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A special day at Camp Aim

By Eleanor Bailey almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.Net 6 min read
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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Brian Blanc of Bethel Park and David Luoni from Peters Township celebrate after he receives his medal for participating in the 2018 Camp AIM Olympics.

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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Members of the Bethel Park High School football team volunteered to help with the Camp AIM Olympics.

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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Matthew Brace (right) of Bethel Park battles Sam Steiner (left) during a running race during the Camp AIM Olympics while counselors cheer on the competitors.

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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

David Luoni from Peters Township negotiates the obstacle course while a counselor cheers in the background during the Camp AIM Olympics.

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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Isaac James (right) of Bethel Park sprints against other runners during competition at the Camp AIM Olympics.

Matthew Isaac smiled broadly. Though the Bethel Park resident found his running races difficult, he declared competing in the Camp Aim Olympics “very fun” and his day “the best ever.”

That’s what the Blanc family from Bethel Park likes to hear.

Brian Blanc has been the physical education director at Camp Aim for 30 summers. He has organized the annual Olympics for that duration, too.

“I always joke that this is my parlay into professional athletics,” Brian said. “I get paid to play Wiffle ball, kick ball, basketball and run races for six weeks in the summer and it’s just fantastic.”

Camp AIM is fantastic in Brian’s book, too, because he met his wife here. Julie has worked as a camp counselor for 29 seasons.

The Blancs’ son also serves as a counselor. A freshman, Max also volunteers to assist the athletes during the Olympics.

“This is like their championship,” Max said. “They practice all summer for this day. This is their big day. So to see it all come together is awesome.

Because Max is at Camp Aim on a “day-to-day” basis, he sees the progress the special-needs athletes make.

“Some kids come here with no confidence. Some don’t want to be here,” he said. “But then on the last day leading up to it, it’s like a miracle.”

Thanks to the South Hills YMCA, Camp AIM came together in 1968. Based on the motto Achievement through Independence and Motivation, the six-week program services children with special needs from 22 school districts in Allegheny County and Peters Township.

Originally held at McMillan School in Bethel Park, the camp is now located at Carlynton Elementary School in Carnegie. Currently under the Spencer Family YMCA auspices, some 160 students participated in this year’s camp.

“In the summer, there is a program called extended school-year services that all school districts must offer to children who have an individual education plan or IEP and we are a contracted entity that provides that service for the school districts,” camp supervisor Paulette Colonna said. “So they let us know what goals they want the children to work on. We do that every day and measure progress and send a summary result back to the school district.”

Through the Camp AIM Olympics, the students certainly demonstrate their progress regarding their physical education.

“This is the day that is a combination of everything that we have done in our gym classes to encourage effort not outcome,” Brian Blanc emphasized, “and to do their best and have fun.”

Similar to Special Olympics with a few adaptations that suit the children and the programming, the athletes compete in running races, softball throw, Frisbee toss, bowling, obstacle course, bike races and basketball shooting.

“The program in general is just to find a way,” Blanc said. “Some of the things that we do, they may not get the opportunity to do in a regular gym class. With adaptations, we try to get them to succeed in whatever sport we put out there.

“The hope for the day is that they have fun. They try their best,” he continued. I say it doesn’t matter if you come in first, last or in the middle, if you try that’s what’s important.”

For their efforts, all athletes are awarded. During the post-game ceremony, participation medals are draped around each athlete’s neck.

“The highlight is definitely the medal ceremony. Watching them all get their name called and going up to the podium with the cheering of the crowd,” Max Blanc said. “For them, it’s a real Olympic experience. It’s like winning a championship for them. It’s amazing.”

Amazed were Max’s teammates. Members of the Bethel Park High School football team volunteered to work the Camp AIM Olympics. Their coaches, including Jeff Metheny and Mike Donovan, “encouraged” them to come to the camp and “help out” said Jared Yantek. The senior safety and wide receiver found the experience enlightening.

“It helps you see how privileged you are to be in the position that you are,” Yantek said. “It’s like you need to come and help these kids out and make them have a special day.”

Yantek embraced the opportunity and discovered his expectations for the day were exceeded.

“I just wanted to see everybody have a good time and to enjoy themselves,” he said. “You get to meet a bunch of kids who all have something special about them. You get to see their personality come out and see who they really are.”

For Yantek, however, that was not the “neatest thing,” rather “seeing all these kids have something exciting that they have prepared for” was.

“They all have their own event that they want to succeed at,” Yantek said, “and it’s nice to see them do just that.”

In their careers outside of athletics, Yantek and Blanc plan to continue relishing the achievements of people who face challenges on a daily basis.

Yantek wants to become a physical therapist.

Though he has a long scholastic career ahead, Blanc has chosen his career. He plans to follow in his father’s footsteps. He added that Camp AIM inspired him to go into physical education for special needs kids.

“My parents encouraged me to do this,” he continued regarding his volunteerism,” Blanc said. “They said it’s a fun time and it’s great to see all the kids enjoy what they love doing. It truly has been a great time. I love seeing all the kids happy every day and trying to get better.”

Regardless of the summer free time he has surrendered?

“Of course,” Blanc said. “I love giving back for people who can’t do what all of us can. If I can help make these kids have their best day at camp, then it’s worth it.”

Colonna acknowledged the value of the volunteers, too.

“We are very proud of all of our athletes,” she said. “But we also want to thank our staff and volunteers because it takes a lot to make sure these children have a meaningful and enjoyable summer. We could not do this without the volunteers.”

Visit www.ycamps.org for more details on Camp AIM.

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