large-print music, to independently record performances and to achieve higher levels of critical listening. McCann has pioneered this specialized music academy in Canada and the U.S. and will join Enchanted Hills the week August 3, 2014 for a very special blind music academy limited to 20 students.

“Not only did [experiencing Music Academy] revive my love for music and the desire to improve again, but I was constantly impressed by the talent and dedication of everyone around me. Through creating a supportive community of young musicians, promoting flexibility, and empowering us to have experiences and take on new goals, Music Academy both inspired and humbled me to appreciate and learn from all the participants around me.” – Judith Lung, Music Academy attendee

If you are a serious blind musician or are thinking of entering the profession, this academy will introduce you to new ways you can write down your own music, read the works of others, and generally gain the capacity necessary to compete for and win employment in the music field.

Of course the Academy will be more than cool software and recording. Music professionals will join in to talk about what it’s like to be in the business, and participants will likely stay up into the evening improvising and jamming around the pool, campfire and our new Redwood Grove Amphitheater.

The Enchanted Hills Music Academy will draw young motivated blind and visually-impaired participants from around the nation. Attendance will be limited to 20, so please make arrangements to apply for a place at your early convenience.

Last year’s Academy participant Luis Jorgeiro told us, “Music Academy is one of the best things I’ve experienced so far. The attitude and experience of the tutors and mentors is something that encourages people to continue [learning], and the fact that you can socialize with other campers is awesome.”

Read about last year’s Music Academy session here.

The Academy is open for blind and visually impaired musicians 14 to 25 years old that have the temperament and interest level in music to spend a week of the summer focusing exclusively on learning more about how to read, write, arrange and perform music.

NEW DATES: Monday, August 3 through Sunday, August 9
Where: Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind
Cost for the week, all-inclusive: $300
(Limited scholarships will be made available)

To sign up, contact Taccarra Burrell at 451-694-7310 or ehc@old.lighthouse-sf.org or go to the Enchanted Hills page on our website.

High School Students – Sign Up for Fun and Learning at Chemistry Camp

The LightHouse is thrilled to partner again with Accessible Science to introduce an educational, exciting and hands-on weekend of chemistry this May in the fresh air of Enchanted Hills Camp.Chemist Hoby Wedler works with student Jimmy Cong during a past session of Chemistry Camp

During this enjoyable and intensive 3-day session, led by University of California, Davis graduate student Hoby Wedler, students will learn how blind and low vision professionals use chemistry in their careers. They will explore ways to make chemistry accessible, perform hands-on experiments, apply techniques to some basic cooking chemistry, see chemistry come alive in an exhilarating magic show and interact with blind and sighted scientists. There will also be general camp fun and evening activities.

“Each year we do a Chemistry Camp, it is invigorating, enlightening and refreshing for me to observe how much the students change.” – Hoby Wedler

Throughout the weekend, students will have quality time to socialize amongst themselves and with blind mentors and instructors. Students will be put into groups of three and each group will work with a sighted lab assistant during Chemistry exercises. Blind mentors and instructors will also be on hand to provide support and act as role models for blind students and sighted lab assistants alike.

Note that students do not need to have chemistry experience to apply. The session is open to all students and offers an encouraging environment.

Transportation will be provided to Enchanted Hills Camp from pick-up points in the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento. Parents are also welcome to provide their child with transportation directly to and from camp if they wish.

When: Friday, May 1 through Sunday, May 3
Where: Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind, Napa
Who: We will accept up to twelve blind high school students ages 14-18
Cost: There is no cost to apply for the program.

Watch this video about Chemistry Camp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=by3Cnhm19iE

For more information or to apply, please visit http://www.accessiblescience.org/node/2

Questions? Don’t hesitate to contact Angela Fowler at (530) 902-0987 or fowlers@syix.com or Tony Fletcher at (415) 694-7319 or afletcher@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

High School Students – Sign Up by April 15 for Fun and Learning at Chemistry Camp

Chemist Hoby Wedler works with student Jimmy Cong during a past session of Chemistry Camp

The LightHouse is thrilled to partner again with Accessible Science to introduce an educational, exciting and hands-on weekend of chemistry this May in the fresh air of Enchanted Hills Camp.

During this enjoyable and intensive 3-day session, led by University of California, Davis graduate student Hoby Wedler, students will learn how blind and low vision professionals use chemistry in their careers. They will explore ways to make chemistry accessible, perform hands-on experiments, apply techniques to some basic cooking chemistry, see chemistry come alive in an exhilarating magic show and interact with blind and sighted scientists. There will also be general camp fun and evening activities.

