Later this month, Camp Baker begins offering weeklong summer programs that include photography, canoeing, archery and horseback riding for about 400 children and adults — all with developmental disabilities. "We are a camp that serves individuals who may be in wheelchairs, may have tube feedings, diabetics, in addition to intellectual and physical disabilities," says Shirley O'Brien, senior director of Camp Baker services. The camp began in 1929 as a nutrition center for malnourished kids, and in 1957, it turned into a full-service respite and summer-camp facility, run by The Greater Richmond ARC. Its 22-acre facility in Chesterfield County is equipped with amenities that include a wheelchair-accessible pool, picnic tables and gardens, as well as wheelchair-accessible hiking paths. O'Brien says that campers come alive as they take part in activities that many of them could rarely enjoy. Camps run from June 20 to Aug. 20. To register, call 748-4789 or visit richmondarc.org.
