Campers give it a TRY

By JARED STONESIFER Eagle Staff Writer

June 21, 2008 Last Updated: June 21, 2008 01:15 PM Community

Cassie Carlin shows off the fish she caught at TRY camp.

Volunteers, disabled make magic together

There's a camp outside of Cranberry Township that fills the hills with carefree laughter and fills its participants with unbridled joy.

It's a regular facility complete with a pool, cabins, nature trails and a pond packed with fish.

But this weeklong celebration held at the Family Retreat Center on Freeport Road in Marshall Township, Allegheny County, isn't an ordinary summer camp. It's a day camp for the mentally and physically disabled, a place where the campers and volunteer workers come in all ages and walks of life.

The 119 campers all belong to Together for Retarded Youth, an organization that brings together the region's mentally and physically challenged people to engage in social and recreational outings throughout the year.

There's no fee for the camp and no wages paid to those who volunteer. The day camp runs on donations, grants and fundraiser contributions.

David Yuko of Reserve Township, Allegheny County, took a week's vacation from work to volunteer at the camp. He's only one of about 90 volunteers who didn't get paid for their service last week, nor is he paid for serving as president of the TRY board of directors.

Yuko is here for people like Clint Norris, who's been coming to the day camp for 15 years, nearly half his life. He sees the camp as an opportunity to socialize and exercise."I always like this TRY camp," Norris of Wexford said. "We always play some cool sports here."Yuko will be the first to tell you he wouldn't want to spend his vacation any other way."Some people play golf; I do this," he said while standing next to a pond where campers were fishing. "Once you've been here you can't walk away. I'll do this as long as I'm able to do it."Yuko served as vice president of the board of directors for 19 years before assuming the presidency last year, but he's not at camp simply to be an administrator.His 30-year-old daughter Jackie is a camp participant and has been involved with TRY for years.

Yuko also is among dozens of TRY volunteers working year-round to host more than 25 social events. They organize dances, picnics, hayrides and other events with a nearly one-to-one ratio of volunteers to participants.The organization's members and volunteers hail from areas as far north as Butler and as far south as Pittsburgh.Zelienople resident Tom Zinkham has worked at the facility for two years and his son Tommy has been a camper for 10 years. Zinkham said he loves watching the older volunteers interact and collaborate with younger workers to provide a magical experience for the campers.Examples include 92-year-old Bob Meyers and 18-year-old Nicole Allerton.Meyers has been in charge of the kitchen at the camp for 15 years. It's something he predicts doing as long as he physically can."I'm getting a little old but I always come because the kids enjoy the program," he said. "It's a great thing for the number of kids we have here. I'm proud to be part of it."Allerton is in her eighth year as a volunteer at the camp. She recently graduated from Pine-Richland High School and is attending Robert Morris University in the fall.

TRY is the evolving product of five women who started the program in 1970 at St. Alphonsus Church in Wexford.Margaret Tollerton, 86, was one of those women. She taught a special needs class on Sundays at the church and realized no program existed to offer social activities for the mentally challenged."People thought we were a bunch of women doing busy work," she said. "I guess we were stubborn enough to keep it going, and it's been one of the biggest joys of my life."Now TRY boasts more than 300 members. The group is starting to outgrow the facilities it uses in the Pine-Richland School District for events like bingo and dances.The organization doesn't even have a local office; all group operations and business are conducted out of members' homes.

Maureen Seebacher of Muddy Creek Township has organized and presided over the camp since 1980. She's seen several growth spurts in the organization in her 28 years of service and shows no signs of slowing down."We used to say that we were the best-kept secret in the North Hills, but not anymore," Seebacher said with a smile. "I get such enjoyment from doing this. They (the campers) give you so much love in their own way and you get so much."There were new events every day at the camp. Monday featured lots of music and miscellaneous outdoor activities, while Tuesday included bingo, fishing and swimming.Wednesday featured the TRY olympics, complete with relay races and water balloon tosses. Thursday was carnival day at the camp with clowns and games.The camp wrapped up on Friday with an awards ceremony from the various activities and competitions held in the previous days. Some of the campers were reluctant to go home, others were extremely reluctant to board the bus.

There's only one thing that comforted the campers and added cheer to the end of a spectacular week at camp.They'll be back next year at the same time, at the same place with many of the same friendly faces helping them along the way.

Jonathan Singer dances with volunteer Terri Bowle.

Randy Sarver celebrates after his team won a water balloon toss.

Sonya Grieb concentrates as she tosses a tennis ball into a basket at TRY camp.

Ethel Marie Kerlick, with some help from a volunteer, participates in the relay race at the camp.

Jackie Yuko is exuberant after catching a fish during at TRY camp at the Family Retreat Center, which offers campers a swimming pool, cabins, nature trails and the pond.

Two campers hold hands at the beginning of the day at TRY camp at the Family Retreat Center in Marshall Township as Maureen Seebacher, longtime camp director, walks around to explain the day's events.