When: Friday, May 1 through Sunday, May 3
Where: Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind, Napa
Who: We will accept up to twelve blind high school students ages 14-18
Cost: There is no cost to apply for the program.
Deadline to apply: April 15, 2015

“Each year we do a Chemistry Camp, it is invigorating, enlightening and refreshing for me to observe how much the students change.” – Hoby Wedler

Throughout the weekend, students will have quality time to socialize amongst themselves and with blind mentors and instructors. Students will be put into groups of three and each group will work with a sighted lab assistant during Chemistry exercises. Blind mentors and instructors will also be on hand to provide support and act as role models for blind students and sighted lab assistants alike.

Note that students do not need to have chemistry experience to apply. The session is open to all students and offers an encouraging environment.

Transportation will be provided to Enchanted Hills Camp from pick-up points in the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento. Parents are also welcome to provide their child with transportation directly to and from camp if they wish.

Watch this video about Chemistry Camp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=by3Cnhm19iE

For more information or to apply, please visit http://www.accessiblescience.org/node/2

Questions? Don’t hesitate to contact Angela Fowler at (530) 902-0987 or fowlers@syix.com or Tony Fletcher at (415) 694-7319 or afletcher@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

2015 LightHouse Youth Leaders Summit at Enchanted Hills

Strengthen your team by strengthening yourself.

The LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired is proud to announce our annual Youth Leaders Summit, a weekend-long course held at Enchanted Hills Camp. The summit is designed to challenge low vision and blind youth ages 16 to 25 to develop the critical skills needed in order to become a successful team member or team leader.

Alongside peers and mentors, attendees will have the opportunity to role play real world situations and discuss important soft skills concepts such as attitude and perception, effective communication, conflict resolution and problem solving. At the conclusion of the summit, participants will have a better understanding of how to effectively communicate and work well with a team.

When: Friday, March 27 through Sunday, March 29
Where: Enchanted Hills Camp, Napa
Cost: There is no cost to apply for the LightHouse Youth Leaders Summit; however, a referral and authorization from your Department of Rehabilitation counselor must be submitted with your application
Transportation: A shuttle from the Ed Roberts Campus will depart on Friday at 1:30 pm and will return on Sunday by 3:30 p.m.

Applications and DOR authorizations must be received at the LightHouse by Monday, March 16.

For questions, more information or to receive an application, please contact Jamey Gump, Youth Services Coordinator, at jgump@old.lighthouse-sf.org or (415) 694-7372.

Meet Sean, A Cyclist in This Year’s Cycle for Sight

Sean McGee and his dad

This year’s Cycle for Sight, held on Saturday, April 18, will be 15-year-old Sean McGee’s fifth year riding tandem with his dad, Kevin, as pilot. Before taking on tandem riding, Sean rode behind Kevin’s bike on a tag-a-long attachment for several years.

This year the pair is taking on the 25-mile route, a distance Sean is proud to have achieved last year. Sean’s mom, Kathleen, says “We are all excited to be able to ride in the wine country and raise money for Enchanted Hills Camp and Pathways.”

This high school freshman has been a camper at Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind for seven years and running, Sean says his favorite camp memories are the hay rides and making new friends with fellow campers and counselors. Kathleen adds, “We love interacting with the camp staff and letting Sean explore in a safe environment. The camp is a comfortable place to relax and try new activities.”

Support Sean McGee in this year’s Cycle for Sight by donating to his campaign. Simply go to our donation page and select Cycle for Sight as your giving designation. You’ll want to put Sean’s name in the “I want my donation to be dedicated:” field.

Join Team LightHouse this year on Saturday April 18! Register at www.cycle4sight.com. Be sure to designate “Team LightHouse” when you register.

For more information contact Tony Fletcher at afletcher@old.lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7319.

Made a New Year’s Resolution to Get Healthy in 2015?

Lake Lokoya at Enchanted Hills

Hold a Wellness Gathering at Enchanted Hills Retreat in Napa.

Enchanted Hills on beautiful Mt. Veeder in Napa is rustic, affordable and gorgeous place away from it all (but only 8 miles from downtown Napa). Whether it is yoga, meditation, hiking or another type of spiritual or wellness retreat, Enchanted Hills is the place to come together with like-minded people and immerse in your practice. We have available a yurt, a covered geodesic dome and several indoor program spaces for your workshops. Rounding out our special Retreat Package are healthy, home cooked meals, comfortable cabins and 311 acres of forest, creeks and trails to explore.

Last year Sally Mitchell from Body Flows held a yoga retreat at Enchanted Hills and told us, “Everyone had a wonderful time and thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful camp, doing yoga, hiking on the nature trails and sharing positive energy with the group and staff. The staff were fabulous. Thanks again and we look forward to continuing to work with you and the LightHouse in the future!”

By holding your wellness gathering at Enchanted Hills, you’ll feel good because you’re treating yourself right, and because your rental of Enchanted Hills Retreat supports the life-changing programs of Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind, providing opportunities for blind people of all ages to make friends, explore and create for over 65 years.

To reserve Enchanted Hills for your get-together of 30 to 120, please call (415) 694-7310 or go to www.enchantedhillsretreat.com.