JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — On March 14th, the St. Augustine Diocesan Council of Catholic Women will host its 44th Annual Camp I Am Special Luncheon and Fashion/Talent Show.
The event will be held at St. Matthew Catholic Church. It will benefit Camp I Am Special, a summer program run by Catholic Charities Jacksonville for people with intellectual and developmental differences. This year’s theme, “Storybook Summer,” will feature campers and their volunteer buddies walking the runway together in storybook-inspired costumes to raise awareness and funds for the camp.
Isaiah Maass, camp director for Camp I Am Special, said the annual fashion show helps build excitement for the summer while supporting campers. “The DCCW fashion show is a fundraiser that we do every single year for camp,” Maass said. “We get to give our campers a chance to model some cool outfits that match the theme of our summer camp and get them excited before the summer starts.”
Organizers hope to raise $25,000 through the event to support meals, activities, and camper scholarships. Maass said funds from last year’s event allowed the camp to award every scholarship requested. “We were able to provide camp absolutely free of charge for a large number of our campers,” he said.
Camp I Am Special runs for six weeks each summer and serves more than 30 campers per week. Participants range in age from children as young as 5 to adults in their 80s and 90s. The camp offers activities such as bike riding, fishing, weekly dances, swimming, sports days, and talent shows, all designed to create a fun and welcoming environment.
Maass said the camp strives to welcome participants who may not always be able to join other programs, “first and foremost, we want to have fun.” “We really, really pride ourselves on being as inclusive as we possibly can be,” he said.
Camp I Am Special is located in Fruit Cove in St. Johns County. Maass said the fashion show offers the community a chance to see the program’s impact firsthand. “I really think it’s something that you have to see to understand,” he said. “The love that we have here at camp leaves a real effect on people.”
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