Our Campers join us from all corners of the United States and beyond, including New Jersey, California, Louisiana, New York, Massachusetts, Puerto Rico, Canada, England, and Kuwait.
In addition to educational and developmental activities such as speech, academics, and daily living, Lee Mar has many traditional camp activities like swimming, sports, and art. See Typical Day for a full list.
In addition to camper reports filled out by each camper’s parents/guardians, every camper and their family meet with one of the directors before attending camp. This ensures that Camp Lee Mar is the most appropriate fit.
If you have questions about whether or not your child would fit in at Lee Mar, please feel free to call (215) 658-1708 or email lynsey@leemar.com.
Our campers have a varied range of abilities within the mild to moderate classification. Our children are fully ambulatory and have a basic grasp of their daily living skills. Camp Lee Mar can accommodate campers with but not limited to:
- Developmental Challenges
- Learning Disabilities
- Down Syndrome
- Williams Syndrome
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Social Communication Disorder
- Fragile X
- Sensory Processing Disorder
If you have questions about whether or not your child would fit in at Lee Mar, please feel free to call (215) 658-1708 or email lynsey@leemar.com.
Camp is seven weeks long. Summer 2020 starts on June 24 and ends on August 11.
One way to get to Lee Mar is for campers to be dropped off at camp itself. Additionally, campers can be taken to our bus that goes right from New York City (Lincoln Center) to camp. We can also arrange for campers to be picked up at Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, New York.
Lee Mar takes pride in hiring an experienced, qualified, and motivated staff. Each summer, campers are joined by an incredible team led by our three directors who combined have over 100 years of experience with the special needs population, and 86 years of experience in camping.
One of our directors interviews each potential staff member to make sure they understand the intricacies and have what it takes to work with our campers. Camp also performs three different kinds of background checks before hiring someone.
The staff is made up of professionals and students who are trained and ready to provide an unforgettable summer for our campers. The staff at Lee Mar does not consist of volunteers, high schoolers, or anyone under the age of nineteen. Many of our staff members are studying speech-language pathology, special education, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and other topics that relate strongly to camp. A large number of our staff members grew up with siblings or close relatives with special needs too.
Our campers are first and foremost grouped by age; however, we also take into consideration the abilities of each camper. We factor in group dynamics and social skills in order to provide our campers with the best possible opportunity for both personal growth and an enjoyable summer.
The campers’ laundry is done once a week by a commercial laundry company.
Yes, there are always two nurses at camp (at least one RN and one LPN), assisted by two nursing students. They distribute medication, keep campers healthy, and take care of any other medical needs. Twice a week, a pediatrician also comes to Lee Mar to check up on campers.
Over the years, Camp Lee Mar has had campers with various medical conditions; the medical staff is experienced and well trained to handle the health needs of campers.
Yes! Every building at camp is equipped with air conditioning.
Each camper will receive three phone calls from home throughout the summer during designated call times. We also have a photo website where photos of our campers are uploaded on a daily basis. In the middle of the summer, Visiting Day provides families with the opportunity to experience Lee Mar and spend time with their camper.
Each group has a 3:1 camper to counselor ratio. There are numerous additional staff members as well, such as kitchen staff, the maintenance team, housekeeping, nurses, etc.
Summers at Lee Mar average in the high 70s during the day, and the low 60s at night. If the temperature ever gets too hot, we call a special “Sunny Day Program,” enjoying lots of swimming and water games. In addition, all our bunks and buildings are air-conditioned to make sure we stay cool. We also have a Rainy Day Schedule for whenever it is too wet to be outdoors.
Our program has been designed in order to provide our campers with a dynamic set of activities tailored to age and ability. We provide a structured environment that keeps our campers both interested and invigorated each and every day. For more information on the daily life of a camper, please visit Typical Day.
Camp Lee Mar is near the small town of Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania, nestled in the beautiful Pocono Mountains. It is a two hour drive from New York City, and a two and a half hour drive from Philadelphia.
